50 



OLD MOUNTAIN WINES. 



on the spot. This year their sugar brought 10 percent, 

 higher than imported sugar ; and their rum promises, 

 when old, to be equal to that of the West Indies. It is 

 now two years old, buf as they consider that the rum 

 hitherto made has failed to come into use from having 

 been sold to the consumer too early, they intend to hold 

 it for two years longer. The frost sometimes injures the 

 sugar cane a little, but frost seldom occurs. Twice 

 during 20 years Mr. Delius has observed it of the thick- 

 ness of a dollar in the night. The ordinary range of the 

 thermometer, during the day, in the winter months, is 56 

 to 58 ; in May and June 72 to 75 ; in July and August 

 78 to 82 or 83, except when once or twice during the 

 season it blows over the land, when it rises to 100. The 

 temperature of the atmosphere along the coast is exceed- 

 ingly equable. During 20 years Mr. Delius never 

 observed the barometer vary more than an inch; its 

 range is between 29j; and SO^-. The sugar cane will not 

 grow except within five miles of the coast. Beyond that 

 distance the frost is greater, and the weather more 

 unsettled. The land planted with sugar cane is irrigated 

 twice or thrice when the shoots are very young, but Mr. 

 Delius thinks not afterwards. All the plantations com- 

 mand the means of irrigation. 



With reference to the value of vineyards, a friend of 

 Mr. Kirkpatrick''s gave me the following information : — 

 He purchased an estate five years ago. It is situated 

 about two leagues from Malaga, and is all mountain. 

 Vineyards are valued by the number of stocks. An 

 ahrado contains 1,000 stocks ; this at seven feet distance, 

 gives 180 perches, or one acre and 20 perches, as the 

 extent of an abrado. In this estate there were 80 abrados, 

 or 90 acres, planted with vines, which were in very bad 

 order. Also about 150 acres more, which were not 



