Almond del Salento Lecce: flower without the fruit.

Almond del Salento Lecce: flower without the fruit.


Antonio Bruno *



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The fruit of the Salento Lecce fed export markets only in the case of figs, and quinces. And the almond tree? The almond del Salento Lecce were located mainly in the area of Otranto. In this paper the reasons for the low production of almonds.

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Needless to hide it, except for figs, almonds and quince fruit trees in the Salento Lecce were mostly found in the gardens of country houses or in those spaces that were behind all the houses called "Ortali.

In these areas of land near the house you could find some tomato plants, peppers, eggplant, flowers which were then cut to be placed in the vessels of the house and the herbs that the food would fill in flagrante delicto.

Other areas that were used for these crops were "short". Not the Salento Lecce and then you're thinking about the residence of the monarchs is not it? But this is not the home court of Salento Lecce, in its oldest and simplest form, can be defined as the space family, regular in shape, characterized by a shorter side entrance, a courtyard, a construction and a unique environment to rear garden, "Ortale" to the needs and delights of the family.

In this "Ortale" there were fruit trees, those of lemon, orange and tangerine, and then the pergola of grapes.

The fruit of the Salento Lecce fed export markets only in the case of figs, and quinces. And the almond tree?

The almond del Salento Lecce were located mainly in the area of Otranto. In the writings of Leggieri, Costa De Giorgi and stresses that the climate of the two varieties of Salento, Lecce, is that the white-flowered red-flowered and anticipate the flowering and therefore should give an early production. The early and pronounced it the almond trees bloom white, and if you read me that when in January you're not driving a car with the head upon arrival at the office, immersed in the problems that you think you find, and therefore not blinded Have you ever seen the morning of this cold month, these beautiful trees full of white flowers! The almond trees in bloom del Salento Lecce.

The observations recorded in the writings of the 800 and the considerations of these authors were directed to the danger that the newly sprouted almond flowers were damaged by frost in February. The flowers that suffer the cold of night and the temperature rises too much the next morning, blocking the inflorescence and the temperature rises abruptly kills the flowers, which do not tolerate much variation in the first volume due to the gradual increase in volume for formation of ice crystals and after the sudden decrease in volume of the ice melts back into the water.

These are the reasons for the cultivation of almond trees in the area of Otranto gave a production of almonds are small and of poor quality when compared to the production areas of Alberobello and Castel del Monte.

In Salento Lecce due to the rapid shift from mild frosts of December of the next three months is difficult to implement the cultivation of almond and when you tried to make the 800 production has been a local destination for the poor quality and the irregularity of production.

The confirmation of what is written from the data of 2005 which states that in Salento Lecce are planted with almond only 78 hectares compared to 22,500 acres of the Terra di Bari, although among the fruit in Puglia, is the most important crop in terms of acreage, with 30,528 hectares with a production process which in 2005 was € 2,300 per hectare.

It must be noted that the production process is also less demanding to use of inputs. In fact, the cost of cultivation absorb only 8% of the value of production, and employment is relatively low. So the almond tree, among the fruit crops, takes the form of productive activity that produces little, "is to spend" much less.

Specifically, an acre of almond trees to absorb the soil working 12 hours per hectare for various interventions on the plant 42 hours per hectare for fertilization and protection 15 hours per hectare for other operations 18 hours per hectare for collection 35 hours per hectare , for a total of 122 hours per hectare of almond trees.

Although there are so few almonds in Salento, Lecce has established the almond paste or marzipan. Approximate the holiday season and already I see that you rub your hands at the thought of enjoying this delicious dessert!

The origins of this cake are very distant, in fact seems to have been born at the end of 1100, in Palermo, the Martorana convent adjoining the church of St. Mary's, which owes its name to George of Antioch, an admiral of King Roger II .

Even today you can buy sweet almond paste during the Christmas and Easter, and custom throughout the year, prepared by the nuns of the Benedictine convent of S. Giovanni Evangelista in Lecce and visit the monastery.

In particular, the monastery is located in Corte Accardo (Lecce), was once located outside the walls, now is in the historic center. The origins of the monastery date back to the twelfth century, during the Norman rule. Accardo was the Count, Count of Lecce, in 1133 to lay down the foundation.

In short to Salento Lecce, for the characteristics of the climate, we can not grow almonds in large quantities, on the other hand every year at Christmas and Easter we get whole seas of almond paste that we consume and enjoy who we are to find. So what are you waiting for? Come to sweeten your holidays in Salento Lecce!







Bibliography

INEA, Economic Results of the main productive activities Almond fruit, cherry and peach

Series "Rural Apulia - Puglia.

Mario de Lucia, General problems of agricultural development. In crop