New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-21
MALAGA GRAPESARE COMING
WHERE THE DELICIOUS FRUIT GROWS


RAISING AND PACKING IT FOR EXPLOITATION
TRIP THROUGH A WILD PART CT SPAIN.
The season for Malaga or white grapes is almost
here The first shipment OF this years vintage VIII
arrive in America in about week. THIS deii'iou'
fruit whose luscious crispness has become dear to the
American palate. and whose flavor is placed in the
front rank by connosseurs has now become necessity
as we'll as luxury for It is said that last year the
physicians of the country prescribed tits frnlt to
sufferers from the influenza when thoy could give them
nothing else Of this character The Other day Tribune
reporter wandered down to Washington Market, aud
in conversation with several wholesale dealers gathered
some new and Interesting Information about this
fruit.
Few Of the rtt-cating public are aware Of tho
Of supply Of what arc called Malaga or white
grapes o. late years the consumption Of these grapes
has Increased fully 100 PER cent over what II was ten
years ago. There no Malaga grapes proper IN
the marict. few Of them are shipped to America.
They mostly dried and from this source come the
Malaga raisins. Fr.I o small province Of Malaga
called Ahurn for the last few years only have ship
ments grapes been made These grapes are OF such
tender nature that shipment In their green state
is possible only in September. when the grapes arc
FIRST ripe and from 5000 to 10000 barrels only at
the outside exported to America. IN Auilrln
arc grown the grapes that make some OF the famous
large punches Of Malaga rajsns
u
ated directly on tho Mediterranean Sea. about 80
miles east Of Gibraltar shipped annually between
August 25 and November between o0OOOo ana
100000 barrels of grapes and part OF these Is con-
sur1ed In America. They cared Malaga or whito
grapes. but they really are Ahncra grapes, and are
50 called BY members Of the trade.
The geographical situation of Almcris is peculiar
The only means Of getting to the town Is by STEAMER
sailing tom Malaga which is half way between there
and Gibraltar Amcria is $50 miles from any rail-
way, and all roads stop some twenty miles out from
he village 1t Is rarely visited by tourists owing to
its naccessbinty, and in consequence OF this It is
thoroughly old Spanish town. maintaining the c.'ton'
and habits OF the remote past The visits Of American
and European travellers and the march IT progress
have passed this place and have lcff II in lonely
isolation. The town Is under the rule OF governor
and It's principal Of income comes from the cr)w
ing Of grapes The number OF nha,ltante llvns IN
the town proper is about 10000 The grape, uhi
come to America, however Eo' GrJwn IL Alberta.
but in surrounding towns within radius u i'rty
miles lack from the in the interior aid o. TIC
slopes Of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
A. all rads eud !cw miles Dat from Alne-ia. the
only wa % set TO these towns by means OF beaten
maths which have been made II! tie usual course o:
travel, and which Ire extremely rough apa rocky
These towns arc all under the government OF Amcra
and number In inhabtants fror, 500 10 1900 people
each
Edward L. GoEscll. Tic fruit importer IL Park
Place. has latly returned frJm tilp t. uus cIGTlc'
and relates his experience as follows:
We .tarted from .llmcria carly IN the morning
ast7addc OF our donlc,s. and accompanied by several
p,,ides fnlly armed for In the mot;in pasI,' there
Turk band, o! robbers dangerous {" traveller. Oif
clAo: guides were Luis Orl,ro La Flor dc Olv.E'
CarallUlpcr AyuSo ani Hilar!o i'ub' KuoL II l.
wild country the Widest IN Spa.in We hal 10 i''d
STRAINS, and could only travel III the daytime Ohco
nv donkey stopped In the middle Of stream. md IN
accordance with chc obstinate nature Of the beast
refused 10 move. REPEATED blows had 10 effect Ny
mind recalled that expression Of WorLSworiAe III
:" Peter Bell:
And SIN the ass, with motion dull.
Cpon the pivot Of his skull
Turns round his lolS left car
at took four ruides two IN front and two behind.
to get the animal to dry lnnd. The Inhabitants Of
the towns turned ont and welcomed me a' IA" first
American that had ever visited them. They is" -
houses Of one story. and 1t IS usual case that tho
family the chcaun pigs anc donkey I'LL eat and sleep
in one room In fact whllc WIS In this scc'i"a o!
spain was obliged to lodge onrc In orc OF C.e>"
rooms where thcrc were no less than t"cn'yIV,
beings aniIna. and human. Tho mode Of living 10
simple. The people eat little meat the usual dnN
fare being eggs. bread and wine The inhhb'aAt'
arc no. very Intelligent, but exceedingly thrifty a.
agrcuuris:s they very superior class Of grape"
growers and marve for producing tic i!uit ana ipf
TIC manner in which they pick ~
Almost all the inhabitants a:c cHga2~l III graz
growing. The Weld OK each ViHcyhu A'o'' "'
10 1000 barrels containing forty pounds me-. Tie
fruit rs Is well known Is white u color, and hos -,
toniehp: tcnar!ty Of lie. II IS grown on tIr:e'
over which the vines arc tra4lcl 70 height OF about
six feet AID ccucrally forming sp arbor The grape'
begin 70 rpen aboat the middle OF August and ar
usually harvested rs October L. Each grover las a
little house IN his vineyard, With SLATED sides. and In
this house the gra pes svc"tcd this ID 10 touSc
IN, skins The grapes are taken frbul the vD,s IN
clusters and carefully laid IL these house to the C'p
OF two feet and are left there two days Groa drops
OF water oWe out and drop from the berries du'l!'
this time. Engaged In this work s:r meu enpio, "a
at 20 cents day, ala WoIHen anu ehn0'Hh at N'c
rate OF 10 cents.
When the grower wishes TO prepare his fruit for
shining he takes it from the sweat house and caro-
fully irspects each bunch. All de'ayed or Inferior
grapes are cuppcd from the bunch. which Is laid 10
one side ready packing The barrels used tor TIL,
nurpose arc made OF OAK. about one.Lah as tall "A,
-four barrel and third larger In circumference
The pacher takes q barrel and spnniles about tSo
inches OF fine cork dust In the bottom and then lays
round on top OF this tie punches OF fruit After tE
he covers the layer Of grapes with layer OF cork
cu.t shaking It down that 1t hlls any apcrturcS
that may have boon left between tho punches. In
asmuch as the grape grows with the mutt wide apart
on the STEM this cork dust also shakes into these
little openings between the fruit. This operation Is
continued until the barrel Is nearly full. when
| about four inches OF cork dust are packed
on the top and then the cover Is nacd 10 the barrel
The package thus becomes perfectly alright and when
the growers private brand IS placed top the barrel
| Is ready for shipment.
"Thc grower. having pscged ten or twenty barrels
OF grapes. proceeds to load them on tho book Of
donkey By meaps Of Q double net, which holds equal
quantity on each side Of the anna He then starts fc:
Amcna and his donkey being heavily laden the grower
Is Obliged 70 walk the entire distance. Having reached
Alnerla the barrels placed the quay and for
| wsided where the grower desires.
aThe time taken in transit By most steamers IL
| about eighteen days from Aluera to New York.
have Just received cabo dispatch saying that the
| steamer Piqua IS on her way TO New York with a
| cargo Of 1900 barrels Of Almers GRAPES. and that
the Austral and Rita about 70 sail with total