116 Geography^ Geology^ and Vegetation of Sicily. 



Feet Feet 



St. Martino, Convent - 1659 Citadel of Cocalus at Glrgenti 1240 



Mola Village, above Taormina 1585 Parco monastery - 1115 



Highest of the Gibel manna Mount Calogero at Sciacca 1035 



hills - - 1519 Ancient Theatre at Taormina 847 



Moorish Castle at Taormina 1305 Bocca di Falco, near Palermo 430 



The principal vegetable exports from Sicily are 



Almonds Cork Limes Oil Squills 



Barilla Cotton Linseed Olives Sumach 



Brandy Figs Linseed oil Oranges Timber 



Canary seed Flax Liquorice Pistachio nuts Tobacco 



Capers Fruit Lupines Pulse Wheat 



Caroub pods Hemp Maccaroni Raisins Wines 



Chestnuts Lemons Madder roots Rice 



Citrons Lemon juice Manna Soda 



The soil of Sicily is for the most part remarkably rich and 

 fertile, and consists of a great variety of earths, and is often of 

 great depth : but agriculture is unfortunately in a very pri- 

 mitive state, and, therefore, it is difficult to conjecture what 

 the produce might be, if a good system were enforced. At 

 present, "the usual process," as Capt. Smyth observes (p. !!> 

 12.), "after clearing away the stones from the ground, is, to 

 commence with sowing wheat, of which the best kinds are the 

 Farro (Triticum Spelta), and the Majorca (Triticum hyber* 

 num). The crop of wheat is succeeded by hemp, maize, 

 lentils, or other pulse ; and, in the ensuing seasons, generally 

 by barley and beans, followed by mixed esculents and a 

 fallow. The harvest begins in the latter end of June *, and 

 continues through July and August; nor are there two suc- 

 cessive crops of any one thing in the year, except what are 

 forced in such grounds as are artificially irrigated, called 

 Ortaggi. Indeed, in many parts, from the scarcity of manure, 

 the peasants are reduced to the necessity of leaving their fields 

 fallow every other season. It is customary to sow a salm of 

 wheat (20Eng. bushels) on a salm of land (5^ Eng. acres), 

 but the quantity of seed is lessened in proportion as the soil is 

 more fertile. The usual produce is from 10 to 16 salms, and, 

 in the most favourable years, 28 for 1 ; but no part of Sicily 

 can pretend to the once boasted hundred fold, which I am in- 

 clined to receive as a poetical metaphor." 



I am. Sir, yours, &c. 



John Hogg. 



* J. H. arrived in Catania, May 25. 1826 ; some wheat had then been cut, 

 and most of it was ripe : but when he had reached Palermo, June 10., the whole 

 of the corn harvest was nearly finished. 



