. Culture of the citrus in California. California. Pomology; Citrus. THE SICILIAN LEMON INDUSTRY—CULTURE. 215 the lemon trees prevents the further cultivation of annual crops, the work assumes a regular character. Irrigation.—Wherever possible, irrigation takes place at regular intervals through the summer months. In the moun- tains this is done by gravitation from the mountain streams, and the irrigation ditches are always a prominent feature in the lemon grove. Usually each tree stands in the center of a basin, formed by a small mound of sbil, and into this basin the water is run at in- terv


. Culture of the citrus in California. California. Pomology; Citrus. THE SICILIAN LEMON INDUSTRY—CULTURE. 215 the lemon trees prevents the further cultivation of annual crops, the work assumes a regular character. Irrigation.—Wherever possible, irrigation takes place at regular intervals through the summer months. In the moun- tains this is done by gravitation from the mountain streams, and the irrigation ditches are always a prominent feature in the lemon grove. Usually each tree stands in the center of a basin, formed by a small mound of sbil, and into this basin the water is run at in- tervals. On the lower lands I found artificial means of raising water were used, and I was struck with the ex- tent and complete- ness of the steam pumping plants in some of the larger plantations. I think there must have been many miles of concrete channels. These channels were sometimes five or six feet above the level of the ground, and were carried on concrete walls about eighteen inches thick. When it was necessary to cross one of the road- ways which divided the grove into regular blocks for conven- ience of gathering the crop, and other work, an earthenware inverted siphon was used, carrying the water under the road and up the other side. Except for the siphons, these channels reminded one of the old Roman aqueducts on a small scale. The first irrigation is given in June, when the fruit from the. Sicilian lemon tree, showiug method of Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Lelong, Byron Martin, 1856-1901. Sacramento, A. J. Johnston, superintendent state printing


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