FOREIGN iNOTICES. 



143 



calculation is likely cnoufih to be correct. The 

 crapes, when dried, are worth double what they 

 would yield made into wine, unless spoiled by the 

 rain. 



They usually commence gathering the grapes 

 about the middle of August, choosing only such 

 bunches as are ripe. They return alter a week or 

 two to make another selection, and so on lor a third 

 and I'ourth time. A place is always reserved in the 

 vineyard, free from plants, on which to spread the 

 grapes when giuhered; and they choose a spot 

 where the soil is of the darkest color, in order to its 

 keeping the full force of the sun's rays during the 

 day, and retaining the heat during the night. The 

 bunches are spread out separately on the ground, 

 and never allowed to press upon each other : ac- 

 cording to Don Salvador, they are only once turr.ed 

 over. At the end of 15 days they are, in general, 

 sufficiently dry. This season was mere unfortunate 

 for the early commencement of the rains, than any 

 season for many years, and the crop was remarkably 

 fine. It is Don Salvador's intention in future years, 

 to have wooden toldos, or awnings, prepared to 

 shelter the grapes, while drying, against the rains, 

 and also to cover them during the night- He says 

 that the drying of the grapes is so much retarded 

 by their being exposed to the dews during the night, 

 that when he has the means of covering them at 

 night, he expects they will be dried in half the time 

 usual at present. Before the bunches are spread 

 out, the small grapes are picked out, as well as any 

 which may happen to be injured; the small grapes 

 are dried separately. I saw a heap of them in Don 

 Salvador's house, which had the appearance of very 

 large currants. When the grapes are turned, any 

 spoiled ones are, or ought to be picked out; they 

 have no particular rule for judging when they are 

 sufficiently dry — it is learnt by experience. When 

 they happen to get rain while drying, the stalks 

 become black or rusty looking, instead of being of 

 a bright light brown. According to Don Salvador, 

 the district which produces the Muscatel grape ex- 

 tends only two leagues farther east; that is, not 

 more than three leagues in all, along the coast, and 

 two leagues inwards. He says the value of the 

 land planted with it is about 3,000 rials, or 150 

 Spanish dollars per fanega. — Busby's Vineyards of 

 France and ISpain. 



Italian Flowers. — I have been taking a series 

 of beautiful rides in the Campagna. I wish very 

 much to preserve, if possible, some record of the 

 various features of that vast, wonderful plain, — 

 but words multiplied to weariness can hardly ex- 

 press one tithe of the loveliness and sublimity that 

 the eye sweeps over in a minute on that enchanted 

 ground; and first, we come upon some point of it 

 where it spreads out before us a wide, flat expanse, 

 hazy and unbroken as a summer sea, over whose 

 level surface whole companies of larks trill, and 

 twitter, and twinkle, with a perfect chorus of jubi- 

 lant song, of which our lonely field singer gives not 

 the faintest conception. It is very curious, by-the- 

 by, the fuller life to which all things seem ripened 

 by this southern climate. Not only do the larks 

 appear in perfect cohorts over these sunny plains, 

 and sing with a loud clearness, unequalled , certain- 

 ly by our solitary bird; but the same sort of differ. 



ence manifests itself in Jlowcrs common to both 

 countries. The daisies here have a wide awake de- 

 termined air, which would made Burns' address to 

 them absolutely ironical; their buds are of the deep- 

 est crimson, their flowers are of the most unhesita- 

 ting white, with little stilf-necked stalks, and faces 

 all turned up to the sky with a degree of self-pos- 

 session quite astonishing in a mere daisy. The 

 China roses have all a much deeper color, and 

 stronger perfume than with us. I saw one to-day; 

 a bird sitting under some fresh taper polished green 

 leaves, beneath which a single ray of the sun darted 

 upon a passionate-colored crimsoned flower, that 

 sat beneath its canopy, in an atmosphere of living 

 light, and glowed in a sunshine all to itself, like a 

 jewel; I never saw such a magical effect of color 

 in my life. Then too, the violets here could never, 

 even by the most courteous device of poetry, have 

 been celebrated for their modesty; from fresh vig- 

 orous tufts of veined leaves they shoot long slender 

 stalks, with deep colored red-purple blossoms, in 

 absolute sheaves — not low down — not nestling in 

 the shade — not shrinking into moss and retire- 

 ment; but looking, as every thing here seems to do, 

 towards the sun, and opening their sweet bosoms 

 to the warm air, that at noon in our little terrace 

 garden was full of their perfume. — Mrs. Butler's 

 Year of Consolation. 



A Peruvian Paradise. — The favorite residence 

 of the Incas was at Yucay, about four leagues dis- 

 tance from the capital. In this delicious valley, 

 locked up within the friendly arms of the Sierra, 

 which .sheltered it from the rude breezes of the east, 

 and refreshed by gushing fountains and streams of 

 running water, they built the most beautiful of their 

 palaces. Here, when wearied with the dust and toil 

 of the city, they loved to retreat and solace them- 

 selves with the society of their favorite concubines 

 — w^andering amidst groves and airy gardens that 

 shed around their soft intoxicating odors, and lulled 

 the senses to voluptuous repose. Here, too, they 

 loved to indulge in the luxury of their baths, re- 

 plenished by streams of crystal water which were 

 conducted through subterraneous silver channels 

 into basins of gold. The spacious gardens were 

 stocked with numerous varieties of plants and flow- 

 ers, that grew without eflort in this temperate re- 

 gion of the tropics; while parterres of more extra- 

 ordinary kind were planted by their side, glowing 

 with the various forms of vegetable life skillfully 

 imitated in gold and silver. Among them the In- 

 dian corn, the most beautiful of American grains, is 

 particularly commemorated; and the curious work- 

 manship is noticed, with which the golden ear was 

 half disclosed amidst the broad leaves of silver, and 

 the light tassel of the same material that floated 

 gracefully from its top. If this dazzling picture 

 staggers the faith of the reader, he may reflect that 

 the Peruvian mountains teemed with gold; that the 

 natives understood the art of working the mines to 

 a considerable extent; that none of the ore, as we 

 shall see hereafter, was converted into coin; and 

 that the whole of it passed into the hands of the 

 sovereign for his own exclusive benefit, whether for 

 purposes of utility or ornament. Certain it is that 

 no fact is better attested by the conquerors them- 

 selves, who had ample means of information and no 



