IONIAN ISLANDS. This name is given to the islands of Corfu, Cephalonia, Zante, Santa-Maura, Theaki, Paxo, Cerigo, and some small islets, all situated in the Jordan Sea, off the west coast of Albania and the coast of Greece. Oil, wine, corn, cotton, the small species of grape called currants, and other fruits, and flax, are the chief productions ; the olive is extensively cultivated in all the islands; the currant is grown in the greatest perfection in Cephalonia and Zanto, but of late years the cultivation of this fruit is diminishing in the islands and increasing on the main land of Greece. Earthenware, salt, soap, and some coarse woven goods, are the principal indus trial products ; ship-building and the fisheries give employment to a considerable number of hands. The coasting trade is important. The imports, consisting of sugar, coffee, and drugs, raw and manufactured cotton and silk ; wool and woollen cloth, glass, hardware, staves and hoops ; iron, timber, wheat, Indian corn, rice, cheese, flour, fish, cattle, sheep, tobacco, Sc.,
average in value about 630,0001. a year. The import and export is almost entirely carried on In British ships.
The Britieli produce and manufactures imported into the Ionian Islands in 1849 amounted in value to165,8051.; those from other countries amounted to three or four times this' value, but mostly in British shipping.
Of these several islands ecaadouia depends chiefly on its culture of currants, of which there are about oono acres planted. Corfu prodnces oil, wine, cotton, fruit, flax, and corn; oil is the chief produce, the annual produce being about 200,000 barrels. Ceriyo and all the other islands produce nearly the same crops, varying a little in richness.