224 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



excuses made were not genuine, and at Palermo waited a full 

 week over my time for departure in order to break down the 

 opposition which had hitherto batHed me. At length I obtained 

 free entry to several packing-houses and was able to take several 

 photographs of the well-built, well-lighted, beautifully clean, 

 conveniently arranged packing- rooms of Seiior B. Mercadante. 

 I should say that I was greatly indebted to this courteous 

 gentleman for many kindnesses and much information. At 

 the time of my visit (beginning of .January), the best lemons 

 were coming from the interior, although I saw splendid fruit 

 being gathered in the hills about ten miles from Palermo. 

 The price quoted then was 7s. a case of 300, C. I. F. to New 

 York. The price paid in Palermo for mountain lemons, he 

 said, varied from 7s. to 16s. per 1,080. Mr. A. P. Brown, the 

 representative of the Bronte estates, and manager of the Palermo 

 ice works, Mr. Se}'mour, the American Consul, and Mr. Weiner, 

 the genial proprietor of the Hotel de France, also assisted me 

 greatly. A drive and picnic with the latter to his wine cellars 

 and chateau at Pareo, in the mountains, is one of the most 

 pleasant of my recollections. 



I am, of course, all through describing the preparation of the 

 best lemons which have made the name of Sicily famous. When 

 lemons are to be exported they are taken either direct from the 

 lemon groves, or from the stores, as described, to the packing- 

 houses. Here the boxes are opened, the lemons unwrapped and 

 carefully examined. The sorters are experts. A lemon with a 

 blemish which could not be distinguished except as the result 

 of continued practice, is at once detected and put aside. The 

 fruit is regraded, because from the time of gathering it has 

 shrunk considerably. 



The work is thus divided: (1st) Girls unpack and unwrap 

 the lemons, putting them into lined baskets; (2d) The expe- 

 rienced graders (men) sort them, putting them into other 

 baskets; (3d) Another set of girls wrap them in fresh tissue 

 paper; (4th) Boys carry the baskets to the packers; (5th) Ex- 

 pert packers pack them into the various sized boxes required 

 by the different markets. This packing is one of the smartest 

 and cleverest things I have seen in connection with any branch 

 of the fruit industry. The fruit is handled with particular 

 care, but is packed very closely. As the box becomes full it is 

 noticed that the fruit in the middle is higher than at the sides, 



