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SECTION VI. 



THE PRINCIPAL FPUITS OF COMMERCE. 



Vine Culture and the Grape. — The culture of the grape for the 

 purpose of making a beverage from the juice is, literally, " as old as 

 the hills " — it dates from the era of Mouut Ararat. The vine is now 

 grown in almost every portion of the inhabitable globe, but thrives 

 best between 32° and 50° of latitude, the most favourable location for 

 a vineyard being the southern declivity of a hill. Hitherto the best 

 wines have come from southern Europe, Madeira, the Canaries, and 

 the Cape. In Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, France, Spain, and 

 parts of Germany and Switzerland, as many jjersons are employed in 

 the culture of the vine as in all the other agricultural pursuits. 



In the United Kingdom the grape seldom ripens well in the open 

 air, although very fine hothouse fruit is raised. Still there is a large 

 import of fresh grapes from the Continent. 



The imports of grapes into the United Kingdom have been : 



Year. 



Quantity. 



Value. 









bushels. 



£ 







1866 



69,553 



64,154 







1867 



85,226 



78,930 







1868 



94,213 



67,176 







1869 



102,670 



74,761 







1870 



142,723 



87,416 





The official returns since 1870 do not particularize grapes. 



Of dried raisins we take for consumption in the United Kingdom 

 from 350,000 to 400,000 cwts. per annum, and of dried currants 

 870,000 to 900,000 cwts. 



The muscatel grapes are those which by a costly process are made 

 into " Pasas " or Malaga raisins. There are various qualities, which 

 range in the following order, and of which the range of prices ruling 

 in 1871, for cases of 25 lbs., show the comparative values: 



Francs. 



Prepared for America . . 8 



Choice.. 9 



Superior 11 



Koyal 15 



Imperial 



English, third quality 

 second „ 

 „ first „ 



Francs. 

 20 

 18 

 22 

 26 



The exports were 23,178,120 kilos, in 1870. 



