Foreign Notices : — Spain. 329 



In the valleys of the Sierra de Gador, " the vines are planted amongst the 

 crumbling schist, and afford an excellent wine, where it seems impossible any 

 thing should grow. Mulberries, olive, orange, and lemon trees, with patches 

 of com, are grown wherever they can be watered, and not the smallest portion 

 of ground is lost." (vol. i. p. 31.j 



At Motril, near Granada, " an important branch of agriculture has lately 

 been tried with complete success ; the production of rice of a kind brought 

 from Puerto Rico, which is called arroz secano, from its growing on dry 

 ground, like corn, and not requiring to be laid under water, which causes the 

 fertile lands susceptible of this lucrative culture at Valencia, and other parts of 

 the south of Europe, to be converted into abodes of pestilence and death. 

 The specimen I saw grown here appeared perfect, and several species, to the 

 number of no less than fourteen, from the Philippine Islands, were in the 

 course of trial. Should they answer, the benefit to this country, especially 

 Valencia, will be immense. Coffee has been tried, but unsuccessfully ; and it 

 is hardly to be regretted that experiments should have failed, so seductive in 

 appearance, but the produce of which could not be expected to withstand 

 competition with the tropical climates, and, most probably, would have caused 

 the expenditure of time and capital to little purpose. The cotton grows 

 well, and is reputed to be of excellent quality ; but they complain of the 

 autumnal winds being injurious to the crops when they are just ripe. 



" The vega, or plain, of Motril is a flat which has been formed by the 

 transported materials brought down by the river of Orgiva, the mouth of 

 which is to the west. At a league distant is Salobrena, a bold headland, with 

 a ruined castle on the summit, the only remains of the palaces and hanging 

 gardens of the Moors, of whom it was one of the celebrated retreats. There 

 is a small vega, principally planted with sugar-canes : all around is desert. 

 Almunecar is the next place, which is a small neat town on a beautiful bay, 

 with a territory of sugar-canes. There is a large estabhshment lately set up, 

 by a public-spirited and enterprising company of Germans at Malaga, with a 

 view of improving the manufacture of sugar and rum, by the introduction of 

 English machinery in place of the rude apparatus of the old Spanish ingenios. 

 A sample of rum I tasted was certainly equal to that of the West Indies, and 

 sugar which, by the old method, had an unpleasing appearance, but was 

 abundantly saccharine, will, no doubt, be equally good." (vol. i. p. 70, 71.) 



" The batata, or sweet potato (Convolvulus Batatas) is extensively cultivated 

 in the neighbourhood of Malaga. They are fully equal, or superior, to those 

 of the West Indies, and are sent to various parts of the country, where they 

 are roasted and eaten with the dessert. 



Cochineal Culture. — " Another branch, which promises one day to be of 

 great value to this part of the coast, is the cochineal bisect. The facility of 

 producing it has been proved most satisfactorily, and the quality is excellent. 

 Some I saw at Cadiz was considered equal to the best from America. The 

 difficulty at present is the price, as they say it cannot be brought to pay the 

 expense. That must, however, diminish with practice. Another complaint is 

 the tithe, which, on n production of such intrinsic value, is a serious and pro- 

 bably insurmountable evil, and will operate to retard the progress of the 

 cultivation, unless some means be taken to prevent it. The coast of Malaga 

 seems particularly suited to it. There are abundance of warm and sheltered 

 spots now unproductive, that merely require the addition of common walls to 

 break the wind, which is prejudicial to the insects. The Cactus Opuntia grows 

 naturally, and they cannot urge the argument brought against the increase of 

 the mulberry tree, that water is wanted." (vol. i. p. 73, 74.) 



The Agriculture of the Plain of Valencia " is on a par with that of any dis- 

 trict in Europe, and is a decisive proof that neither climate, nor races of men, 

 nor surrounding examples, nor badness of laws, are certain impediments to the 

 industry of man. In management it resembles the Val d'Arno, and the novel 

 sight, in Spain, is seen of detached houses, which are very small and scattered 

 every where ovei- the plain. It is possible this isolated mode of living may 



