THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 31 



until it to-day reaches one hundred thousand tons of raisins and dried 

 grapes. Unlike the figs, which are only grown in the interior valleys 

 some thirty to sixty miles from Smyrna, the grapes which produce 

 the raisins are grown in the immediate vicinity of the town. The 

 large territory which exports the Smyrna raisins can, however, be 

 divided into several sub-districts, each one having some characteristics 

 of its own, both as regards quality of raisins, time of ripening, etc. 

 These districts are: Chesme, Vourla, Yerly and Carabourna. The 

 principal variety of grape grown in these districts is the Sultana, a 

 seedless grape with enormous bunches. Many other varieties" are 

 found there also, such as " black" and "red," the latter said to be 

 identical with the Spanish Muscat of Alexandria, which I doubt. 



The Chesme district is situated to the west on the peninsula near 

 Smyrna, its principal port for exportation of the crop being the town 

 of Chesme. The Chesme raisins are considered inferior to those of 

 the other districts. Three-fourths of the raisins from the district are 

 exported to Hamburg, Bremen, Stettin, Amsterdam, and to Trieste 

 in Austria. The latter town is the main distributing point for most 

 of the raisins grown in the eastern Mediterranean raisin districts. 



The Carabourna or Karabournou district produces the best raisins, 

 both of the Sultanas, the red and the black. The district is situated 

 to the east and north on the same peninsula as Chesme. The district 

 is rough and hilly, but the whole is cultivated to vines. The Cara- 

 bourna " ElemeV' go about one-half to Russia, the balance to England 

 and Trieste. 



The Vourla district consists of a fertile plain lying on the isthmus 

 between the Bay of Smyrna and Scala Nova or Ephesus. The export 

 place is the port of Vourla, one of the finest harbors on the coast of 

 Asia Minor, and often the meeting place for fleets of the Western 

 nations of Europe during their remonstrances in Turkish waters. 



The Yerly district immediately surrounds the town of Smyrna, and 

 extends from Nymphio in the east to Tourbali in the south and Sivri- 

 Hissar in the west, thus bordering the Vourla district. Yerly Sultanas 

 are the earliest in the market, sometimes being ready in the first weeks 

 of August. 



Small quantities of raisins also come from Tyra, Bairdir, Aidin and 

 other places in the fig districts in the interior. The Island of Samos, 

 off the coast of Asia Minor, produces raisins of several kinds, such 

 as Sultanas, black raisins, principally for distilling abroad, and Mus- 

 catel raisins, the latter reaching three thousand tons in favorable 

 seasons. The Island of Cos or Stan-chio is also famous for its Sul- 

 tana raisins, said to be the finest of any produced in Turkey. 



The climate of the Smyrna raisin districts is very mild, allowing 

 farm labor to be performed the year round. The temperature seldom 

 falls below the freezing point, while from the middle of May to the 

 middle of September it ranges from 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the 

 shade. During the summer, the Imbat or Seabreeze tempers the 

 heat and makes the climate pleasant to live in. The grapes begin to 

 ripen about July first, the Sultana grapes being the earliest. The 

 rainfall is abundant during the rainy months of the year, September 



