The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-11-27
MALAGA RAISlNS.
Planting aud Pruning The Vine
Varieties Of .GrapeS-GatIlering
Sorting. Drying and PreSeIy-
ing-Price Of Labor, etc.

MALAGA, September -, 1878.

IlokbO NV PNAAS 'SN-N~
among the growers and shippers O
raisins, and will give you the result
of my Investigations. 1t is not usu
ally an easy task to gain information
in foreign country, but l have been
fortunate enough to make the ac-
ouaintance of one of the most prom
inent American merchants, w. G.
Biven, who has done everything in
his power to facilitate my investiga-
tons, giving me much valuable intor-
nation in his line, also introducing
to me planters and practical men,
among them J. A. Marks, proprietor
of the famous property La Perla-a
thoroughly practical gentleman, who
conducts his own place and is con-
versant with all the details and prac-
teal points in raisin culture, and to
whom I am much indebted for what
have learned. l must confess that
nv impression of the raisin district was
not correct. I had always pictured
to myself the Veja of Malaga, with
it's fertile land, the home of the raj
sin vineyards. This is not the case.
A large portion of the moist, rich
level land is in sugar cane and other
crops, with only few vineyards; on
the higher and dryer portions, as
well as the hill sides, are the major.
ity of the raisins produced.
CALIFORNIA; RESEMBLANCE TO
SPAIN.
Any one familiar with California
cannot but be struck with its resem-
blance to Spain-the same hot, sun
burned country, the same red clay
and slate and shale. This part is
especially like the foothills of the
Sierra Nevada There are abrupt
mountains wholly barren, then there
are many little hills which slope of
to the sea. These have soil enough
in most cases to produce something.
Where they are not too rocky they
are planted in olives and grapes.
Many vineyards are on compare
lively level ground on the higher
portions of the veja In the ravines
and low fats between the hills where
the land can be irrigated, lemons are
grown, and make quite profitable
crop as they are early in market.
A DRY SEASON.
This season has been one of unus-
nal drouth, no rain since April, and
everything suffers. The vines have
most OF them, lost their leaves; the
lemons that have had but little irri
cation are wilted, and will, if no rair
falls, soon lose their crop. Every
thing looks dry and rarched. They
have had but slight rains for the foul
years past, which makes the springs
low.
THE VINEYARDS.
On the rich bottom lands there are
a few vineyards. They are quite
thrifty and produce%ss good crops
They are irrigated in the month o
May. OF the character Of the raj
sins produced I am not able to say
with certainty. Some say they are
good, and others that they shrive
after being packed, although at first
they appear good. BY far the great
est portion of the raisins are pro
duced upon high, dry flats and steel
hillsides, some of the vineyards ex
tending down to the Mediterranean
Sea. The soil, wherever ] have been
is a strong, rocky loan, sometime
red, sometimes more of a yellow
cast, very full of stones, in som
cases the whole surface was covele,
so that no soil could be seen.
have seen vines producing GOO
crops on hillsides so steep that it