1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Pico

PICO, an island in the Atlantic Ocean, belonging to Portugal, and forming part of the Azores archipelago. Pop. (1900), 24,028; area 175 sq. m. Pico is a conical mountain, rising to the height of 7612 ft. The soil consists entirely of pulverized lava. The so-called Fayal wine, though named after an adjacent island, was formerly produced here, and largely exported to Europe. But in 1852 the vines were attacked by the Oidium fungus and completely destroyed, while the orange-trees suffered almost as much from the Coccus hesperidum. The people were consequently forced to emigrate in great numbers, till the planting of fig-trees and apricots alleviated the evil. Pico also produces a species of wood resembling mahogany, and equal in quality to it. Its chief town is Lagens do Pico. Pop. (2975).