17G 
MR. 0. CORDER’s PORTUGUESE NOTES. 
Hiese rounded masses of granite remind one very much of the 
glacier-worked boulders in Switzerland, but I believe it is generally 
considered that in Portugal these rounded boulders are due to 
disintegration and not to glacier action. Nowhere have I seen granite 
so readily pulverized, so much so that when used in road making, 
it is soon trodden down, forming in dry weather a white, irritating, 
never-to-be-forgotten dust ; but after rain, a white, greasy, unctuous 
slime. Next in importance to the Oaks, we find the Olive, but 
the wild tree stands in about the same position as our wild Crab 
does to the Pippin. When the fruit is fully ripe it becomes of a 
deep purple colour, and remarkable for the large amount of 
fixed oil which it contains, amounting to about seventy per cent. 
The Olives, which are gathered from the trees or fall to the ground 
in November, are crushed in a rough millstone into a pulpy mass : 
this is placed in canvas bags and subjected to a gentle pressure 
in a screw press. The oil thus obtained is run into tubs or cisterns 
containing water, this after the impurities have subsided is ladled 
into jars as Virgin Oil. After the oil has ceased to flow, the 
contents of the bags are mixed with boiling water, and a second 
quality of oil is obtained. A still inferior description is obtained 
by allowing the marc to ferment in heaps, when an oil called by 
the French Huile Fermentee is obtained. The Olive Oils of the 
Peninsula are, however, not considered of so fine a description 
as those of Italy and the South of France. Although the Olive is 
considered indigenous to Europe, I believe there is no doubt that 
its natural home is Palestine and Asia Minor extending into Greece. 
The unripe fruits preserved in brine constitute the Olives of 
commerce, but in Portugal they are generally found pickled in a 
ripe condition. Eespecting the Grape, I can say but little. In 
some districts the vines are entirely supported on trees ; the Oak, 
Willow, Apple, and others being made into Pollards for the 
purpose, and the fruit allowed to ripen as it will, without care or 
attention, only occasional pruning being resorted to ; in others 
among the best districts the vines are all grown on the rod 
system from a single eye, and fastened to stakes as in the 
Pihenish provinces. The natural wine is found in three colours, — 
light yellow, like Sauterne ; dull purple, like tawny port ; and 
rich purple. 
