Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/463

 ITALY 445 forth noxious gases. The lagoons and marshes which border the coast generate poisonous miasmata. Besides all this, legions of noxious insects fill the air and infest the dwellings. Nevertheless, there are districts in Italy which in regard to salubriousness compare favorably with any in the world. In respect to its cli- mate it may be divided into four regions. Of these the first comprises upper Italy, N. of the Apennines, between lat. 46 40' and 43 30' N. There the temperature in winter is sometimes as low as 10 F. ; the snow remains on the ground from 10 to 14 days ; the lagoons on the Adriatic are frequently covered with ice ; and though the mulberry tree and rice are raised to perfection, the more tender fruits of a southern climate ripen only in sheltered localities. Night frosts begin as early as November, and continue until March or April. Even in the summer months piercing cold N. winds are not uncom- mon. The second region, extending from lat. 43 30' to 41 30' N., is that of the olive tree and orange. Frost and snow appear regularly only in the higher mountain districts, but occa- sionally snow may be seen even in the valleys and plains. The third region extends over 2J degrees of latitude, comprising nearly the whole continental portion of the former king- dom of Naples. There the thermometer sel- dom falls below 26 F. ; snow is very rarely seen except on the highest mountains, and never remains; aloes and other semi-tropical plants thrive even in unprotected localities. In the fourth region, comprising the southern- most part of the peninsula, as well as Sicily, the thermometer scarcely ever falls below the freezing point of water ; snow and ice are unknown except on the summit of Mt. Et- na; tropical fruits, dates, sugar cane, and the cotton plant thrive in the open air ; aloes are so common that they are planted for hedge rows ; a serene sky of the deepest blue spans the earth and bracing sea breezes temper the heat. But at the same time this portion of Italy often suffers from the common draw- backs of tropical regions, droughts and hot winds (siroccos), equally obnoxious to human and vegetable life. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, causing sometimes an appalling loss of life, occur frequently in lower Italy and Sicily. The mean annual temperature is as follows : Milan, 55'4 ; Rome, 59 ; and Naples, 61. The vegetable productions of Italy par- take of its semi-tropical character. At Bordi- ghera, on the Riviera di Ponente, are found groups of indigenous palm trees. In the basin of the Po the mulberry tree abounds, and great crops of rice are raised. Thence south- ward the same contrasts of climate and vege- tation strike the traveller, as he proceeds from the bare shore into the interior, or leaves the central ridge and its valleys for the coast. In the coldest uplands of the Abruzzi there often occur heavy falls of snow as late as June; while 40 m. to the south the olive, fig tree, and orange thrive luxuriantly. In Calabria the shores are lined with groves of orange and cit- ron trees, the gardens are filled with the date palm, the fields are divided by hedges of aloes and pomegranate, and in the fields the sugar cane and cotton plant are cultivated. The for- ests of evergreen oak and arbutus which form a feature of the landscape have an undergrowth of oleander and cistus. On the uplands a short distance from the coast the forests are of oak and chestnut, and higher up still, in the table lands of Pollino and the Sila, the country is covered with firs and pines, which afford grateful shade and rich pasture in midsummer to the large herds of cattle. On the shores of the Adriatic, exposed to the N. E. winds, is found a vegetation entirely different. Italy is above all an agricultural country. It produces all kinds of cereals, but wheat is used princi- pally as a breadstuff by the wealthy, and maize by the poor. The latter also consume great quantities of pulse and chestnuts. The potato is beginning to be extensively cultivated in upper Italy. Vegetables of all sorts are raised in great abundance. The most luscious fruits ripen spontaneously, such as oranges, lemons, citrons, figs, almonds, carob beans, and dates. The sugar cane, though extensively cultivated in lower Italy and Sicily, is inferior in quality to that of the West Indies. The cotton plant has been raised successfully in Calabria and Sicily since 1862. The culture of tobacco has always been limited, and its manufacture and sale are now a monopoly of the govern- ment. Hemp and flax are grown for home consumption. Saffron, safflower, and capers are exported. Silk is the most important pro- duct, and its value is yearly increasing with the foreign trade of Italy. The olive is indi- genous to almost every part of the peninsula, and its culture, like that of silk, is constantly increasing in importance. The attention of Italian economists and agriculturists has been lately turned to the improved cultivation of the grape, and large quantities of wine are ex- ported from every part of the kingdom. The wines of lower Italy and Sicily equal in body and flavor the best wines of Spain and Portu- gal ; but those of upper and central Italy, from want of careful preparation, are not in such general demand. The Italian government is endeavoring to introduce improved methods of agriculture. About 85 per cent, of the area is productive, and 13 per cent, unproductive soil. The former may again be divided into 48 per cent, of arable and wine land, 25 per cent, of meadows and pastures, 5 per cent, of olive and chestnut forests, and 22 per cent, of woodland. The average annual yield of the principal agri- cultural products is estimated as follows : Wheat 105,650,000 bushels. Indian com 48,000,000 " Barley and oats. 22.150.oco " Eye 7,950,000 " Elce 4,500.000 " Ottergrain 18,450,000 " Totnlgraln 200,700,000 "