Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 11.djvu/50

* ITALY. 34 ITALY. and Northeastern Sicily, represent a much older land nia>s (Tyrrhcnia). which, previous to the Tcrtiarv prrioil. wtupii'd a laijic part of the de- pression now lilk'd liy the Tyrrlienian !Sea. The great criistal niuveiiionts that have determined the present conliguration of Italy were accom- panied by volcanic eruptions on an enormous ecale. Evidences of these ancient outbursts are found in the Euganean and Hrescian hills, near Padua; in the numerous vents along the western coasts of Middle Italy, includiiig ^lonte Aniiata and the Alban Hills; and in llic I'lilcgrican Fields of Campania. On the mainliind Vesuvius is the onl viiUano now active, although eruptions have occurred in the Alban Hills within his- torical times. Sicily contains the great cone ot Blount Etna (q.v. ), and the Lipari Islands are dominated by Stromboli — both active volcanoes. JliNER.L Kesources. Italy has no great min- eral wealth comparable to that of Great Britain, Germany, or even France, as coal, which is the basis of a well-dcvcloiied mining industry, oc- curs on the Italian Peninsula only in limited deposits, A small quantity of anthracite is mined in Piedmont and lignite in Umbria, Tus- cany, "and Sardinia ; the total output of coal in 1900 was 479,896 metric tons, valued at $708,- 471. The most important mineral found in Italy is sulphur, the output of which consti- tutes in value more than one-half of all the mineral product. The richest sulphur-mines are in the Sicilian provinces of Girgenti, Catania, and Caltanissetta ; but smaller deposits occur on the mainland, in the provinces of ForlT, Ancona, Avellino, and Pesaro e Urbino. Over .'i2,000 per- sons are engaged in the extraction of this min- eral, among them a consideralde number of young children working under conditions very inju- rious to health. Almost the entire world's sup- plies of sulphur are drawn from the Italian mines. The output has increased about 22.5 per cent, in the last 40 years, reaching in 1900 a total of 544,119 metric 'tons, valued at $10,212,903. The island of Elba yields an especially good quality of iron ore, which is largely exported to other countries. In 1900 the output of iron ore was 247,278 tons, valued at $917,104. Rich de- posits of zinc ore are worked in Lombardy and Sardinia ; the output of this mineral ranks sec- ond in value to that of sulphur, the total in 1900 being 139,079 tons, valued at $3,281,090. Quicksilver is mined in Tuscany, copper in Pied- mont, Tuscany, and the Venetian Alps, and lead in the provinces of Genoa, Lucca, and in Sardinia. Small quantities of gold, silver, and antimony are also produced, Sicily and Calabria contain deposits of rock salt, while sea-salt is made along the coast of Sicilj' and Sardinia. The marble-quarries of Carrara. JIassa, and Sera- rezza have a world-wide reputation, and give emplo,Tnent to about 7000 lal)orcrs; in 1900 the output of crude marble was valued at $2,409,410, while the exports for the same year were $3,490,- 862. Mineral waters suited for medicinal and bath- ing purposes are found at numerous localities in the Apennines and the volcanic regions. Among the popular resorts are Abano, Acqui, Bonino, Bagni di Lucca, Ischia. San Giuliano, San Pellegrino, 'Montecatini, and Posetta. F1.SHERIF.S. The sea and fresh-water fisheries of Italy are considerable. t"i<» Mediterranean fur- nishing inmiense quantities of tunny, anchovies, sardines, mullet, pilchards, and mackerel. The Italian fisheries yielded about $2,500,000 in fish in 1899, but llic imports of fish exceed the ex- jiorts. The number of boats engaged in the in- dustry for the same year was 23,008, which was larger than for any previous year. Hut while the extent of the fisheries annually increases, the value of the catch tends to diminish. Coral-fish- ing nets over $300,000 per annum. It is carried on mainly along the coasts of Sicily and Sardinia. Sponges are obtained around Trapani and off the coast of Timis. Agriculture. Agriculture is the principal in- dustry of Italy. Only a little over one-sixth of the total area is unproductive, the 70,929,007 acres of Italian territory being classed as fol- lows; 50,119,293 acres, or 71 per cent., under cultivation; 9,320,522 acres, or 13 per cent., not under cultivation, but productive; 11,483,851 acres, or 16 jicr cent., unproductive land. The most fertile and best cultivated lands are in the northern plain, drained by the Po. in Tuscany, in Campania, and in Northern Sicily, near Palermo. The poorest agricultural sections- are in the country east of the Apennine Moun- tains, the marshy lowlands of Southern Tuscany and Rome, the plains of Apulia, and the hilly interior of Sicily. The extensive swamp areas, and the large, unprixluctive stretches of arid land which could be turnetl into fertile gardens and fields with proper irrigation have made it neces- sary for the (iovernment to undertake large drainage and irrigation works which, when com- pleted, will add millions of acres to the available agricultural area of Italy, and at the same time rid it of great danger to health and life. The work is carried on mostly under the innnediate supervision of the Government, which contributes part of the cost of the undertaking, the renin iii- der being covered by the local government of the districts affected and by the landowners benefited by the change. Before the end of the nineteentli century nearly 1.700.000 acres of land were ren- dered fit for cultivation bv drainage, and over 4.000,000 acres by irrigation. Some 3,500,000 acres of land may be yet reclaimed by irrigation. Crops, Wheat is raised over all the Kingdom. Italy is favored above most countries by cli- matic conditions, and is comparable to California in the great range of crops that can be grown, including both temperate-zone and tropical va- rieties. Like Florida, its peninsular position gives it the advantage of an insular climate, and though it is in a more northern latitude (Xaples being on the same parallel with New York), it is not subject to severe freezes such as sometimes occur in Florida, the Alps to the north pro- tecting it from the southward sweep of cold northern winds. ■ Fnmi the agricultural table appended it will be seen that the recent wheat production has fallen somewhat below the average for earlier years. The production does not meet the domestic demand, and annual importations are necessary. Corn is also raised throughout the Kingdom, the two most important districts being the provinces of .Milan and Ca- serta, each producing an average annual crop of about 4.200.000 bushels. The other important provinces are Brescia, Cremona, Cdine. Treviso, and Padua, This crop also scarcely holds its own as compared with earlier years, and does not supply the home consumption, necessitating importations. The cultivation of rice, the