906 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



ably owing to the decline in prices. There were exported from Catania 

 to the United States of lemons and citrons — 



United States Consulate, 



Oatania, November 25, 1885. 



ALBERT Woodcock, 



Consul. 



CUBA. 



HE POST OF COSSXTL PIEBCE OF MATANZAS. 



In the district of Matanzas the citron, though not indigenous to Cuba, 

 is to some extent cultivated here, bnt not as an article of commerce. 

 Scarcely any attention is paid to its cultivation, and, like a great inany 

 other useful products, it is almost entirely neglected, owing to the prior 

 preference for the staple product, whicli up to this day is the sugar- 

 cane. 



It may be surprising that au article so universally growing in the 

 island should not appear as an article of export, but to one well and 

 thoroughly informed as to the tendency of the agricultural clasps here it 

 is not surprising. Nearly every farm-house garden or plantation has 

 a few citron trees growing. The soil is eminently adapted to its culti- 

 vation, and, in the production of it, it is flourishing and florescent, but 

 as small cultivations have been entirely abandoned in preference to the 

 sugar-cane, there has been neither foreign exportation nor an interior 

 commerce iu the article — at least in this district. 



The citron is used to a limited extent here as a tonic and for pre- 

 serves. In its use as a tonic or a medicinal article only the outside 

 bark or peel is used. The interior is used as a refreshment and for pre- 

 serves. 



The citron is grown on a bush about three yards high. From the time 

 of planting, iu about two years, fruit may be expected. 



It will grow in any ground, but rich earth is naturally preferable. 

 As the fruit has never been attentively cultivated hero, it is almost im- 

 possible to digest the many opinions given by the isolated cj^ltivators 

 who have given it any attention ; but I have given what 1 deem a fair 

 synopsis of the various data obtained, iind will add that it is ileeraed 

 and classified as hardy as the orange. 



