OKANGES AND LEMONS IN PALERMO. 511 



Elevation above sea-level. — It is impracticable to detei'uiiuc witli ac- 

 curacy the elevation at which orange and lemon trees can be cultivated, 

 the latitude and certain special conditions influencing this. In Sicily? 

 for instance, oranges and lemons are profitably cultivated along the sea- 

 coasts at an altitude of from 100 to 500 meters above sea-level, and often 

 much better crops are obtained where the elevation is from 500 to 1,000 

 meters. 



Exposure to sun. — It is of great advantage when the gardens have 

 a southern exposure, or when the sun beams down upon them from 

 sunrise to sunset. This exposure is recommended by gardeners here. 



Position of orchards. — Orange and lemon trees are indifferently 

 planted in the vicinity of Palermo, in billy, rolling, or level land. The 

 nature of the soil, climate, exposure to sun, attention to the soil, 

 trees, etc., seem to be the principal requisites; elevation, all other 

 things favorable, having little or no influence, save as to quality. 

 Fruits produced on hilly land are more appreciated, and generally 

 command higher prices than those produced on rolling or level land. 

 There are exceptions to this, however. In Palermo, for instance, 

 fruits produced on certain level lands command as high prices as those 

 produced on hilly land ; with this exception, however, the land best 

 adapted to the cultivation of oranges and lemons is generally hilly. In 

 fact, the fruit-dealers mark their fruits with an " M," which signifies 

 " Montagna" or " Mountain," which enhances their price, as seen from 

 the following comparison, viz : 



Fruits produced on hilly land, 25, 50 lire per thousand; on rolling 

 land, 21, 27 lire per thousand ; on level land, 17 lire per thousand. 



Soil. — Considerable attention has been given of late years to the char- 

 acter of the soil, subsoil, etc., best adapted to the cultivation of the 

 fruits in question, as well as to the chemical composition of oranges 

 and lemons which has resulted in the belief that calcareous land, con- 

 taining certain other material necessary to the life of all vegetation, is 

 the best, in order that they may contain the requisite amount of lime, 

 potassa, soda, etc. The soil best adapted to the cultivation of oranges 

 and lemons is at least one meter in depth and devoi<l of rocks, and ac- 

 cessible to water for irrigation, else the trees die. 



Deep, clay land, open and exposed to the rays of the sun, accessible 

 to water, abounding with alkaline salts, minus rocks or stones, little or 

 no grass, not exposed to strong winds, rains, or frosts, etc., is deemed 

 to present the best advantages in all respects. 



CLIMATIC INFLUENCES. 



Temperature. — The temperature in the adjacent territory of Palermo, 

 in summer, does not ordinarily exceed 35° centigrade, and rarely falls 

 lower than 20°, and in winter the maximum is 23°, and the minimum 

 10°. Consequently, the average summer temperature is 27^° and that 

 of winter 16Jo, the average annual temperature being 22°. 



