The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-16

by sea. The export Is some times as much as S,00o.000 pounds per annum."
 A Crop for America
 Since this conversation I have made some inquiries about the Zante currant. as 1t Is called, and am wondering if it cannot be produced in America. We arc now taking about 13,000 tons every year, and this is about one-twelfth of the whole crop. We have all sorts of climates, and some which correspond to that of Corinth. Parts of California and Arizona must be of that nature. l am told that the entrants often produce net of $50 per acre and that a cur rant vineyard will sell for $400 to $500 per acre. The vines begin to yield in their fourth year. They will keep on bearing for 50 years, and vines are shown here which are said to be 100 years old. The vines are planted and cared for as in most grape-grpwing countries. The entrants are ripe in Au- gust and are easily dried and packed for shipment. I am told that the in- ferior part of the crop now goes to Marseilles, where 1t is used in making the cheaper French wines, being mixed with grapes for that purpose.
 In addition to the Zante currant Greece produces fine muscatels and sul- tanas, and also grapes which make ex- cellent wine. The native wines are so cheap that the common man has wine at his meals. Many of the farmers make their own wines after the old style, in which the juice is trodden out by the bare feet of the girls of the family.
 Grain Farming
 I saw but little wheat on my way across Greece, although [ am told both wheat and barley are grown. The most of the wheat used is imported from Rus sia. Some is still raised on the plain of Thessaly. which in the past was the bread basket of the country. This plain is now divided up into estates owned by very few people, who rent the lands for two-thirds of the crop. The govern ment proposes to buy the larger farms and sell them off to the peasants on long time at low prices
 Another increase in tho farming lands of Greece will come from the draining of Lake Kopais. This will add about 10000 acres. and am told that there is more which may be brought into nse As it is now. less than one-fifth of the country is cultivated and only about one tenth is used for grazing. The only farms of any size are those in Thessaly and in the Kopais basin.
 Poor Agriculturists
 The Greeks are very backward as to their farming methods. They are using the same tools their ancestors did when old Athens was in the height of its glory. The wheat is cut with the sickle and bound with the hand. The thresh- ing Is done with frails, or the grain is trodden out by bullocks. Much of the work is done by women and girls. Oxen are used for blowing, and the blow is forked stick with a rude share at the end. Fertilizers are almost unknown and no rotation of crops is practiced. The people plant the same grain year after year, until the fields are worn out, and then let them lie fallow until they re- cuperate. The soil is thin and light but If irrigated it produces bountifully. One of the great troubles is lack of water
 How the Farmers Live
 In the summer many Of the farmers sleep out of doors and live largely in the open air. The country houses are almost everywhere poor, and rather mean in comparison with those of other European countries. They have stone floors and the poorer ones nave neither windows nor chimneys. Some of two stories have stable on the ground floor, and .he people live above, going up by a stsir- way from the outside. There is almost no furniture and little stone stove or