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CULTIVATION OF ORANGE AND Lemon TREES. 
The following practical soe LU the eultivation of orange and 
. lemon trees, it is hoped, will answer the many inquiries addressed to me. 
The 
the Island they are a source of wealth to the proprietor and afford work 
to thousands of men, women and children i in mee the tree and in 
gathering and packing the iruit for exportation. Besides there is work 
in the production of essences whether of orange, lemon, mandarin, or 
bergamot, and concentrated lemon juice, the latter is carried on ona large 
scale. "Vice-Consul Elford, who furnishes me with all particulars, 
correctly observes that the lemon is the most productive as well as 
most remunerative of the class and gives the largest return per acre “of 
land planted. The trees are set about 5 yards distant one from the 
other in rows and equidistant. Stony or sandy soil is apparently e > st 
€ for the best groves are near the beds of torrents or on the 
roin Messina to Acircale for instance, and from Milazzo to Messina. 
itid in the neighbourhood of Palermo. "They will not thrivei in a stiff soil 
such as clay, for the roots are superficial and abundant. The trees have 
to be well manured at least once a year, and the way i is to dig a trench, 
say about 40 inches from the stem and bury the manure 18 inc ches below. 
Ripe stable mixed with P Wed ash and bone i » e to yield the best and 
fetches the highest price. Mr. Elford points out that the blossoms of 
April roduce a best fruit, known as penodtoks (choice fruit), which 
is gathered in October, and those of May yielding a second crop, 
gather ered in Noventber and December, these are the best crops as weli as the 
most mter and upon them the proprietors base all their calculations. 
The blossoms of June produce fruit gathered in January and February, 
those of July generally fall off and little heed is taken of them, those of 
ugust are gathered in March, those of September pr oduce a better 
fruit, gathered in April o May; the fruit of those of Oct tober, 
d De ber 
June, July, August, and Septe mber, whilst those of January, February, 
and March yield little fruit, which falls under the same denomination. 
Finsr Cnors. 
The first gathering occurs in October, ge being taken that 
lemons be not less than 3 inches in circumference; all under are left 
for the November gathering. Practised han ds auge Me fruit with 
thumb and second finger. The first crop (the most valuable) is care- 
fully selected, packed, and shipped off for early spring or summer use, 
and realises 30 per cent. more than any subsequent. gathering no time, 
various sized cases to suit the different markets. Those for France are 
of one size, se for London of another. Each case contains about 450 
le: e States and Trieste boxes are used, containing only 
about 360. An that are yx "inferior are put in small cases for 
the Italian market, and fetch 40 per cent. less 
SECOND Crops. 
The second gathering takes place in November, and is as good as that 
of. October, and will keep for months in boxes if properly selected and 
packed; it is paler in colour, and harder to the touch. It is, xu pond 
often kept in | cases until March, then repacked, and pur quc 
