186 GRATE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



XI. 



GREEK WINES. 



The islands in the Mediterranean are eminently fit, on account 

 of their dry and sunny hills, for the cultivation of grapes ; and if 

 the -wine-making were more skillfully attended to, most excellent 

 sorts could be produced. 



Candia has strong, but few wines. In former times the culture 

 of vines was of much more importance than toward the end of 

 the sixteenth century. Candia exported annually to Italy about 

 200,000 barrels. 



Cyprus, Samos, Scio, and Tenedos produce yearly 600,000 ocas, 

 or about 220,000 gallons ; and Santorin 1,000,000 ocas, or 375,000 

 gallons. ]\Iiconi and other isles of Greece export, also, some wines. 



The Ionian Islands produce good wines, which are sent to Ita- 

 ly, Trieste, etc. Saint Maura exports from 7000 to 8000 barillas^ 

 119,000 to 136,000 gallons. Cephalonia 15,000 barillas, 255,000 

 gallons of red, and 12,000 barillas, 201,000 gallons of white, and 

 8000 barillas of Moscatello. Corfu exports annually from 200 to 

 300 loads, and Zante 4000 barillas, 59,500 gallons. Thiaki, for- 

 merly Ithaca, exports yearly 875,000 pounds of raisins. 



The continent of Greece — the modern kingdom — has exquisite 

 situations for vine culture, but hitherto little wine has been pro- 

 duced, and this badly attended to. The greater part is produced 

 in the Morea. Patras, the Monastery of Megaspilon, and Pyrgos 

 produce some 100,000 barillas, 1,700,000 gallons ; Shiron, Argos, 

 Megara, Arcadia, and Tripolizza, 15,000 barillas, 255,000 gallons. 

 Mesenteu and Laconia have Malvasie. 



xn. 



GRAPE CULTURE IN TURKEY, PERSIA, CHINA, ETC. 



Vine culture in Turkey is not of much consequence, because 

 the Mohammedan religion does not allow the drinking of wine ; 

 but for the Jewish, Greek, and Armenian inhabitants, in some 

 places wines are produced. In Moldavia, between Cotnar and 

 the Danube, a very good white and red wine is made, and some 

 of it is exported to Russia. The best one has a greenish color, 

 which becomes brighter by age ; the wine also improving, being, 

 after the lapse of three years, as strong as brandy. But it is oft- 

 en drawn from its settlings, which would otherwise improve its 

 strength. From Wallachia some goes to Eussia and Poland. The 



