362 COFFEE. 



without which Greece would scarcely have any commerce worth 

 mentioning. England is the great market for currants, and Eng- 

 lish plum-puddings are the ultimate destination of by far the 

 greater quantity. The story is told of a- Greek lady who, in con- 

 versation with Sir Charles iN^apier, spoke of the English appetite 

 for plum-pudding, and remarked : " "We pray heaven your coun- 

 trymen may never lose this taste, for in that event we should all 

 starve." It is curious that the prosperity of any country should 

 depend upon the production of such an unimportant item in the 

 world's economy. 



The Greek currant is really a species of grape, and a currant 

 vineyard looks like any other vineyard, except that the vines are, 

 perhaps, not quite so large, and are set and trimmed a little 

 closer than in an ordinary vineyard. They are propagated from 

 cuttings, which take from two to three years before beginning to 

 bear, and it is five or six years from the time of planting before 

 a vineyard arrives at full bearing, after which it lasts many years. 

 The vines are set in rows four or five feet apart, and about the 

 same distance from each other in the rows ; while young they are 

 supported by sticks driven into the ground, and are trimmed and 

 trained on trellises, so as not to grow much above an even 

 height. A curious feature of currant cultui'e is that the vines are 

 girdled each year, being cut entirely around and completely 

 through the bark, at a distance of perhaps one foot from the 

 ground. Such treatment would kill an ordinary plant, and, when 

 this practice was begun, it was prophesied that it would have that 

 effect ia course of time ; a result that, however, has not been ex- 

 perienced in practice. The object to be attained is to increase the 

 size and quality of the fruit, which is undoubtedly accomplished. 

 The theory, as explained to me, is that the sap rises through the 

 centre of the woody stalk xmtil it reaches the branches, leaves, and 

 fruit, when it returns by the bark or the woody fibre nearest the 

 bark. In its descending course, upon reaching the spot where the 

 plant is girdled, its progress is stopped, and it is obliged to reascend 

 and exhaust itself in the fruit. It is said that not only is the size 

 of the fruit improved by this practice, but the amount of saccharine 

 matter is also largely increased, which is considered a desidera- 

 tum. The quality of the soil, however, has much to do with this, 



