The Grape-Vine 



239 



fruit is borne in large clusters which, however, contain relatively few golden-green berries, 

 characterised by a very thin skin and a sweet pulp of exquisite flavour. Another variety of 

 grape, known to everyone under the name of " currants," is extensively grown in Greece, and 

 is the object of an enormous 

 trade, the principal centres 

 of the industry being at 

 Patras in Morea and the isle 

 of Tante. 



- Besides yielding a first- 

 class dessert fruit, grapes 

 are the source of the valu- 

 able raisin and muscatel. 

 Raisins are nothing more 

 than dried grapes, and it 

 might naturally be supposed 

 that wherever the vine is 

 cultivated for wine-making 

 these raisins would be pro- 

 duced. This, however, is 

 not so, for the production of 

 the dried fruit is confined to 

 certain well-marked vine- 

 growing districts, the most 

 important being the country 

 in the neighbourhood of 

 Malaga and Valencia in 

 Spain, whence we respec- 

 tively receive the muscatel 

 and the well-known pudding 

 raisin. Certain districts of 

 Asia Minor produce large 

 quantities of the stoneless 

 sultana raisin, and smaller 

 quantities are exported from 

 Greece. Within recent years 

 a large trade in raisins and 

 muscatels has developed in 

 California, and the decay of 

 the wine industry in South 

 Africa has resulted in the 

 vine-growers turning their, 

 attention to raisin produc- 

 tion. Further, the Austra- 

 lian states are taking their 

 part in the supply of this 

 popular fruit, and at the present time the export of raisins, especially from South Australia, 

 is considerable. Lastly, great quantities of raisins are produced in many districts of Persia, 

 but they are principally consumed locally, largely owing to insufficient means of transport. 



The method of drying the grapes varies in different countries. In Spain the finest varieties 

 of raisins are produced by partially cutting through the stalks of the bunches which are allowed 

 to hang on the vines, and the drying and curing of the grapes is hastened by a vigorous thinning 



ROOT-SYSTEM ATTACKED BY PHYLLOXERA 



