Mallorca

"Irrigated lands, referred to commonly and simply as horta in Mallorca, are generally watered by means of a waterwheel. Though some are also watered by springs, but these are destined for a special type of production. The land, for example, is divided into a quarterada, that is, four equal portions called quartons. The first is used to grow wheat, the second for beans. The third is used for winter crops, distributing rows or eres for lettuce, spinach, chard, staked lettuce, turnips and some scallions and carrots. The fourth portion is reserved for what is known in Spain by the name of alcacer, that is, barley or oats and whose leaves are used to feed the livestock. In three of those four parts, that is, the part for the alcacer, beans and winter vegetables, there tends to be a second harvest, which in the first case, consists generally of peppers, melons, watermelons, tomatoes and squash. In the part reserved for beans, cabbage is planted later. While that reserved for winter vegetables later serves for peas, onions, corn, cucumbers, zucchini/courgettes and potatoes.

However, all that described corresponds to a “first class” horta, while in the second-tier of gardens, the quarterada is usually distributed as follows:

One quartó for grains

Two-thirds of a quartó for barley

A third of a quartó for alcacer

Another quartó for legumes

And the last quartó for winter vegetables.

Later, approximately half of the eres are set aside for cabbage of all types, the rest for lettuce, whether on the ground or staked, spinach, chard, turnips, scallions and carrots. From a fourth of the surface previously destined for vegetables, they obtain a second crop, usually consisting of peppers, melons, watermelons, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, beans, corn or squash."

Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria. Las Baleares por la palabra y el grabado. Majorca: General Part. Ed. Sa Nostra, Caja de Baleares. Palma de Mallorca. 1982.

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