SPANISH WINES. Of all the vegetable productions of Spain the vine is the most important, the lands being almost everywhere favorable to its culture. The excess cf the vintage above the quantity consumed in the country forms a considerable branch of the export trade. In 1877 Spain exported to Great Britain alone 6,803,794 gallons, costing £2,017,112. The wines grown in almost all parts of the country have much taste and bouquet, and great strength and durability, if subjected to proper treatment. In the preparation of white dry fortified wines, such as sherries, and in the confection of some sweet wines, such as Malagas, the Spaniards excel all other nations. Andalusia, an extensive region in the s., contains the belt of vineyards producing the vino secco and the abocado ; there also is Rota, famous for its red wine. From this province come the wines of Moguro. or Moguer, Negio, &MID, and Seville. Catalonia yields annually 20,000 butts of wine, mostly red. The Catalan was formerly shipped largely to South America, and much of it is at present exported to England and sold as Spanish port. Valencia produces annually 100,000 butts of wine, from which by distillation 20,000 butts of spirits are manufactured. The best qualities are grown on the hill-sides; the greatest quantities in the plains. Aragon produces dark-colored strong-bodied wines of good taste and flavor from the celebrated vines, the Grenache of Sabayes and the Carl uefia, and delivers them up to the trade of Saragossa. Granada, with its famed Malaga,
produces wines and raisins. In the mountains of Malaga the vine attains almost tropi cal luxuriance, and bears three harvests every year. Galicia produces some good wine for exportation, such as Ribaelavia and Tuy, but the climate of Navarra is not favorable to viticulture, and the produce of Roncesvalles is insufficient to supply local demand. Biscava, the most nortoern province of Spain, produces much wine. New Castile, with its renowned La Mancha, produces very agreeable wines, such as the muscat of Juencaral, near Madrid. Near these are the wines of Spanish Tagus, from Arganda del Rey, above Madrid, to Tdavera de la Reyna. Murcia produces thick rough wines, and the island of Majorca produces a malvaisie wine, which is exported by way of Palma. 31inorca produces a red dark wine around Alcyor, and the " Alhatiora," a light white wine of much bouquet. The Spanish governments have frequently encouraged the pro duction of wine, and have during late years given great liberty to trade, but the main obstacle was the difficulty of transport, now, however, being rapidly removed by foreign enterprise and by railways.