THE SICILIAN LEMON INDUSTRY — CULTURE. 207 



Climatic Conditions. — From ^Yhat I have just said it will 

 be gathered that the lemon lands of 8icily may be divided into 

 two classes — first with respect to soil, and second with respect 

 to altitude. The coastal zone embraces the narrow coastal 

 plains and the lower portions of the valleys up to 1,000 or 

 1,500 feet above sea-level. The mountain region includes the 

 higher valleys and hills from 1,500 to about 3,000 feet above 

 sea-level. Beyond this the climate is too moist, and the frost 

 too severe for lemon culture. This wide range of altitude 

 within a limited area is an important factor in the production 

 and marketing of lemons. The fruit near the coast ripens 

 first, and the lemon harvests succeed one another as one 

 proceeds into the interior. It will be readily seen that it is 

 difficult to summarize the climatic conditions of a range of 

 country such as I have indicated. The best I can do is to give 

 the range of temperature of Palermo, which is on the north 

 coast. Ordinarily the thermometer ranges from about 34° 

 Fab. in winter to 95° Fab. in summer. The average for the 

 year is about 70° Fab. Occasionally it rises as high as 104° 

 Fah., and sinks as low as 30° Fah. There is not, however, 

 much difference between Palermo and Adelaide in temperature, 

 but the climate of Palermo is more humid than ours, and the 

 contrasts less sudden. The hot south wind of Sicily comes 

 from the deserts of North Africa, but it has to travel over the 

 moisture-laden surface of the Mediterranean, so that when it 

 reaches Sicily, although it is hot, it has lost the parching 

 power of our north wind, fresh from the almost treeless plains 

 of the vast interior of Australia. 



The year may be divided into a wet and a dry period. During 

 the winter, or from the end of September to April, the prevail- 

 ing winds are strong and constant, and bring a large amount 

 of moisture. The fall during the six months named averages 

 22 inches, and the average for the year is between 25 and 30 

 inches. 



SICILIAN LEMON CULTURE. 



The methods of culture of the lemon in Sicily vary more or 

 less in different districts under different conditions. It is 

 impossible to describe all the varying details, so that it will 

 be necessary for the reader to consider my remarks as the pre- 

 vailing conditions. My notes are the result of careful inquiry 



