Statement showing the annual product of currants and the exports thereof, &c.—Continued. * For orders: Zante, 402 tons; Santa Maura, 216 tons; Morea, 982 tons; total, 1,600 tons. Place of growth. Statement showing the annual product of currants and the export thereof, &c.—Continued. Table showing maximum and minimum temperature in the shade during the summers of 1882 and 1883. FRUIT CULTURE IN CEPHALONIA. REPORT BY CONSUL LUCATA. RAISINS. What is the relative position of vineyards-valley, table, or hillside lands; inland or on the sea-coast ?-Grapevines are grown on the hillside and table-lands principally; the currant vines in the valleys and table-lands. How near to the sea coast are the nearest raisin vineyards?—On the sea-coast itself. On the coast are the sea fogs and mist injurious to grapes and apt to cause mildew; if so, what means are used to counteract the same?— Sea-fogs and mist are not frequent, and when they occur are not always injurious. No means are here used to counteract them. What is the custom of pruning in the best-conducted vineyards ?— The ordinary pruning, as in the Morea, is conducted throughout the island. What are the character of soil where best results are obtained?— Loam and other rich soil for currants. For grapes, the poorer the soil the better it is for them in this island. Are best results obtained on hillside, valley, or table land?-For currants, valley and table land give the best results. For grapes (Cephalonia) hillside lands and gravelly soil. Are the lands planted to vines cultivated; if so, how many times per year? The lands are cultivated thrice a year; that is, about January, April, and October. At what age do the vines come into full bearing, and how long do they remain fruitful?-From six to seven years, and remain fruitful twenty-five to a hundred years. There are vines here more than two hundred years old. Is there any system of artificial irrigation in practice for raisin culture-There is no artificial system of irrigation here. What is the yield, value, and cost of crop per acre per annum?—The average yield per acre is 500 pounds, though there is property that yields over 2,000 pounds. The average value would be $25 per mil. The cost of crop (per acre) varies so much in the different parts of the island that it is difficult to ascertain the average. Besides this, there are seasons when labor is dearer than at others, for instance, when the tilling, &c., have been behind time, and hands are wanting throughout the island at the same time. The average value of wine would be 25 cents per gallon in United States currency. But besides the wine there are the grape husks and refuse which are bought for spirit-making, and the less from which argol is extracted. The latter, I am informed, is sold at about 150 francs per 1,000 pounds. S. A. R. LUCATA, UNITED STATES CONSULAR AGENCY, France and Italy.—The silk harvest in France and Italy is about completed; a few sections alone remain to be recolted. The result as far as known is a reduction of one-fourth in the production for France, and between one-fourth and one-third in that for Italy. The deficiency in this country has been owing to two causes: (1) To the reduced quantity of seed put to incubation; (2) to the unfav orable weather during the latter period of development. The In Italy the falling off is attributed solely to the latter cause. Italian harvest of last year gave 3,200,000 kilograms of grège silk, while that of France yielded but 611,000 kilograms. There is a possibility of later returns giving a better result for this season. It is generally conceded that the crop in both countries, though considerably reduced in quantity, will be equal in quality to their precedents. The prices of cocoons in the Cévennes have ranged from 4 to 4.15 francs; in the Rhone Valley from 3.75 to 3.90 francs the kilogram. Italian yellows, first choice, 4 to 4.40; in general 3.80 to 4 francs. Greens have ranged from 3.20 to 3.50 francs per kilogram. Spain. The crop is deficient, but is expected to yield 75,000 kilograms of grège. The Levant. The temperature has been generally favorable and the harvest is turning out good. In Syria the yellow seed of France have given the best results. The total production of this crop last year amounted to 600,000 kilograms; it will be surpassed this season. China. The export crop will reach 60,000 bales. Shanghai exported last year 2,491,000 kilograms, and Canton 1,156,000 kilograms. These figures will be very largely exceeded this year. Japan.-A fine crop is reported, and the export will surpass 30,000 bales. Japan exported last year from Yokohama 1,612,000 kilograms. India.-Calcutta exported last season 536,000 kilograms; the crop this year is estimated as being considerably superior. MARKET PRICES OF SILK. No sensible change has taken place in the prices of grège silks upon this or any of the European markets. Manufacturers, in spite of the reported deficiencies in the Italian and French crops and of the greatly reduced state of stocks in harvest, and still being in limited quantities, continue incredulous as to a rise. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, BENJAMIN F. PEIXOTTO, Consul. Lyons, June 25, 1884. |