THE VINE IN TURKEY. 865 



raisins exported from all Turkey was $4,393,655, but this sum is evi- 

 dently incorrect, as trustworthy statistics give the exports from Smyrna 

 and the neighboring district for the same period as follows : 



Value in Smyrna. 



Black, 528,278 kintals, of 112 pounds each $2,522,397.18 



Red, 185,754 kintals, of 112 pounds each 1,077,084.06 



Sultanas, 173,237 kintals, of 112 pounds each 1, 002, 907. 13 



Say 49,687 tons, valued at 4,602,388.37 



During the last two years the quantities produced have increased, 

 but the quantities exported have not been published. 



Kaisins come principally from the neighborhood of Smyrna, the shores 

 of its gulf, and the valleys of the nearer rivers. Quite three-fourths of 

 the laboring population are said to be Greek Christians and the re- 

 mainder Turks. The highest prices are obtained for the Karaburnu 

 fruit, which was recently quoted as high as 18 cents per pound for red 

 raisins and 24 cents for Sultanas. The black raisin ranges as low as 3 

 cents per pound on the spot. The total yield of raisins in the Smyrna 

 district, which was 48,OQO tons in 1871 and only 31,000 tons in 1872, 

 had risen in 1879, in consequence of the general planting of new vine- 

 yards and the greater facilities of transportation from the interior, to 

 the large quantity of 75,000 tons. 



While the quantity produced has been increasing so largely, the 

 prices, instead of falling, as in the case of figs, have considerably risen, 

 principally, no do ubt, in consequence of the vine diseases in Western 

 Europe. It may be mentioned, however, that the removal of the stalks 

 adds much to the value of an equal bulk of fruit and forms an im- 

 portant element in the rise of prices. About fifteen years ago the 

 practice of stripping the red raisins from their stalks commenced at 

 Tchesmi. This rendered them more salable, and they afterwards were 

 classed with "Eleine'" (choice). The practice also applies to the Sul- 

 tanas and the black fruit. 



Most of the fruit grown in the immediate districts of Smyrna is known 

 as u Yerlis," and in the island of Samos a red u Muscat 77 grape is pro- 

 duced, which goes in barrels to Holland and Austria, there being scarcely 

 any demand for it in England. These exports for 1882 amounted to 

 $35,000. About Ai'din, where the population is almost entirely Turkish, 

 a small black and not very sweet raisin is grown in large quantities. 

 Half are kept in the country, and the rest, which bring a low price, go, 

 without their stalks, and packed in bags or barrels, to Russia, Greece, 

 France, and Trieste. 



Packing. The manner of packing the fruit differs according to its 

 destination, in order to meet the requirements of the markets. Tbe 

 best " red raisins," whether with or without stalks, are packed in boxes 

 of thirty pounds, except for Russia, where they go in barrels of L'50 

 pounds. The "Sultanas "for Trieste are sent in boxes of 12 pounds, 

 and they go to England in larger boxes of 22 pounds. To Germany and 



