Granada is beautifully diversified with majestic moun tains, extensive plains, and delightful vallies. A chain of mountains, named the Alpuxarres, extends through the province from west to cast. The loftiest points of the whole range are those of the Sierra Nevada, near the city of Granada, one of which, called Mulhacen, is 12,762 feet above the level of the sea; and all above 9915 feet are covered with perpetual snow. The mountains towards the south gradually decline in height, till at the Sierra de Gador, near Almeria, where they rise to the elevation of 7800 feet. At this extremity near Mucael is the cele brated rock called Filabres, which is four miles in circum ference, two thousawl feet in height, and which consists of one entire and solid piece of white marble. The secondary mountains are of various kinds; but many are composed of marble of different colours, black,.white, red, and flesh co lour. About two leagues from Granada, on the banks of the Xenil, is a quarry of green serpentine beautifully vein ed, and capable of receiving a fine polish. There are ma ny sorts of alabaster in the mountains which environ the city, some of which are as brilliant and transparent as ori ental cornelians. There are also quarries of jasper, and a variety of precious stones. In the mountains of this pro vince are several mines of silver, copper, and lead, some of which were formerly worked by the Moors. Gold is found in the sands of the river Darro ; bra of late the quantity has been small. Mineral waters, both cold and hot springs, are very abundant in the province ; but few of them have been analysed : They are chiefly chalybeates, and sulphu reous. But one of the most remarkable circumstances in the mountains of Granada is the quantity of bones, of men and other animals, found on their summits, especially at Concud, where there is a hill entirely composed of them, lying under a stratum of limestone.
The climate of Granada is cold in the mountainous dis tricts ; extremely hot and sultry in the vallies; but it is tempered in the plains by the coolness of the waters, which are conveyed in all directions. The country is exposed to a number of winds, particularly on the coast; one of which especially, called Solano, is attended with the most perni cious effects. It is a hot wind, which blows from Africa, dries up the plants as soon as it touches them, affects the body with the feelings of strong fever, and throws the mind into a state little better than madness. Murders and assas sinations are observed to be most frequent during its preva lence.
In this province agriculture is in a more flourishing state than in any other district in the south of Spain ; and the Vega of Granada, already described, is the finest and richest plain in the kingdom. The principal mode em ployed for aiding the crops is the irrigation of the soil. Streams are conveyed along the upper side of every field by means of embankments, in which sluices are cut, which convey the water into small gutters ; and these are allowed to run at short intervals, so as to flood the whole field ‘vitli ease in the hot season. Great attention is paid to the pre servation of manure, which, according to the old Moorish practice, is collected in large pits, well rammed, to pre vent leaking ; and, when once well rotted, is distributed over the land, in a state almost liquid. It is not applied, how ever, to the production of corn, but is used in the gardens, the melon grounds, and the mulberry plantations. Yet,
without any manure, and by the mere assistance of irriga tion, the most abundant crops of grain are raised, espe cially of wheat, barley, and maize. 011 land capable of being properly watered, the annual produce of wheat is said to be fifty bushels per acre. Great quantities of rice are cultivated in the lower grounds neat- the rivers, and subject to floods ; and frequently a crop of hemp, or flax, is taken from the land before the rice is sown. But the Spanish farmers pay more attention to the breeding and fattening of cattle, than to the cultivation of grain or fruits. They make no hay ; but the grass grows most abundantly in winter, when the cattle are fed in the uplands ; and after harvest, which is generally in June, the stubble fields furnish subsistence to the flocks and herds. The flax and hemp are very cheap ; and the latter, having a re markably strong fibre, is thought to make the best sail cloth. There are very extensive plantations of mulberry trees, which are cultivated solely for the sake of the leaves, as the food of the silk worm. The white mulberry, grafted on the wild stock, is considered as the best for that purpose, and as making the worms yield a finer silk than the red or black species : The tops are cut of to in crease the quantity of leaves. As much silk is annually raised in the plain of Granada as furnishes employment to 1500 persons. The manufactures in the city alone are calculated to require a supply of 100,000Ibs. It is esti mated, that 1500 worms produce about one pound of silk; and it is found, that a mulberry tree, of ten years of age, will scarcely supply food for as many of these insects as yield seven pounds. The mountains round the city of Granada are well calculated for vines, but so little at tention is paid to their cultivation, that the wine produced from them is of a very inferior kind, and generally ac quires a disagreeable taste from the sheep skins with tarred seams in which it is brought from the vineyards; but, in other parts of the province, excellent wines are made, especially the Tierno, Moscatel, and Malaga. The grapes often grow in bunches of eight, ten, and even four teen pounds weight, and great quantities are dried in the sun for exportation. Olive trees are numerous; but oil is not produced in sufficient quantity for the consumption of the inhabitants. Sugar canes are cultivated in many parts, but especially around Malaga ; and are as large and juicy as those of the \Vest Indies.
The commerce of Granada with the other provinces, consists chiefly in exchanging corn, wine, and dried fruits, for oil and silk. Its trade with foreign countries is carri ed on from the ports of Almeria and Malaga, (see ALME RIA and MALAGA.,) and consists in exports of wine, dried fruits, oil, anchovies, lemons, almonds, lead, kali, sumach; and in imports of cloths, ironware, mercery, lace, The inhabitants of this province, like the Andalusians in general, are considered as the Gascons of Spain, vain, talkative, boastful, and licentious. The women are repre seated as sufficiently seducing, handsome in their figure, and peculiarly attractive as dancers. The language is mix ed with so many Arabic words, and the pronunciation so guttural and vitiated, that a Castilian often finds it dial cult to understand the speech of an Andalusian. See the works referred to under the preceding article. (q)