THE CITRON OP COMMERCli. 895 



vine stocks are of immemorial tradition, the recommendatioa to keep 

 them very tall {taille d, long bois) constitutes a bold innovation, but feels 

 no hesitation in advising viticultarists to reform their habits in this 

 respecti in order to place themselves in the conditions prescribed by the 

 distinguished chemist for the application of his recipe. 



I am informed that the above-mentioned largo production of the ex- 

 perimental vineyard at Vincennes can not exhaust the soil, as the said 

 fertilizer fully restores to the soil all the ingredients consumed by the 

 production of the crop of raisins. I am also informed that the favora- 

 ble consequences of keeping the vines tall may be attributed to the cir- 

 cumstance that vines kept in that condition are provided with plenty of 

 leaves, which constitute the respiratory as well as digestive organs of 

 the plant, and that an abundance of leaves are required in order to give 

 vigor and productiveness to the vine; that, on the contrary, a de- 

 ficiency of leaves causes a decrease of sugar in the raisins and, in course 

 of time, probably, a tenderness or sponginess in the roots, 



OSCAJB Malmros, 



Commercial Agent. 



United States Commercial Agency, 



St. Etienne, June 4, 1890. 



THE CITRON OF COMMERCE. 



[Republished from Consular Reports No. 61.] 



ITALY. 



ROME. 

 SEPOBT BT OONSTTL-GBNUBAL ALVEN. 



As citron is not grown within the limits of this consular district, I 

 have been able to o|j.tain but a limited amount of information in regard 

 to it. 



The citron tree, or shrub, will grow wherever lemon or orange trees 

 grow. It flourishes, however, only in a sandy soil and in the immediate 

 neighborhood of the sea. It is most successful in sheltered situations 

 on the shores of bays. As might therefore be expected it is largely 

 grown on the Ligurian coast, which is sheltered by mountains from the 

 north wind, and also in the Southern Mediterranean provinces of Italy, 

 and in Sicily. The French island of Corsica is probably the most i>ro- 

 lific citron-produciilg district of the Mediteiraueau Basin. The present 

 Oorsican crop is estimated to be nearly 5.510,000 pounds. Great care 

 is needed in the cultivation of citron. The fruit when full grown is 

 large and weighs from 1 to 3 pounds, and will, unless the branches are 

 carefully propped up, either break them or bend them to the ground. 



