The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-14

Malaga, Valencia and Smyrna raisins
derive their names from the places
whence they come Of these, the
Smyrna black raisins are the cheapest;
the Malaga being held in the highest
estimation, and fetching fully third
more than any other description of
rasins. In Andalusia, in Spain. there
are two distinct yines-the Pero-
Ximenez, which was imported in the
first instance from the borders Of the
Rhine by German some two hundred
and fifty years ago, and the Muscat,
which is Indigenous. Opinion as to the
respective merits of the two vines varies;
but their cultivation is conducted in the
same way, manure of great strength
being literally supplied. The growth
of the vines is different from those Of
Southern Italy. In Andalusia, they
creep along the surface of the ground
as Strawberries do. thus gathering all
the atmospheric heat; the branches
appear like roots, and the grapes,
though white, have u golden tinge
The vintage is very carefully conducted,
the fruit not being all gathered at once,
but the same ground gone over three
times, so that all the grapes are proper
ly ripe when picked.
The grapes are prepared for the
market in three different ways-by
simple drying in the sun; by washing
and by steam drying. In following
the first method, which is the general
process in Malaga, divisions are CON
structed of either brick or stone, in an
inclined position, exposed to the sun g
rays. These divisions are built in at
one end with a triangle formed OF
masonry, and so arranged that the sun
always shines on its contents. The
interiors of these compartments are
thickly spread with fine gravel to absorb
the heat Directly the grapes ere
gathered, they are put into these divi-
sions and are fully exposed to the
intense heat of the Andalusian sun. Il
is stated by experienced cultivators that
during the month of August they attain
temperature of one hundred and
forty-fve degrees Fahrenheit. At night
the fruit is protected from the heavy
dews or rain by stout canvas being
stretched over the tops of the divisions
Some people put ON planking instead
Grapes take a longer time drying il
this manner than by the scalding plan
as then they are ready in four days
but dried only by the suns heat, they
take ten days. The loss of time, how
ever, is fully compensated for by the
economy of the process.
In drying by washing, the following
method is pursued: Furnaces of feeble
draught are built, in which wood only
is used as fuel; a I've is made of the
residue or refuse of the grape, after
pressing, which is either that obtained
from the present years vintage, o.
what is left over from the last. Tn,
I've is put into round kettle, capable
of holding from three hundred to fouI
hundred litres. The grapes are ther
put into wire sleeves or colanders witt
long handles, and plunged into the I've
boiling at temperature of about TIVE
hundred and twelve degrees Fahrenheit
After the first immersion, the grape
are looked over to see if the skins ar
shriveled enough; if not sufficient,
done, they are plunged into the I've
second time. Sometimes a third i'm
mersion is necessary; but this is rarel,
the case
! Drying by steam. is chiefly followe'
in the province of Denia, because Their
the heat of the sun cannot be depended