546 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[lo Sept., 1908. 



causes our grapes to ripen at the time of vear when there are no grapes 

 obtainable north of the equator. The industry would not have to fear 

 European competition. Our proximity to India, China, and Japan, as well 

 as other countries in the Far East should give an accessible outlet 

 for large quantities of fresh grapes. Even now Almeria grapes are shipp>ed 

 as far as Singapore and Java, w'here they arrive during the winter months; 

 but from Australia they would be landed in early summer, a period when 

 a brisk demand can be reasonably depended upon. The possibilities iii 

 the way of shipment from Victoria of fresh grapes to the Far East are 

 enormous, and requires the serious attention of growers. 



GENERAL VIEW UNDER THE 



PARRALES 



AT VINTAGE TIME. 



The history of this industry is interesting. According to the mono- 

 graph on the Ohanez grape by F. Ridhter in Messrs. Viala and Ver- 

 morel's Ampelography, this variety is an ancient Spanish one, probably 

 a spontaneous seedling found among the wild vines at the time the 

 Christians returned as conquerors to Almeria after the expulsion of the 

 Moors in the reign of Ferdinajid and Isabella in the 15th century. The 

 opinion, often held by the local residents, that it originated near Ragol and 

 la Daira, .seems therefore to be incorrect. The remarkable keeping qualities 

 of the grape led to its extensive propagation, and the industry has con- 

 tinually expanded. 



In 1900 nearly 900,000 barrels (each containing 50 lbs. nett of fruit) 

 were shipped from Almeria, chiefly to England, Germany, and America; 

 by 1902 the shipments had increased to over 1,000,000 barrels; and at 

 the time of my visit the 1907 shipments had reached the astonishing total 

 of 2,443,333 barrels, and a few more had yet to be forwarded. Last 

 year's crop would thus amount to some 2% million barrels. The demand 

 for land on which to plant vines has been .so considerable that even that 

 formerly used for market garden purposes is now converted into parr ales ; 

 in consequence of this, vegetables are scarce and dear in Almeria. So 

 important is this grape shipping industry that the forwarding of minerals 

 — immense quantities of which leave the Sierras annually via the port of 

 Almeria — is often suspended during vintage time. 



