THE VINE. 257 



grapes upon the low shores in those countries have 

 also to be dried. It should seem, that the g^rapes are 

 always the hi<;fher flavoured and the more vinous, the 

 i^reater the natural temperature under which they 

 are ripened, but that an extreme heat throws the 

 juice into the acetous fermentation before the vinous 

 one has time to be matured. We have an analogous 

 case in the fermentation of malt liquors in this coun- 

 tr}-, which cannot be properly performed in the warm 

 months. 



About eight thousand tons of raisins, or dried 

 grapes, are annually imported into England, at a 

 duty of about ^160,000. A considerable quantity 

 of undried grapes are also imported, principally from 

 Portugal, in jars, among saw-dust. The value of 

 those so imported is about .£10,000. The currants 

 of commerce, which are so extensively used in Eng- 

 land, and of which about six thousand tons are an- 

 nually imported into this country, are small dried 

 grapes, principally grown in the Ionian islands. 



Laborde, in his account of Spain, gives the fol- 

 lo\ving description of the mode of drying raisins : — 

 " In the kingdom of Valencia they make a kind of 

 ley with the ashes of rosemary and vine branches, 

 to which they add a quart of slaked lime. This ley is 

 heated, and a vessel, full of holes, containing the 

 grapes, is put into it. When the bunches are in the 

 state desired, they are generally carried to naked 

 rocks, where they are spread on beds of the field 

 artimesia, and are turned every two or three days till 

 they are dry. In the kingdom of Granada, particu- 

 larly towards Malaga, they are simply dried in the 

 sun, without any other preparation. The former 

 have a more pleasing rind, but a less mellow sub- 

 stance ; the skins of the latter are not so sugary, but 

 their substance has a much greater relish ; therefore, 



