Major
in music, greater. A major third consists of four semitones, a minor third of three. A major tone is the whole tone having the ratio 8.9; a minor tone, that having the ratio 9.10. Intervals have had the term major applied to them in a conflicting manner.
MAJORCA (ma-jôr'kä), or MALLOR- CA (mäl-yor'-), the largest of the BALEARIC ISLES (q. v.), lying about 100 miles from the Spanish coast, and 150 N. of Algiers; length, 60 miles; breadth, 40 miles; area, 1,352 square miles; pop. about 280,000. The climate is healthful, the sea breeze preserving a nearly equable temperature over the whole island. In the N. there are mountains reaching 3,500 to 5,000 feet in height.
The hillsides are terraced; olive groves abound everywhere, and almond, orange, fig, and other fruit trees are common.
The vine is grown and good wine made.
The soil is extraordinarily fertile. There are manufactories of cloth, cotton goods, ropes, silk, soap, shoes, etc.; there are railways connecting the capital, PALMA (q. v.); pop. (1920) about 65,000, with Manacor (20,000), the second town of the island (where as well as at Arta there are magnificent caves), and La Puebla (5,000). Large quantities of the lustered ware called MAJOLICA (q. v.) were exported to Italy and elsewhere in the 15th century; this ware is still made to a small extent.