GRAPES AND WINE, 
 
 A VISIT 
 
 THE PRINCIPAL VINEi'ARDS . 
 OF 
 
 0p aiti ani jfr anc t; 
 
 GIVING 
 
 ' A MINUTE ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DIFFERENT METHODS PURSUED 
 
 
 
 I N T HE 
 
 CULTIVATION OF THE VINE 
 
 AND THE 
 
 MANUFACTURE OF WINE; 
 
 WITH A CATALOGUE OF THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF GRAPE : 
 AN ATTEMPT TO CALCULATE THE PROFITS OF CULTI- 
 VATING THE VINE ; AN ESTIMATE OF THE 
 PROFITS OF MALAGA FRUIT, &C. AC. j 
 
 BY (JAMES BUSBY/ ESQ. 
 (NEW-YORK- 
 
 C. S: FRANCIS & CO., 252 BROADWAY. 
 BOSTON: 
 
 J. H. FRANCIS, 128 WASHINGTON STREET. 
 
 18487V
 
 SRLfi 
 
 mi 
 
 me; 
 PREFACE 
 
 BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 IT is singular that among the many books 
 on Wines now existing, there is scarcely one 
 to which a person in search of sound prac- 
 tical information can profitably refer. These 
 books appear to have been chiefly written 
 by amateurs and theorists, whose acquaint- 1 
 ance with their subject had either been en- 
 tirely formed over their " wine and wal- 
 nuts," or who, with but slight reference to 
 facts, had taken their opinions on trust from 
 the conjectures of those who had preceded 
 them. But the conjectures and speculations 
 of persons who have never visited a wine 
 country, or who have only hurried through 
 one in the diligence, are alike barren of in- 
 formation and entertainment ; and thus it 
 often happens that treatises upon Wines are
 
 JV EDITOR S PREFACE. 
 
 about the driest of all reading. They have 
 neither the grace of fiction nor the utility 
 of truth. 
 
 The little volume here presented to the 
 Public we have no hesitation in ranking in 
 a very different class. The Author, pos- 
 sessing an intelligent and inquiring mind, 
 and carrying along with him a distinct 
 
 . and practical purpose, pursues his way over 
 a tract of the finest wine country in Europe, 
 and notes down his observations and the re- 
 sult of his inquiries, in a plain, brief, intelligi- 
 ble, and interesting manner. If wine coun- 
 tries'were often visited in this way, and only 
 
 facts judiciously detailed, we should not find, 
 as we do at present, books on Wines to be 
 
 ^for the most part mere perpetuations of 
 error ; but each writer, adding his careful 
 gleaning of facts to those of his predecessors, 
 nil the information on this topic which is of 
 public interest or utility would speedily be 
 accumulated. 
 
 It is only necessary to add, that besides 
 the Author's valuable and accurate remarks 
 on the cultivation and manufacture of Wines, 
 the journal contains some useful oberva- 
 tions on the culture of the olive and other 
 fruits, and on Spanish and French agricul-
 
 EDITORS PREFACE. 
 
 ture generally. The work, as will be seen 
 by the Author's preface, was originally pub- 
 lished in New South Wales, where Mr. Bus- 
 by is now settled. The present edition is, 
 therefore, a reprint, with the view of intro- 
 ducing the book to a more extended circle of 
 readers. 
 
 LONDON, June 28, 1834.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THE writer of the following pages had long consid- 
 ered that few things could be of more advantage to 
 the settlers of New South Wales, than a knowledge 
 of the agricultural and rural economy of those Euro- 
 pean countries whose climates are most analogous 
 to theirs. 
 
 He accordingly embraced the opportunity, afford- 
 ed by his late visit to Europe, to proceed to the south 
 of Spain, and through various parts of France, in 
 the hope that his observations might be useful to the 
 Colonists. His attention was, in particular, directed 
 to the culture of the vine, and the management of its 
 products ; a subject which, as most of our readers 
 are aware, was not altogether new to him. 
 
 The degree of spirit with which the plantation of 
 vineyards had commenced in the colony, previous to 
 the writer's departure, in February, 1831, left in his 
 mind no doubt of ultimate success. He himself had 
 been the medium of distributing upwards of 20,000 
 vine cuttings among upwards of fifty individuals, du- 
 ring the previous season, and many others were dis- 
 appointed in their wishes to obtain a supply. The 
 very fair quality of the wine made by Mr. Sadleir, at 
 the Orphan School, near Liverpool, during two suc- 
 cessive seasons, had also proved, beyond a doubt, that 
 the colony was capable of yielding a very superior 
 produce, from vines of a greater age, and on a more
 
 V1H PREFACE. 
 
 suitable soil, than that on which the vineyard at the 
 Orphan School is planted.* 
 
 The writer was, however, aware that most of the in- 
 formation which the colony possessed, upon this subject, 
 was derived from the practice of a much colder cli- 
 mate ; and, though firmly persuaded that, in spite of 
 any obstacles which might arise, the cultivation of 
 vineyards would be eventually established as an im- 
 portant branch of the agriculture of the colony, yet 
 he conceived that a knowledge of the practice pur- 
 sued in more analogous climates, might do much to 
 hasten this period, by the greater confidence it would 
 inspire, and by the caution it would afford against 
 
 * The writer having been favoured with ten gallons of 
 this wine, of the vintage 1829-30, ho took one half of it to 
 England in a small cask, and the other half in bottles. On 
 his arrival in London, he had the whole put into pint bottles, 
 and distributed among persons interested in the colony. Some 
 of that which was taken home in bottles had spoiled, owing, 
 as he is inclined to believe, to the bottles not having been pre- 
 viously washed with sufficient care. The whole of what was 
 contained in the cask, although it had never been racked off 
 or clarified, was perfectly sound : and was pronounced, by 
 every person who tasted it, including a very eminent Opor- 
 to wine merchant, and a very respectable Bordeaux wine 
 merchant, to be a very promising wine. The latter told 
 the writer that he had opened one of the bottles given him, 
 when he had a party to dinner. Among the company were 
 two of his own countrymen. "You know," he observed, "that 
 my countrymen always drink very light wine ; they there- 
 fore found it strong, and thought it resembled port without 
 brandy. I said I found it more like Burgundy, and they 
 agreed with me that it was so." The Oporto wine mer- 
 chant observed, that the wine was sound, but that it would 
 very soon turn sour if not fortified by brandy. The writer 
 has this day (25th October, 1832) opened a bottle which he 
 brought J>ack with him to Sydney, and has found it perfectly 
 sound ; 'and, in his opinion, a well-flavoured and strong- 
 bodied wine. '
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 errors that might otherwise require a lengthened and 
 expensive experience to correct. 
 
 There was, however, one important product of the 
 vine, upon which the colony possessed little or no in- 
 formation ; and upon which, although it formed the 
 principal object of his expedition, the writer is happy 
 to say, that there is little knowledge to be communi- 
 cated, beyond that of its extreme simplicity and its 
 great importance. The product to which he alludes 
 is raisins. The writer will not anticipate the con- 
 tents of his journal, farther than to observe, that at 
 Malaga, the chief seat of this branch of industry, the 
 variety of vine which produces the finest Muscatel 
 raisins will only grow in a very limited district. Be- 
 yond this district they are obliged to cultivate grapes 
 of a very inferior kind, which it is necessary to pre- 
 serve by dipping in a lye, and which are thence called 
 Lexia raisins. The Muscatel raisins are dried in the 
 sun, without undergoing any other process ; and 
 though they, in fact, cost less trouble than the inferior 
 sorts, the average value of the produce of an English 
 acre Is about 2o/. ($119.) An idea of the profit of this 
 crop, to the Spanish farmer, may be formed from the 
 fact, that the ordinary value of an acre of Lexia 
 raisins does not exceed 57. ($24.) 
 
 Great, however, as the profits of this cultivation 
 must be to the Spanish farmer, they would be more 
 than double to the settler of New South Wales. For, 
 while the duty on the admission of Spanish raisins, 
 of the first quality, into England, is 2/. 12s. 6d., and 
 on the inferior qualities, I/, and 1L 2s. per cwt, the 
 duty on all sorts, from British colonies, is only 1 05. 
 per cwt.* 
 
 By a published account, it appears that the duty 
 paid upon raisins imported into England during 1827, 
 amounted to 163,513/. ;* and by a return of the ex- 
 ports from Malaga for 1828, the earliest period for 
 
 * Companion of the British Almanac fpr 1830.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 which the writer could procure it, it appears that 
 83,410 boxes, containing 18,617 cwt. of Muscatel 
 raisins, paying the highest duty, were in that year 
 sent from Malaga alone. 
 
 It is believed by the writer, that by far the greatest 
 proportion of raisins, paying the highest duty, is im- 
 ported into England from Malaga ; and he therefore 
 thinks, that the whole quantity of raisins, paying the 
 highest import duty in England, may be fairly taken 
 at 30,000 cwt., and the quantity of inferior sorts will 
 accordingly be about 80,000 cwt. 
 
 From these statements some idea may be formed 
 of the importance of such a branch of agriculture to 
 the colony, should it be found to succeed. From 
 what he has heard of the soil and situation of the dis- 
 trict of Illawara, the writer has great hopes that the 
 Vine yielding the most valuable Muscatel raisins will 
 succeed there ; and should this prove to be the case, 
 it will undoubtedly make the fortunes of those who 
 first engage in it. But it is also worthy of a trial 
 elsewhere ; and even should this variety prove too 
 delicate for any part of the Colony, the writer has no 
 doubt whatever, that of the numerous varieties he 
 collected from different parts of France and Spain, 
 several will be found, which, though not equalling it 
 in value, will still prove a very desirable and even pro- 
 fitable article of produce ; at least till the consump- 
 tion of the Colony itself is supplied. 
 
 The writer was well aware how few of the va- 
 rieties of Vines previously imported into the Colony 
 agreed with the climate, and he therefore spared no 
 trouble or expense in obtaining all the varieties of the 
 different districts through which he travelled. A very 
 considerable number of varieties were actually collect- 
 ed by himself from the different vineyards he visited, 
 of the qualities of each of which he obtained a short 
 notice on the spot. Of the other varieties, amount- 
 ing to upwards of 500, which he obtained from the 
 Botanic Garden of Montpelier, and the Royal Nur- 
 sery of the Luxembourg at Paris, it is probable that
 
 11 
 
 : 
 
 PREFACE. X 
 
 some will prove different from others in little more 
 than the name, and that some may be of little or no 
 value ; but knowing the changes produced by change 
 of climate in the vine, he thought it possible that some 
 of those which were reckoned of least value where 
 they were, might yield the most valuable products 
 in the Colony, and he therefore thought none of them 
 beneath his notice. 
 
 In conclusion, the writer begs to add, that through- 
 out his journey, his attention was almost exclusively 
 directed to agricultural subjects ; and that in revising 
 his Journal for publication, he has omitted every part 
 of it which did not directly bear upon these subjects. 
 His object was to collect as great a mass of useful in- 
 formation as possible, and he did not, therefore, cease 
 to register his observations, even where they might 
 appear minute and superfluous. It is only from an ex- 
 tensive collection of facts that sound conclusions can 
 be deduced. Those collected here will, as the writer 
 hopes, convince the Colonists of New South Wales, 
 that when once they have obtained grapes suitable to 
 their climate, and have fixed upon a proper soil, it will 
 require neither great study, nor toil, nor expense, to 
 enable them to make a good wine ; and that, by a 
 little attention to a few simple principles, they may 
 easily improve upon the practice of most old wine 
 countries, where error has become a habit, and a 
 blind routine has been sanctioned, or rather conse- 
 crated, by prescription.
 
 TABLES 
 OF SPANISH WEIGHTS, MEASURES, AND MONEYS. 
 
 4 Arobas .' 1 Quintal. 
 
 1 Quintal 102j Ibs. English. 
 
 MEASURES. 
 
 6 Arrobas Mayores 25 Galls. English Old Mea- 
 sure. 
 1 Butt of Wine contains'^ . . 30 Arrobas Mayores. 
 
 13 Arrobas Menores 39 Galls. Eng. Old Measure. 
 
 1 Pipe of Oil contains .... 34 Arobas Menores. 
 
 25 Arrobas Mayores 82 Arrobas Menores. 
 
 5 Fanegas 1 Quarter English. 
 
 27 Varas of Castile 25 Yards English. 
 
 Aranzada . . - 1 Acre English. 
 
 "* fJej&fk . 
 
 MONin 
 
 A&t* * **"* f I *?& Jf^tf ' 
 
 Piastre ) fjt /AA?w& i 
 
 20 Reals Vellon VI HarJ Collar. 
 
 10| Reals Plate S 
 
 In this edition, the Author's calculations in British currrency 
 have been reduced to United States currency, at $4 75 
 the pound sterling.
 
 J O U R N A L, &c. 
 
 Monday, 2Qth September, 1831. Having embarked 
 at London on the 6th of the present month, I this day 
 landed at Cadiz. 1 had here the good fortune to meet 
 with Dr. Wilson, an English gentleman, to whom I 
 had brought a letter of introduction ; and as he was 
 about to return to the house of his brother, an exten- 
 sive wine merchant of Xeres de la Frontera, I accept- 
 ed his invitation to accompany him to that place, on 
 Wednesday next. 
 
 28th September. At three o'clock this day, I ac- 
 cordingly joined Dr. Wilson in hiring a passage-boat 
 to cross the bay of Cadiz, in order to avoid the delay 
 of the common ferry-boat. Port St. Mary's, the town 
 at which we disembarked, is chiefly occupied by per- 
 sons engaged in the wine trade, and from this place 
 the sherry wines are shipped. It took an hour and a 
 half to cross the bay, and another half hour to engage 
 a calesa, and forward our baggage ; after which we 
 proceeded on our journey. For four or five miles out 
 of Port St. Mary's, the country consists of a coarse 
 barren sandstone, partially covered with gravel, ex- 
 cepting on the banks of the river, which have the ap- 
 pearance of great fertility. We stopped at a Ven ta, 
 or public house, to obtain a glass of the wine called 
 Manzinilla, the vin du pays of the district, which Dr. 
 Wilson assures me is preferred to all other wines by 
 people of all ranks in the country ; it is not known in 
 2
 
 14 SHERRY WINES. 
 
 the cellars of the English merchants, but is a light, 
 pleasant beverage, having at the same time a mellow- 
 ness and flavour, which 1 have no doubt would, after 
 a little habit, procure for it the preference even of 
 those who would find it insipid at the first trial. 
 
 The twilight was far advanced as we entered 
 the wine district ; at one place we could distinguish a 
 man with a musket, who had been posted to watch 
 the grapes, it being now the middle of the vint- 
 age. At half past seven, we entered the town of 
 Xeres, which is reckoned one of the richest, if not the 
 very richest in Spain, in proportion to its population, 
 and which owes its wealth entirely to the valuable 
 wines produced in its vicinity. 
 
 Friday, 3Qth September. A violent storm of wind 
 and rain made it impossible to quit the house yester- 
 day, and though the rain continued to fall at intervals 
 to-day, I managed to visit, in company with Dr. Wil- 
 son, the cellars of the house of James Gordon and 
 Company. The extent of these cellars is quite im- 
 mense : the extreme length of the largest being 110 
 Spanish varas, about 300 English feet, and the breadth 
 222 feet ; the roof is supported by rows of massive 
 square columns of mason work ; and although the 
 whole cellar is not of the above length or breadth, the 
 principal division of the building being only 200 by 
 150 feet, yet, with its various adjuncts, the whole ex- 
 tent of the cellar is equal to the dimensions first stated. 
 Messrs. Gordon and Company have also another very 
 extensive cellar, though not equal to this in dimensions. 
 Their ordinary stock of wine is said to be 4000 butts : 
 this is kept in casks of various sizes, containing from 
 one to four butts. These casks are ranged in regular 
 rows ; in some parts of the cellar, to the height of four 
 tiers. They are called so/crc/a, and are always re- 
 tained in the cellars. They contain wines of various 
 qualities and ages from one to fifty years. The 
 wine merchants of Xeres never exhaust their stock 
 of finest and oldest wine. According to the price at 
 which the wine expedited to the market is intended to
 
 SHERRY WINES. 15 
 
 be sold, it contains a larger or smaller proportion of 
 old wine. But it is only in wines of a very high price, 
 that even a small portion of their finest wines is mixed. 
 What is withdrawn from the oldest and finest casks is 
 made up from the casks which approach them nearest 
 in age and quality, and these are again replenished 
 from the next in age and quality to them. Thus, a cask 
 of wine, said to be fifty years old, may contain a por- 
 tion of the vintages of thirty or forty seasons. 
 
 The more respectable of the wine merchants of 
 Xeres never ship wine for England till it has' attained 
 the age of two years ; that is, till the bulk of the wine 
 has attained that age. But according to the price it 
 is proposed to bring, it contains a larger or smaller 
 mixture of a more or less expensive wine. The higher 
 qualities of sherry are made up of wine the bulk of 
 which is from three to five years old, and this is also 
 mixed in various proportions with older wines. Thus, 
 from the gradual mixture of wines of various ages, 
 no wine can be farther from what may be called a na- 
 tural wine than sherry. But besides giving the 
 wines, as they are prepared for the market, mellow- 
 ness and richness, by the addition of older wines, there 
 is a very dry kind of sherry called Amontillado, or 
 Montillado, which abounds in the peculiar nutty fla- 
 vour that distinguishes sherries, and which is frequent- 
 ly added when that is deficient. Being very light in 
 colour, it is also used to reduce the colour of sherries, 
 which are too high ; and when, on the other hand, co- 
 lour is required, the deficiency is made good by the 
 mixture of boiled wine, or rather, of boiled must. 
 
 The lowest priced sherries are in general the growth 
 of port St. Mary's or San Lucar, two districts within 
 ten miles of Xeres ; or they are brought round from 
 Malaga to Port St. Mary's, and thence transhipped 
 for England under the name of sherry, perhaps after 
 having been landed and mixed with other wines to 
 give them the qualities in which they are deficient. 
 All these lower priced wines are largely mixed with 
 brandy, being intended for the consumption of a class
 
 16 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 
 
 of people who are unable to judge of any quality in 
 wine but its strength. But brandy is added in very 
 small proportions to the good wines ; never in greater 
 quantities than four or five per cent, while they re- 
 main in the cellar, and frequently not at all, unless the 
 wine should become scuddy or mothery ; and thus the 
 finest wines are frequently entirely free from it ; but 
 on their shipment, a small dose of brandy is consider- 
 ed absolutely necessary, even to .fine wines, to make 
 them bear the voyage, as it is said ; but, in reality, be- 
 cause strength is one of the first qualities looked for by 
 the consumers. When wines become mothery in the 
 London docks, they send them back to be cured ; and 
 this curing consists of nothing more than an addition 
 of brandy : perhaps, indeed, it is chiefly effected by 
 the motion of the voyage. The soleras, or store casks, 
 in which the wine is kept, are left with ,a void of 
 1-1 5th of their contents, and the access of the air is ad- 
 mitted through a loose wooden bung, which merely 
 covers without closing the aperture. 
 
 The exporters purchase the wine from the growers 
 generally when it is one year old. The cellars through- 
 out Xeres are very numerous, and are the most ex- 
 tensive buildings in the town. The wine constitutes 
 the chief wealth of the inhabitants. 
 
 Saturday, 1st October. The weather being more 
 settled, about mid-day I rode out in company with Dr. 
 Wilson, taking the road to Madrid, in a northerly di- 
 rection from Xeres. The road, immediately after 
 quitting the town, was execrable, as well as the streets 
 themselves ; but after passing the limits of the town's 
 administration, and coming on to the road supported 
 by the government, it was much better. The ground we 
 first passed is a sandy loam on both sides, and near the 
 town it was cultivated with great care for vegetables, 
 every farm having its noria, or water wheel, to irri- 
 gate the grounds. We saw them planting gai'lic in 
 small square divisions. The plants were placed on a 
 bank which formed the square, about three inches 
 above the surface. The squares were separated by
 
 OLIVES. 17 
 
 channels for conveying the water, an interval being 
 left at one of the corners of each square to admit the 
 water to the interior, which was five or six feet in dia- 
 meter. Some of the squares had also rows of plants 
 on similar situations within them. In this, or a simi- 
 lar manner, all their vegetables are irrigated ; and no 
 one would think of laying out a garden unless on a 
 spot where it could be continually irrigated. About 
 a mile from the town we struck off into a plantation of 
 olives ; few of the trees, however, contained any con- 
 siderable quantity, and some were altogether without 
 fruit. Such olives as we pulled were universally rot- 
 ten. I was afterwards told, by Mr. Gordon, that all 
 olives are rotten this year, and that this is invariably 
 the case every second year. A little further, we saw 
 a new plantation on the opposite side of the road, and 
 luckily found a peasant under a miserable shed of 
 leaves and straw. To our questions repecting the 
 olives, he informed us that the plants bear a little fruit 
 even the first year; but in the second and third years 
 they bear a considerable crop, in proportion to their 
 size. Some of what we saw had been eighteen months 
 planted, some only six months. The former appeared 
 healthy young trees, covered with a considerable 
 quantity of foliage ; the latter had only a few slender 
 shoots, and some of them indeed stood in .their origi- 
 nal nakedness. These olive plants were nothing else 
 than large limbs of old trees, from eight to ten leet in 
 length, and from two to three inches in diameter. 
 They are sunk about four or five fet into the ground : 
 and the part of the plant above ground is covered, 
 during the first summer, with a cone of earth or elf y. 
 to the height of from two to three feet. After leaving this 
 young plantation, we struck off to the left, and made for 
 the nearest vineyard across the fields. Inconsequence 
 of the very heavy rains during the two preceding clays, 
 most of the vineyards were deserted ; the people in . 
 this part of the country almost universally living in 
 the towns. We found no person in the cellar of the 
 first vineyard we entered : but in the next there were 
 2*
 
 18 ENVIRONS OP XERES. 
 
 two idle peasants lounging about the door of the cel- 
 lar. Giving our horses to the younger, we entered 
 into conversation with the elder vinador. The ex- 
 tent of the vineyard, he said, was 40 aranzadas, about 
 38|- English acres. He said they usually made from 
 66 to 68 butts of wine ; but this year they had only 
 made 55, when the rains commenced, and he doubted 
 now whether they could make any more. Sixty-seven 
 butts from 38^ acres, is equal to 223 gallons, old mea- 
 sure, per English acre. The soil was of the descrip- 
 tion called Albariza, which produces the finest wines. 
 
 The vinador stated, that in replanting a part of the 
 $ 0^ vineyard, they had dug it to the depth of a vara, or 
 Spanish yard about 33^ English inches ; but on pro- 
 & ceeding to the spot where they had been trenching, 
 and stepping into the trench, I found the surface only 
 came to my knee. From twelve inches below the 
 surface the soil was quite compact, but appeared to 
 differ from the surface soil only in not having been 
 exposed to the atmosphere. According to Roxas 
 Ckmenti, a Spanish writer upon the vines of Andalu- 
 sia, the albariza soils contain generally about 70 per 
 cent, of carbonate of lime,"the remainder of the com- 
 pound being chiefly alumina, with a very small por- 
 tion of silica, and occasionally a little magnesia ; but 
 in some places it is almost pure carbonate of lime. 
 This soil absorbs every drop of moisture which falls 
 upon it, and never cracks or opens in the greatest heats 
 of summer. I paced over the piece of ground which 
 had been trenched, and found it 45 by 16 paces, about 
 24 perches. This, he said, had occupied ten men for 
 four days. 
 
 The distance of the plants in this vineyard was 
 about five feet each way. Some of the vines were 
 very old, and appeared to be in very bad condition. 
 The vinador said they were renewing them gradual- 
 ly, and thus the vineyard was not all in full bearing. 
 Some plants, which were only six years old, appeared 
 extremely vigorous ; and as the grapes had not been 
 gathered from a part of them, we counted the bunches
 
 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 19 
 
 on a considerable number, and found them to average 
 eight or nine ; and from our own estimate, and that of ' 
 the vinador, the whole weight of the fruit might be 
 from 14 to 16 Ibs. on each. All the new varieties, he 
 said, were of the variety called Uva de Rey. There 
 was a dunghill of fresh horse dung collected outside 
 the vineyard ; and though we were uncertain whether 
 we understood each other's meaning, we supposed 
 him to say, that they manured each plant annually. 
 The plants had each from two to four mother branches, 
 according to their strength, and had almost invariably 
 been pruned down to one or two spurs on each. 
 
 In the cellar there were four presses, which con- 
 sisted of nothing else than large wooden troughs, 
 about eight feet square, and from twelve to fourteen 
 inches deep. This is the general size ; and each will 
 contain, at one time, as many grapes as will yield a 
 butt of wine. A coarse wooden screw stands in the 
 centre of the trough, which is worked by a lever not 
 more that five feet long in all, so that each arm is only 
 two and a half feet. In some of the casks which con- 
 tained the juice that had been last pressed, we ob- 
 served a vessel, like a very wide funnel, fixed into the 
 bung hole. The object of this is to return into the 
 cask all the froth and wine which is thrown up in the 
 fermentation ; for, in this part of Spain, all the wine 
 is fermented in butts, with only the bung hole open. 
 By this means all the yeast, which the French are so 
 anxious to get rid of, is returned upon the wine, to 
 feed it, as they say. The consequence, of course, is a 
 renewal of the fermentation whenever there is a change 
 of weather, or the cask is put in motion. The wine 
 continues in the butt in which it is fermented till 
 March, when it is racked off the lees. This is the al- 
 most universal practice of the country. 
 
 In the course of our ride we passed a flock of sheep, 
 about 250 in number ; the majority were black and 
 short wooled. The wool is worked up into common 
 cloth of its original colour. It is worth 3 reals vellon 
 (15 cents) per Ib. The white sheep were of a totally
 
 20 SHEEP AND CATTLE OF ANDAU SIA. 
 
 different breed, with long white fleeces, more resem- 
 bling hair than wool. We also saw two men on 
 horseback, and several on foot, with a herd of cattle. 
 The horsemen were the proprietors, who had been 
 mustering. There were about three hundred in the 
 herd, chiefly young, and all dry. The cows had little 
 appearance of milk, and the breed was altogether bad. 
 This, as I was given to understand, was a fair sample 
 of the sheep and cattle of the province. It is not law- 
 ful to enclose cornfields ; nor, indeed, are any enclo- 
 sures lawful, except for vineyards or gardens. As 
 soon as the grain is off the fields they are common pro- 
 perty, and every one who chooses is entitled to send 
 cattle or sheep upon them : a law which, perhaps 
 more than any other, strikes at the root of agricultu- 
 ral prosperity, and keeps the agriculture of Andalusia 
 in its present barbarous condition. 
 
 Monday, 3d October. Mr. James Gordon having 
 invited Dr. Wilson and myself to visit a vineyard be- 
 longing to him, about four miles from Xeres, we ac- 
 cordingly started at about one o'clock ; Mr. Gordon 
 riding a black barb, or jennet, which he valued at 100 
 ($475,) and which he said had cost him 70, (-$332 50.) 
 We passed out of the town by this direction, as wcl I 
 as by every other, through hills of dung, which had 
 been allowed to accumulate, and appeared to be consi- 
 dered as not worth taking farther. The road lay be- 
 tween immense hedges of the cactus, or prickly pear, 
 and aloe, planted on the top of high banks, and ma- 
 king a fence which would prove a considerable im- 
 pediment to the march of an army. Mr. Gordon point- 
 ed out a hedge of prickly pears two years old ; and 
 which, even though it had been on the level ground, 
 would already prove a very tolerable fence. He is of 
 opinion that the original plants, if properly looked af- 
 ter, will form a fence for forty years ; and if renewed 
 with occasional fresh plants, would last for ever. 
 
 The aloe is also much used for fencing, but is con- 
 sidered by Mr. Gordon as very inferior to the prickly 
 pear, as it dies off whenever it has flowered. There
 
 EJCVIRONS OF XERBS. 21 
 
 is a prejudice that this plant flowers only once in a 
 hundred years, and it is thence called the centennial 
 aloe. The truth is, that though it is often many years 
 in flowering, when it has once flowered it dies off for 
 ever. If there is any part of the rural economy of 
 the Andalusians which the settler of New South 
 Wales could adopt with advantage, it is the hedge of 
 prickly pears. It is not possible to imagine a more 
 effectual fence, nor one which it would take less trou- 
 ble to plant or keep in order. It is only necessary to 
 place, at certain distances along the proposed line, a 
 leaf, or part of a leaf, of the plant. In nineteen cases 
 out of twenty they will take root without any further 
 trouble ; and in two years, or three at the farthest, there 
 will be a more effectual fence than a four-railed one. 
 The only objection to this kind of fence is the room it 
 occupies after a few years' growth, if not pruned 
 down : but, in New South Wales, we are not yet so 
 much pressed for room as to make this an objection. 
 To those who may feel inclined to adopt this recom- 
 mendation it may be a useful hint. Though I was 
 told it was scarcely possible to keep the prickly pears 
 from growing, even by cutting the leaves into small 
 pieces and throwing them on a dry spot, still it would 
 be worth the trouble to place each leaf, or part of a 
 leaf, in a spadeful of manure, both to insure its stri- 
 king and its more vigorous growth. 
 
 The road to Don Jacobo's vineyard passed at first 
 through banks of albariza, but we presently came to 
 the arenas, or sandy soils, which adjoin the common 
 of Xeres. Don Jacobo's vineyard was in this soil. 
 His people had just recommenced the vintage after 
 the rain, and were now assembled to dinner ; which 
 consisted of a kind of cold soup made from water, 
 with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and salads scraped 
 down, or cut small. The more substantial part of the 
 meal was bread, prickly pears, sweet pepper, and 
 grapes. 
 
 I here tasted some of the boiled must which is used 
 for colouring the wine. It was literally the quintes-
 
 22 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 
 
 sence of the must, having been boiled down to a fifth 
 part of its original bulk. It was as thick as treacle, 
 and resembled it in flavour, but with a strong burned 
 taste. 
 
 Don Jacobo Gordon's vineyard yielded him, when 
 in a good state, from 2^- to 4 butts of wine per acre. 
 At present it is in a course of renewal, having been 
 ruined by the spread of a kind of grass which sends 
 its roots to the depth of four feet. A certain portion, 
 which had been planted within the last five years, ap- 
 peared to be in a good state of bearing ; another part 
 was only two years old. The young vines were all ve- 
 ry healthy, and had been cut down to two or three mo- 
 ther branches, with one knot on each. In forming the 
 young vines, as well as in pruning them afterwards, 
 great care is taken to have the branches in such a di- 
 rection that they will balance each other upon the 
 stock, the latter being generally from 12 to 18 inches 
 from the ground before the branches spring out. The 
 object of this care is, of course, to support the bunches 
 from the ground without the aid of props or stakes. 
 It cost 56 ($266) an acre to renew the plantation 
 of this vineyard, it being necessary to trench it to the 
 depth of four feet, in order to get out the grass. The 
 soil, as turned up, even from that depth, was extreme- 
 ly sandy. The plants here, as elsewhere throughout 
 the district, were at the distance of five feet from each 
 other in both directions. The varieties which had 
 been planted were the Pedro Ximenes and Uva de Rey,- 
 white, and Tintilla, black. Black grapes are, however, 
 very rarely cultivated here. The different varieties 
 were planted in distinct divisions. 1 observed that 
 some of the old vines which it was intended to eradi- 
 cate this season, were loaded with grapes, having been 
 pruned to carry as many as possible. This is what 
 the French called charge a mort, and the practice here 
 was known by a name of similar import. The vines 
 are regularly manured with any kind of dung-, in ge- 
 neral, strong stable dung : not every year, because, 
 said Mr. Gordon's chief vinador, who accompanied
 
 OLIVES. 23 
 
 us, he could not procure it. He would dung them 
 every year if he had the means, and did not seem to 
 consider that the quality of the wine would be affected 
 by it. But this vineyard, as well as all others on the 
 same kind of soil, only produced inferior wines. 
 
 The olive having been mentioned, we were shown 
 two olives, which supported a wheel for drawing wa- 
 ter from the well. Two posts having been required for 
 this purpose when they were clearing the ground of 
 some olive trees three years ago, they took two of the 
 trunks of these, which were respectively 10 or 12 
 inches in diameter ; they nevertheless took root, and 
 are now covered with strong branches, affording a 
 proof of the great facility with which the olive takes 
 root. The vinador said that an olive would produce 
 a crop three years after its plantation, but not a full 
 crop till its fifth year, and would reach its greatest per- 
 fection in its tenth year. He said a plant ought to be 
 the limb of a tree of the thickness of a man's arm. 
 Being asked how long it would take before a slip, 
 such as we plant in ]\ew South Wales, would bear a 
 crop, he appeared to consider the proposal as ridicu- 
 lous, and said he thought twenty years. He did 
 not consider the oil of young olives inferior to that of 
 the old : the only difference in their value arises from 
 their quantity. The olive is not now cultivated 
 in this district to the same extent as formerly, the su- 
 perior attention bestowed upon it in the neighbourhood 
 of Seville having made the slovenly cultivation pur- 
 sued here unprofitable. The trees are planted with 
 considerable regularity, at the distance of 36 or 40 
 feet. An average crop, Don Jacobo says, " is from 
 1^ to l- aj-robas" that is, from 5 to 6 English gallons 
 each tree. 
 
 In passing through this vineyard I observed a very 
 considerable variety of grapes, differing not only in 
 appearance but taste; but many of those which were 
 evidently distinct were said by the vinador to be Uie 
 same. He would not admit that there were more than
 
 24 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 
 
 four or five kinds. I should have judged the number 
 to be not fewer than twenty ; and Mr. Cormack, a 
 member of Mr. Wilson's house, afterwards informed 
 me that there was at least that number of varieties in 
 all the vineyards round Xeres, and he thought this was 
 one cause of the excellence of the wine. On our way 
 back to town I examined one of the norias which sup- 
 plies Xeres with water. The well was about 40 
 feet in depth, and 7 in diameter. The machi- 
 nery by which the water is raised is of the rudest con- 
 struction. A horizontal wheel with large teeth turns 
 a vertical one of about five feet in diameter ; over this 
 wheel passes a flat band, made of a kind of grass, to 
 which earthen pots are attached over its whole extent. 
 The pots go down empty at one side and come up full 
 at the other. The water is thus raised to a cistern of 
 sufficient elevation to send the water to the town, 
 about a mile off. It struck me that any settler of New 
 South Wales could construct such a piece of of ma- 
 chinery with his own men, and even without the aid of 
 a mechanic. 
 
 Tuesday, 4th of October. About 10 this morning, 
 in company with my indefatigable friend Dr. Wilson, 
 I started to visit the vineyard of Don Pedro Domecq, 
 celebrated, under the name of Machar Nudo, for pro- 
 ducing first-rate sherry wines. After quitting the im- 
 mediate vicinity of the town, we passed over open 
 downs, which bore the appearance of having been 
 under crop, but without a single enclosure or land- 
 mark so far as we could observe. The downs were 
 skirted on the left by the chalky hills (albarizas,) 
 covered with the vine, and carefully enclosed by hedges 
 of the prickly pear and aloe, planted as usual on ihe 
 tops of high banks. We passed three ploughs at 
 work, following on the same furrow. The plough is 
 of the rudest construction, exactly similar to what are 
 represented in those plates which exhibit the first in- 
 vented implements of agriculture. There is no mould- 
 board, and the plough consequently makes only a series 
 of drills, without turning a single furrow. It has only
 
 SHERRY VINEYARDS. 25 
 
 handle, and is sometimes held in the right and 
 sometimes in the left hand, the mules with which they 
 .generally plough being guided and driven with the o1 her 
 hand. As usual, when riding among vineyards, we 
 entered the albarizas through a road between steep 
 banks and hedges the bottom of the road being in 
 general the compact stratum of chalk. Don Pedro's 
 vineyard lies in a north-easterly direction from Xeres, 
 and consists entirely of chalky hills. It was evident, 
 on entering the enclosure, that the vines were treated 
 with much greater care than any we had examined. 
 The mother branches were better balanced arM sup- 
 ported from the ground, and were regularly pruned ; 
 and not a weed or a blade of grass was to be seen 
 among them. The immediate vicinity of the house 
 was tastefully planted with a profusion of ornamental 
 trees, within which was an extensive paved court, 
 surrounded by a wall and railing ; the cellars were on 
 a much larger scale than in any of the vineyards we 
 had before seen or passed ; the house neither large nor 
 convenient, and in a great degree spoiled by some of 
 the rooms being made the passages to a high tower 
 which he has built to have a view of all parts of the 
 the vineyard, and which has been carried to a great 
 height, in order to command a prospect of Cadiz, on the 
 south-west, and Seville to the north. " A certain man 
 planted a vineyard, and hedged it round, and having 
 digged a wine press, and built a tower, he let it out to 
 husbandmen." Every vineyard, of any considerable 
 extent here, has also its tower, but, in general, they 
 are less than half the height of that of Machar Nudo. 
 Mr. Domecq is a gentleman of French extraction, and 
 speaks English fluently. We found him under the ve- 
 randah of his wine cellar, and having mentioned the 
 object of our visit, he undertook, with great readiness, 
 to give us all the information we should ask : he 
 answered my questions and explained his proceedings 
 in the manner of a man who was thoroughly acquainted 
 with his subject, and had not been accustomed to follow 
 blindly the practices he had found established. He 
 3
 
 26 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 
 
 said he was gradually renewing his vineyards, the 
 vines having been destroyed in many places by a very 
 destructive insect a small white worm, with a black 
 head, which eats into the heart of the old stock, and 
 destroys it ; vines he said, which would have been 
 good for 150 years, were thus rendered useless they 
 were now 40 years old ; he attributed it to injudicious 
 pruning. It was customary to cut off the bearing 
 branch close to the old wood ; by this means the worm 
 either obtained an entrance to the heart of the stock 
 full grown, or was deposited in the egg, on the decay- 
 ed part, and worked its way in when formed. A foot- 
 ing once obtained, there was no mode of getting rid of 
 it, and the consequence was that the vines became 
 every year more injured in health, till they were at 
 length incapable of yielding a crop. The system 
 which Don Pedro adopted in pruning was to leave one 
 knot of the branch cut off, which prevented the 
 entrance of the insect into the stock. 
 
 His mode of pruning differed from what we had pre- 
 viously observed : instead of leaving only one, or at 
 most two knots on each of three or four branches, as 
 was the case in the other vineyards we had examined, 
 he left one branch with seven or eight knots, and two 
 others with one knot each, pruning them down alter- 
 nately ; he did not consider that this was burthening a 
 young and healthy vine too much. He was in the habit 
 of manuring his vineyards, but not each year in the 
 same place. He considered it a disadvantage to have 
 many varieties, and was confining his new plantations 
 to three or four. He said that all the varieties men- 
 tioned by Roxas Clemente were to be found in the 
 vineyards of Xeres, but the proprietors were all 
 anxious to make it be believed that their vineyards 
 contained only the most celebrated sorts. Don Pedro 
 Domecq's vineyard contains about 200 acres, and yields 
 from 600 to 800 butts of wine, according to the season. 
 This year a large proportion of the grapes in his vine- 
 yard, as well as in other vineyards throughout the coun- 
 try, had rotted, in consequence of the season having
 
 SHERRY WINES. 27 
 
 been unusually wet. He said that in future years he 
 should take care to prevent this result, by unleaving 
 the vines, and allowing the rays of the sun to reach the 
 grapes. He trenched the ground to the depth of a 
 vara, (33 inches ;) he said he did not consider it ad- 
 vantageous to go very deep, it allowed the roots to 
 penetrate too far from the heat of the air ; he did not 
 approve of the practice usual in the country of leaving 
 holes about the foot of the vines, for the purpose of 
 collecting the moisture to the roots; he preferred 
 having it all well dug over ; this was done three, or even 
 four times a year, and when first dressed in the winter 
 after the pruning, it is turned up to the depth of 14 or 
 15 inches. 
 
 On entering his cellar, or rather pressing-room, we 
 found the labourers at their dinner. Bread seemed 
 here, as elsewhere, the chief article of their diet. 
 There was also abundance of prickly pears and grapes. 
 We passed to the cellar where the new-made wine 
 was stowed, and tasted it in its various states. The 
 wine of a fortnight old was still very sweet, although 
 the fermentation was now barely sensible. We also 
 tasted the sweet wine of the same age, made from the 
 Pedro Xirnsnes grape, and we conceived it to be barely 
 possible for any thing to be more luscious, although 
 we were informed that in a dry season it is much 
 richer. He said he had about 200 butts of the sweet 
 wine, and wished it were all of that quality, it was so 
 useful in mixing with his purchased wine for exporta- 
 tion. We observed some casks marked podrida, as 
 being made from rotten grapes, and asked if there was 
 not great danger of that wine turning out ill. He re- 
 plied yes, by the ordinary management of the country, 
 but he had adopted a different system of treatment. 
 He said, that instead of putting a funnel into the bung- 
 hole of the cask to prevent the scum from escaping, no 
 sooner was the violence of the fermentation over, than 
 he filled up the cask, in order that it might work over 
 and escape. He also racked off his wine into clean 
 casks at the end of two months, or even a shorter
 
 28 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 
 
 period, instead of allowing it to remain in the cask in 
 which it was fermented till March or April, as was 
 the general custom. He says that brandy is added to 
 the sherry wines, ehicily on account of the taste of the 
 English, who are its principal consumers ; but it is 
 also useful in preventing scuddiness, and curing it when 
 it has taken place. Don Pedro perfectly agreed in an 
 ^pinion which I offered, that if wines were made with 
 "sound grapes only, and more perfectly fermented, this 
 scuddiness would never occur. I represented to him 
 the advantage of large vats for fermenting the wine. 
 He acknowledged the probability of a more perfect 
 fermentation taking place in large vats, and of the wine 
 being the earlier ready for the market in consequence ; 
 but objected, that where there were 700 or 800 butts 
 to make, it would require so great a number of vats, 
 that it would not be practicable. I explained to him 
 that the fermentation would be so much sooner over in 
 consequence of its violence, that the wine might be in 
 general drawn offinto casks after five or six days, and 
 thus the same vats might be used many times ; for in 
 consequence of the care that is observed in the vine- 
 yards which yield sherry, to have all the grapes 
 thoroughly ripe, the vintage will frequently continue 
 for six weeks, commencing about the middle of Sep- 
 tember, and seldom being completed till the end of 
 ( ),:ti>bcr. In the vineyards yielding the common wines 
 this is not the case ; when the majority of the grapes 
 are ripe, they gather the whole, and their vintage is 
 over in 8 or 10 days. My observation, as to the 
 shortness of the time it would be requisite to keep the 
 wine in the vats, appeared to get over his diiliculty ; 
 a:ul from what he said, I think it likely that he will not 
 allow another vintage to p:iss without giving them a 
 trial. lie said he was sensible of the advantage of sul- 
 jtliuring wine, but that it was dillicult to prevent the 
 taste from remaining : and that it sometimes happened 
 that the English merchant would not be persuaded that 
 there was no taste of sulphur, even when none had 
 been used, He had got M'CuJloch's book, and
 
 SHERRY WINE MAKING. 29 
 
 aware of the qualities of the sulphate of potash, which 
 that writer so strongly recommends. On returning 
 from the cellar to the pressing-room we found the 
 presses at work. There were eight troughs, similar 
 in shape and dimensions to those formerly described, 
 each with its wooden screw in the centre. A large 
 quantity of grapes being heaped up in one part of the 
 trough, they commence by strewing upon them as 
 much powdered gypsum, or sulphate of lime, as a man 
 can take up with both hands. A portion of the grapes 
 are then spread over the bottom of the remainder of 
 the trough, upon which the men jump with great vio- 
 lence, having wooden shoes, with nails to prevent their 
 slipping. After the greater part of the grapes are 
 pretty well broken, they are piled up round the screw, 
 and a flat band, made of a kind of grass, is wound 
 round the pile, commencing at the bottom, the broken 
 grapes being heaped and pressed in as the band is 
 wrapped higher and higher, till they are all com- 
 pressed into it. They then commence working the 
 screw, and the must flows with great rapidity. 
 The bottoms of the troughs are elevated about 2^ 
 feet above the floor of the cellar, and each has 
 two spouts, under which tubs are placed, and jars 
 in the tubs ; and as the jars are filled, they are 
 carried away and emptied into the butts. When the 
 whole operation is completed, the bulk of the husks 
 or skins is not more than one sixth or one seventh of 
 what the grapes appeared when first placed in the 
 troughs. This is almost the universal practice of the 
 country; but some persons pour a jar of water over 
 f the grapes at the same time that they strew the gyp- 
 sum upon them. And it is usual to add water to the 
 skins and husks, and then to tread and press them 
 again. This yields an inferior wine, but is general- 
 ly added in the state of must to the produce of the 
 first pressing. It has been observed, that in very dry 
 >ns, the agua pies, as this is called, is almost equal 
 to the yemas. or first running. Don Pedro's cellar 
 contained eight of these presses, all of which were at 
 3*
 
 30 E.xvruoxs OF XEKI>. 
 
 work ; 1ml he \vas erecting a press upon scientific prin- 
 ci])les, the plan of which he had procured from France. 
 1 did not wait lo examine its const ruction. Thevinta- 
 !>r"U<iht in the grapes as they gathered them, in 
 i!s, which they caivied upon their shoul- 
 ders. I was astonished to observe that so little at- 
 tention was paid to the quality of the trrapes put into 
 the press. 1 had previously observed in every mule or 
 ass load, which 1 had seen conv. pcs from the 
 
 vineyard towards the town, that a large proportion 
 was decayed, but I thought it probable that some selec- 
 tion would be made before pressing. Here, however, I 
 observed that three-fourths of the grapes had burst in 
 consequence of the rain ; and, perhaps, from one-third to 
 one-half appeared to be far advanced towards putre- 
 faction, but the must that ran from them was never- 
 theless perfectly sweet. Observing so little selection 
 in a vineyard where more care was taken than in any 
 other we had seen, and some science really indicated 
 by the proprietor, I concluded that nothing was more 
 common than for the grapes to be in a state of decay 
 when the wine was made. It was evident that if 
 baskets had been employed in which to gather the 
 grapes, a great proportion of the juice would have 
 been lost ; but there was an immense waste of labour 
 in each vintager bringing what he had gathered the 
 whole way to the cellar. If Don Pecro had left roads 
 for a cart, or even paths for a mule through his vine- 
 yard, he might have brought his grapes to the press 
 with half the manual labour he now employs. Hav- 
 ing an engagement to dine with Don Jacobo Gordon 
 at 3 o'clock, we quitted Don Pedro Domccq's vine- 
 yard sooner than I would have wished to part with its 
 intelligent proprietor. He is the largest holder of 
 wine in Xeres, and exports more than any other mer- 
 chant. 
 
 Wednesday^ 5th October. At seven this morning I 
 took leave of my hospitable and very attentive friends 
 at Xeres dc. la Fronjera ; Doctor Wilson having en- 
 gaged, at the proper season, to procure and send me
 
 NORIAS, OR WATER V.'IIEELS. 31 
 
 to London cuttings of all the varieties of vines cultiva- 
 ted in that neighbourhood. I haft engaged a calesa, a 
 wretched sort of gig, to convey me to San Lucar, 
 there to join the steamboat for Seville, this being con- 
 sidered my best route to Malaga, whither I now pro- 
 posed to make the best of my way. "\Vc had only pro- 
 ceeded three or four miles, when one of the wheels be- 
 came loosened, and the Calesera had no means of re- 
 pairing the damage, there was nothing, therefore, for 
 it but to return. Accompanied by Dr. Wilson, I rode 
 out in a different direction from any we had previously 
 taken, and stopped to examine more particularly one 
 of the norias which supply Xeres with water. We 
 entered a stable, and ascended to the loft where the 
 mules work ; the ascent is without steps, to allow the 
 mules to go up and down. The elevation of this loft was 
 ten feet ; the mules were not at work, and the driver 
 lighted a piece of rope and let it down into the well to 
 show us its depth ; the well is about seven feet in dia- 
 meter, and 25 varas (about 70 feet) to the water, which 
 has a depth of 1 1 feet, making the whole depth of the 
 well about 80 feet. 
 
 The circle round which the mule treads is 30 or 35 
 feet in diameter ; the horizontal wheel is 10 feet ; the 
 vertical wheel 8. They act upon each other by a se- 
 ries of teeth, which are merely pegs fixed to the out- 
 side of the wheel. The teeth projecting from the ho- 
 rizontal wheel were ten inches ; those from the verti- 
 cal wheel 8 inches in length. The horizontal wheel 
 is turned by a lever attached to the top of the beam, 
 about 10 or 11 feet in height, and falling at an angle 
 to the height of the shoulders of the mule. The cir- 
 cular bands, to which are attached the earthen jars, 
 are made of a kind of grass which is in general use 
 for that purpose. The jars are separate about six or 
 seven inches, and are very deep in proportion to their 
 width; they are fixed between the two bands, by 
 cords passing round the middle, (where their girth is 
 least,) and near the top ; the whole length of the cir- 
 cular bands is, of course, twice the depth of the well ?
 
 32 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 
 
 the number of the pots is 37, and they are about four 
 feet apart. When tlfe wheel is set in motion, they 
 descend empty on one side, and passing through the 
 water, rise nearly full on the other side of the well ; 
 there are small holes in the bottom of the jars, to allow 
 the air to escape when they enter the water, there is, 
 consequently, a constant leakage from jar to jar as they 
 ascend. Each of the jars delivers irom four to five 
 English pints at each re volution of the wheel (of ropes.) 
 The trough, into which they are emptied as the wheel 
 turns, is on a level with its centre. When there is a 
 greater demand for water in the very dry season, 
 they double the number of pots, putting one between 
 each of those now in use, and yoking a second mule. 
 They thus double the quantity of water delivered in 
 the same time. The water is conveyed to the town 
 in earthen pipes, and sold from the cistern to which it 
 flows, the norias being all private property. 
 
 Having finished our examination of the noria, we 
 proceeded to the adjoining vineyard, where half a dozen 
 men were employed in gathering the grapes. This vine- 
 yard is situated in what are called the arenas, (sands ;) 
 the soil is a light sandy loam, and though surrounded 
 by hills of chalk, did not appear on trial to contain the 
 smallest portion of calcarious matter. 
 
 The soil seemed capable of supporting a more vi- 
 gorous vegetation than at any place we had visited, 
 and the vines were pruned accordingly. On each 
 vine there was at least one long branch, containing 
 from eight to ten knots, and from two to four spurs, 
 with one or two knots each. On some vines there 
 were two branches, one containing eight or ten 
 knots, the other four or five, beside three or four spurs, 
 with one or two knots each. On one or two vines, 
 which seemed very heavily charged, I counted twelve 
 knots on one branch, and seven spurs ; the crop was 
 in proportion, many of the vines producing twenty 
 bunches and upwards. The average weight of fruit on 
 .* each vine could not be l^ss than from L'5 to 30 Ibs. The 
 
 i vinador said, the extcii L of the vineyard was ten aran- 
 
 //.. 
 
 <<
 
 VLVEYARDS. 33 
 
 zadas, (9 acres, 2 roods, 10 perches :) the produce va- 
 ried according to the season, from forty to fifty butts ; 
 forty- five butts is about six hundred gallons, old mea- 
 sure, for each English acre. The other vineyards in 
 the arenas seemed to be pruned in the same manner, 
 and to be fully as heavily charged with fruit. The 
 vinador said the wine was of very good quality. The 
 grapes were chiefly the variety called Uva de Rey ; 
 but there were also a very few of the Pedro Ximenes, 
 and one or two other varieties. The vines in this 
 vineyard appeared to be ia the highest state of health, 
 and had evidently been treated with the greatest care 
 from the commencement. They were now twenty- 
 five years of age ; the branches were so well arranged 
 that they balanced each other upon the stock ; and few 
 props were therefore required, the height of the stock 
 being from 16 to 20 inches. Where, from the weight 
 of fruit, a prop was required, it consisted of a piece 
 of cane, with a fork cut in the end of it, and in this 
 fork the branch rested. A small spot in the vineyard 
 had been newly planted ; he said the ground had been 
 trenched to the depth of a vara, or a vara and a quar- 
 ter. These vines were only manured once in four or 
 five years ; the reason of this, he said, was that the 
 ground was not so cold as the albarizas, and did not 
 require it oftener. 
 
 As the grapes were collected, they were spread out 
 on large mats in the sun's rays. This is very com- 
 monly the practice in ordinary seasons ; but owing to 
 the late heavy rains coming upon the grapes when the 
 most of them were fully ripe, they are in general 
 hastening on the vintage this season without attend- 
 ing to it. The vinador said they would be put in the 
 press to-night, and pressed next morning. 
 
 Mr. Cormack says, that this vineyard produces only 
 the common wine of the country, and from the way 
 it was cultivated he was sure it must yield 6 or 7 
 butts an acre, but he understood that a large portion 
 of the grapes were sent to the market. The arenas, 
 in general, he says, yield from 4 to 6 butts a Spanish
 
 34 VALUE OP VINEYARDS. 
 
 acre, which is worth, on being made, about 22 pesos of 
 15 reals each. Thus, 5 butts will amount to 82^ Spa- 
 nish dollars, which is equal to about 17 10s. (883 12) 
 per aranzada, or 18 10s. ($87 87) per English acre. 
 This vineyard, he informed me, was worth 300 dol- 
 lars per aranzada, or about 60 (8313 50) an Eng- 
 lish acre. The Albariza vineyards yield, on an ave- 
 rage, from 2\ to 3 butts per aranzada, which is worth, 
 including the agua pies, this year, (October, 1831,) 38 
 pesos per butt ; 2f- butts amount, therefore, to 16 
 13s. 9d. ($79 32,) or about 17 10s. per English acre. 
 Mr. Domecq's vineyard was some time ago valued at 
 40,000 Spanish dollars. The extent being 191 Eng- 
 lish acres, and the buildings at that time worth 3,000 
 or 4,000 dollars, the value of the whole will appear to 
 be 7,756 5s., or about 40 12s. ($193 84) per Eng- 
 lish acre, the average produce being about 800 butts. 
 This, at 38 pesos, will amount to 4,275 ($20,306) 
 for the value of one year's produce of the whole, or 
 22 7s. ($106) per acre. The expenses of cultiva- 
 tion are stated by Mr. Cormack to be from 50 to 60 
 dollars per aranzada, and this also agrees pretty near- 
 ly with Mr. Domecq's statement. It therefore appears 
 that the profit upon an acre of the arenas will be about 
 7 10s. ($35 62 ;) upon .the ordinary albariza, 5 
 13s. 9d. ($27 ;) on Mr. Domecq's 11 7s. ($54.) I 
 am inclined to think that this estimate is pretty cor- 
 rect, as it applies to the arenas, but is probably under- 
 rated in the albarizas generally, and overrated in Mr. 
 Domecq's. 
 
 The whole extent of the Xeres vineyards, which 
 produce wine fit for the English market, docs not ex- 
 ceed 7,000 acres, and about double that extent will 
 also include those of Port Saint Mary's and San Lu- 
 car. A great portion of the wines exported to Eng- 
 land under the name of sherry, are the growth of 
 Malaga, and are brought round and transhipped at 
 Cadiz. Most of the sherries sold by retail in England, 
 under 40s. a dozen, are either of this kind or of the 
 commonest qualities of the San Lucar and Fort Saint
 
 EXTENT OF THE VINEYARDS. 35 
 
 Mary's vineyards. The whole quantity of sherry 
 annually exported from Xeres, does not exceed 25,000 
 butts. In no case do the exporters send a genuine 
 natural wine ; that is, a wine as it comes from the 
 press, without a mixture of other qualities. It is ra- 
 ther a singular circumstance that the sale of the pro- 
 duce of the common vineyards is more ready and 
 certain than of that fit for exportation. The latter is 
 all purchased up by a few individuals, and held by 
 them till it is taken off by the gradual demand. The 
 stock is equal to many years' consumption, and some 
 of the holders are said to possess stocks to the amount 
 of a million dollars. No wine is allowed by law 
 to be sold for consumption till it is twelve months 
 old. The produce of the arenas is milch greater than 
 of the albarizas, but a greater quantity of it turns sour. 
 The very dry wine called Amontillado, is generally 
 said to be produced in a way which no one can ac- 
 count for, as it is not possible to say beforehand whe- 
 ther the wine, when fermenting, will turn out sherry 
 or Amontillado. If so, it is probably the result of a 
 more perfect fermentation ; indeed, Mr. Domecq 
 agreed with me in this opinion. Rafael Torda, a Spa- 
 nish writer on wines, says, that it is the produce of a 
 particular grape, the Palomino,. Although the Man- 
 zanilla and common wine of the country are more apt 
 to turn sour than the sherry, the latter is also occa- 
 sionally subject to that degeneration. Mr. Domecq 
 said, that as many as 100 butts of the Machar Nudo 
 had turned sour in one season ; whether after the 
 adoption of the plan of allowing the scum to escape 
 during the fermentation, instead of returning it by the 
 funnel upon the wine, I did not inquire. Perhaps it 
 may be owing to the grapes of part of the vineyard 
 being of an inferior quality, or there may be something 
 in the soil or exposure which prevents their attain- 
 ing perfection. Mr. Domecq said, that there are very 
 few of the grapes which are good, even in the albariza 
 vineyards, and that the finest sherries are produced 
 from two or three varieties which are rather scarce ;
 
 86 ^PRODUCE OP THE VINEYARDS. 
 
 of one variety he found great difficulty in procuring 
 cuttings, there not being more than two acres of it in 
 the district of Xeres. Scuddiness is, however, the 
 most prevailing defect in the sherry wines, and it is 
 worth consideration whether this is not owing to im- 
 perfect fermentation. We tasted wine in Mr. Do- 
 mccq's cellar which was quite sweet, although three 
 weeks old. The violence of the first fermentation is 
 suppressed by the smallness of the vessel in which it 
 takes place; and until the original principles of the 
 must, which remain undecomposed, are separated by 
 subsequent repeated rackings, or changed, after a 
 great length of time, into alcohol, they are always lia- 
 ble to rir-;c through the wine, and produce this scud- 
 diness. It is probable, also, that the absorption of the 
 tartaric acid which the grapes may contain, by the use 
 of gypsum, may be a still further hinderance to the 
 fermentation. On the whole, I think there can be no 
 doubt that were the fermentation completed in large 
 vessels, and the wine subsequently racked off into 
 casks, this scuddiness would never appear ; and, con- 
 sidering the general richness of the grapes of this 
 country in saccharine matter, there would be as little 
 danger of acidity if the casks were thoroughly closed 
 to the air when the fermentation should have ceased. 
 Thursday, Mh October. This morning I again start- 
 ed in a calesa, and, after about four hours' travelling, 
 accomplished the journey to the little town of Bo- 
 nanza, above San Lucar, the distance being i leagues. 
 The road was not made in any place, but there were 
 bridges at spots which would be otherwise impass- 
 able. After about three or four miles' travelling, I 
 quitted the vineyards, which for that distance crowned 
 the chalky hills on both sides of the valley through 
 which the road passed. The country was now open, 
 and without a single tree or enclosure. I passed several 
 farm steadings, if indeed they are worthy of the name. 
 The buildings were of the most wretched description, 
 and in the worst possible repair, contrasting, in this 
 respect, most strongly with the cellars and pressing-
 
 .jj, 
 ENVIRONS OP SAN LUCAR. 37 
 
 houses in the vineyards, all of which were in good or- 
 der, and well whitewashed. Here, however, no far- 
 mer lives upon his farm. At seed time he comes with 
 a sufficient number of people to plough up and sow 
 the land, and returns to the town till the season of 
 harvest again calls him forth. The harvest is collected 
 to a convenient spot, were the grain is trodden out by 
 horses and cattle, and the straw is most generally 
 burned ; and this closes the labours of the year. At 
 one place I saw seven men ploughing, each with a 
 pair of oxen, and following each other in the same 
 furrow. The oxen were yoked by the head, the yoke 
 resting immediately behind the horns, and being se- 
 cured round the forehead of the animals. Near Bo- 
 nanza I passed several steep hills of albariza, covered 
 with vines, and terraced on the most precipitous 
 sides. 
 
 The banks of the Gaudalquiver, for ten miles above 
 Bonanza, are low alluvial flats, apparently of great 
 extent ; and they appeared, perhaps in consequence of 
 the late heavy rains, too wet to bear the pasturage of 
 cattle. From that distance the lands on both sides 
 bore the marks of cultivation, and were covered with 
 cattle and horses. The hills which bounded these al- 
 luvial flats were covered with olives. In several 
 places they were gathering Indian corn and millet. 
 On approaching Seville there was here and there a 
 plantation of oranges. The alluvial banks had very 
 much contracted in extent, and, though higher than 
 those lower down the river, were in no place more 
 than four feet above the water ; but the river was 
 very muddy, and was probably swelled in consequence 
 of the rains. 
 
 Friday, "th Oct., Seville. I find that the ordinario, 
 or carrier, with whom I was recommended to travel to 
 Malaga, is not now here, and is not expected for seve- 
 ral days. I am told on all hands, that it would be 
 madness to attempt travelling in any other way, as the 
 roads are so much infested with robbers, that every 
 person who attempts to travel, unless under the pro- 
 4
 
 38 SEVILLE AND 
 
 tection of the ordinario, is sure to be stripped. The 
 latter personage purchases immunity (or himself and 
 his passengers, by paying a sort of blackmail every 
 journey. During the week which I remained at 
 Seville, waiting for the carrier, I made two short ex- 
 cursions to the country. I had understood at Xeres, 
 that the neighbourhood of Seville was famous for its 
 plantations of olives, and I was anxious, during my 
 stay here, to learn as much as possible on that subject. 
 My first expedition was to the ruins of an ancient 
 Roman city, named Italica, which stood on the oppo- 
 site side of the river, about two leagues above where 
 Seville now stands, with the double object of visiting 
 the ruins, and a Convent of Hieronomite monks, who 
 had extensive olive plantations, and presses for extract- 
 ing the oil. I was accompanied by a gentleman be- 
 longing to an English mercantile house, to the head of 
 which I had brought a letter of introduction. We 
 passed one vineyard, the only one I saw within many 
 miles of Seville ; and the wine of this, the calesera said, 
 was not good. We made our first visit to the convent., 
 as it was now 1 1 o'clock, and the dinner hour of the 
 monks was 12. A monk, whom we met in the outer 
 yard, desired one of their farming men to show us the 
 oil press a very clumsy affair. The press consists 
 of a beam of immense length, and not less than five 
 cubic feet in thickness, at the thickest part. The pivot 
 or hinge, on which this lever works, is placed at about 
 one fourth of the length of the beam from its thickest 
 end. The long arm of the lever is pressed upwards 
 by a screw, and the thick end is thus pressed down 
 upon the olives which are placed under it, enclosed in 
 a kind of mat made of grass, after having been broken 
 in a mill. There were two of those levers in the 
 house. The man who showed us the presses said, 
 that a good olive tree would yield from three to four 
 fanegas of olives in a good year, and that generally a 
 fanega of olives would yield an arroba (about 4^ gal- 
 lons) of oil. From the oil presses we went to the gar- 
 den, where there are a few fruit trees, and where they
 
 ITS ENVIRONS. 39 
 
 cultivate vegetables. There was neither variety in 
 the plants, noitaste in their distribution ; but here, as 
 elsewhere, there was a noria at work, with one ox. 
 The water was conveyed throughout the garden by 
 small canals. The procurator, or steward of the con- 
 vent, to whom notice had been sent by the first monk 
 of our wish to see the premises, had returned an an- 
 swer that he was occupied and could not come. We 
 now went up to the granary, and found him employed in 
 taking an account of a quantity of wheat which some 
 men were conveying from one part of the granary to 
 another. Don Peres, my companion, expressed to him 
 my wish to see every thing that was to be seen, and 
 particularly the oil presses. " Ah," he replied, " the 
 English are a very ingenious people ; but they already 
 know every thing sufficiently well, and do not need to 
 be instructed." He therefore saw us walking about 
 the granary without stirring from his seat, or offering 
 a single observation, and he seemed very well pleased 
 when we took our leave. The granary contained a 
 considerable quantity of very fair wheat, also some 
 Indian corn and millet. I looked in vain to discover a 
 single weevil, and found that this insect, which occa- 
 sions such ravages with us, was only known here by 
 name. As we proceeded to Italica we found a large 
 number of people shelling maize the greater part 
 belonging to the monks, who are the proprietors and 
 farmers of most of the land surrounding their convent. 
 Their mode of shelling was to take a blunt iron instru- 
 ment (most of them used the back of a reaping hook, 
 or the instrument with which they clean theirSploughs, 
 and holding the cob in their left hand, with the thick-3*/"^ 
 end up, continue striking it till all the corn is off, Each a *V 
 stroke stripped the cob from top to bottom of the place 
 where it was struck. I put the question to several, 
 and they said that one person would thus shell from 4 to 
 to 5 fanegas, that is, about from eight to ten bushels in 
 a day, and that they received a rial for each fanega ; 
 that is, from the 4th to the 5th of a dollar per day ; but 
 they do not earn such wages at every kind of work. 

 
 40 SEVILLE AND ITS ENVIRONS. 
 
 The crop of maize appeared, from the quality of the 
 grain, to have been a fine one, and one, of the persons 
 told me that it had yielded at the rate of about 50 
 bushels an acre. The olives on the trees we examined, 
 in the neighbourhood of the convent, did not appear to 
 have suffered so much as those of Xeres. The man 
 who showed us the presses, said that there was no 
 such thing as a failure in the crop of olives every 
 second year. He said they had all suffered very much 
 this year in consequence of the rains in summer, but 
 that even this year their olives had not failed. On re- 
 turning we struck off into a field where a lot of men 
 and horses were employed in treading out millet. 
 There were nine horses, and a driver to every three. 
 They were driven round the circle all abreast ; the 
 whole superfices of a very large circle, from the centre 
 outwards, being covered with the tops of the millet 
 which had been cut off with very little of the straw. 
 They had begun about mid-day and would finish at 
 night. The produce would be about 80 fanegas 
 160 bushels. Many of the fields in this neighbour- 
 hood are cultivated with corn crops under the olive 
 trees, and they say that the crop is not injured by the 
 latter. The olives are never manured unless the 
 ground under is cultivated, and then they of course 
 receive a share of the advantage which is intended for 
 'the corn. 
 
 Having been told by the merchant to whom I 
 brought a letter of introduction that a Spanish noble- 
 man, the Marquis del Arco Hermoso, had introduced 
 the Florence mode of preparing oil, which he had 
 learnt duEng a residence in Tuscany, I determined on 
 visiting his plantation, which lay beyond the town of 
 Alcala, about four leagues from Seville. On this ex- 
 cursion I was accompanied by Don Francisco Dias. 
 a Spanish gentleman who spoke French, and to whom 
 I had brought an introduction from Mr. Gordon, of 
 Xeres. We expected to find the Marquis, who was 
 a particular friend of Don Francisco's, at his planta- 
 tion.
 
 OLIVE PLANTATIONS. 41' 
 
 The town of Akala, perhaps from its excellent situ- 
 ation for water mills, is almost wholly inhabited by 
 bakers, who send their bread to Seville. At almost 
 every door we saw the women sitting picking from 
 the wheat the small stones, and other impurities, which 
 it collects from their rude mode of thrashing. 
 
 The Marquis had left his country house about an 
 hour before our arrival, but we found a very intelligent 
 peasant, who had the management of it in his ab- 
 sence, andwho answered my questions with great rea- 
 diness and intelligence. There are 200 aranzadas un- 
 der olives, which have this year suffered much from 
 the rain. When rain falls in August, as was the case 
 this year, the olives always suffer from it. He esti- 
 the present crop at about 2,000 fanegas of 
 olives, which will yield about 1,500 arrobas of oil ; 
 but in a very favourable year the plantation will 
 yield 5,000 fanegas of olives, or about 3,750 ar- 
 robas of oil. All the ground we saw was a very 
 light sandy loam. It is ploughed once a year. They 
 plough an aranzada of the olive ground in a day, but 
 not more than half that quantity of the meadow or 
 corn land below. There are five kinds of olives on 
 the estate : one of them, the La Reyna, is of a very 
 large size, and is pickled for eating. The tree of this 
 variety produces but little fruit, and the fruit when 
 pressed yields very little oil, but it is very highly 
 prized for eating, being as large as a good sized 
 plum. 
 
 The mill for grinding, or crushing the olives, con- 
 sisted of a large circular stone, sloping inwards to the 
 centre, where a sufficient space was left leve"! for a 
 millstone of seven feet in diameter, and 14 inches in 
 thickness, to turn upon its edge. An upright beam, 
 fixed to the centre of the millstone, and turning on a 
 pivot, gave it motion. After having been brought 
 home, the olives lie in a heap, on an average about 
 1 5 days before they are crushed. After having been 
 crushed, they are put into the press, and it is the 
 common practice to pour hot water upon them, in or- 
 4*
 
 42 ENVIRONS OF SEVILLE. 
 
 der to extract the oil. They are pressed thrice, and 1 
 each time with the addition of boiling water, there 
 being a large boiler built into a furnace to supply the 
 water. The fluid runs from the press to a cistern, 
 and, when it is filled, the oil flows over the top, leaving 
 the water below, which is cleared away, as neces- 
 sary. The peasant said, that all the difference be- 
 tween the fine and common oil was, that the former 
 was the virgin juice, drawn off with cold water, and 
 not mixed with the second and third pressings. The 
 press in this cellar was of the same construction as 
 those at the convent ; it was 20 paces in length, 14 
 of which were on the long arm of the beam, and 6 
 at the short or press end. It must, from its thickness, 
 contain many Ions of timber. The oil is kept in large 
 jars, some of which were built into a projecting part of 
 the wall, and were sufficiently capacious to contain 
 100 gallons each. The fine oil produced by the Mar- 
 quis is not relished by his countrymen ; they say it 
 has no taste, and prefer the rancid oil which they have 
 been accustomed to use. 
 
 The trees on this property are reckoned very young 
 for olives, although they are sixty years old. They 
 are pruned every year. A man will prune half an 
 aranzada in a day. But olive trees are said not to 
 require pruning at all, till they are 25 or 30 years old. 
 Two hundred aranzadas are equal to 191 English 
 acres, and 3,000 arrobas of oil, the average annual pro- 
 duce, are equal to 12,735 English gallons, old mea- 
 sure, about 63| gallons per English acre. 
 
 I do not know, however, whether there was not 
 included in this estimate 40 aranzadas that are entire- 
 ly planted with the La Reyna, which are never press- 
 ed for oil. Even with this deduction the produce would 
 fall very far short of what the trees of the Hierono- 
 mites were said to produce; namely, from three 
 to four fanegas of olives each tree, each fanega 
 yielding an arroba of oil. An English acre will con- 
 tain 60 trees, 27 feet apart, which is about the dis- 
 tance they were placed from each other on the Mar-
 
 ORAXGE GBOVES. 43 
 
 quis's plantations ; and, indeed, 60 was said by the 
 peasant to be the number on each aranzada. One 
 hundred and fifty-three acres, bearing 60 trees each, 
 will contain 9,180 trees, and the produce being 3,000 
 arrobas, it is scarcely one third of an arroba for each 
 tree. 
 
 This comes nearer to Don Jacobo Gordon's state- 
 ment, that from l to l arroba is reckoned a good re- 
 turn from each tree. The trees of the Hieronomites, 
 as well, indeed, as the most of those I saw in the 
 neighbourhood of Xeres, were planted on a richer 
 soil, and were of much larger dimensions ; but this 
 could never cause such a difference as to reconcile 
 the different statements. 
 
 The principal exports from Seville are bitter and 
 sweet oranges, and lemons. The sweet oranges are 
 more cultivated than the bitter. I visited several 
 plantations ; one belonging to Mr. Wetherall, the mer- 
 chant to whom I had brought an introduction. The 
 plants are all raised from pips of the bitter orange, 
 and when the stocks are four years old they bud them 
 with two or three eyes of the sweet orange. The 
 orange groves are reckoned of great value. The 
 trees are planted at the distance of 21 or 22 feet each 
 way, and, in good years, will yield from 1,000 to 1,200, 
 or even 1,500 oranges each. They are irrigated every 
 ten days, and the soil is diposed in small trenches to al- 
 low the water to spread. This plantation was watered 
 by means of a steam engine, which was erected in a 
 neighbouring tan yard. Seville also exports wool and 
 oil ; but very little wool has been exported this sea- 
 son, in consequence of an expectation that Saxony 
 wools would be excluded from the ports of England 
 on account of the cholera morbus. Prices have risen 
 so largely, on this account, that the merchants cannot 
 execute the orders of their correspondents. The 
 wools shipped from Seville are those of Estremadura, 
 and are of inferior quality. The chief shipments of 
 the Segovian and Leonesian fleeces are made from 
 Bilboa. I believe no person in New South Wales
 
 44 JOURNEY FROM SEVILLE. 
 
 was aware, at the time the prices of their wools sunk 
 more than 50 per cent, in the English market, (4 or 5 
 years ago,) that the Spanish government had repealed 
 an export duty of two rials (10 cents) on the wools of 
 Estremadura, and three rials (15 cents) on those of 
 Segovia and Leonesia : and thus enabled wools to be 
 exported to a vast extent, which would never other- 
 wise have reached the English market. About 50 
 vessels, of from 80 to 120 tons burthen, are annually 
 loaded with oranges and lemons at Seville. The chief 
 plantations are at some distance from the town. It 
 appears to be a fruit not much used by the inhabitants 
 themselves. There was scarcely an orange tree to 
 be seen in private gardens, or in any of the small vil- 
 lages round Seville. At the present season they are 
 gathering the Grenadilla, or pomegranate, which is 
 very abundant ; and this, with melons, and bread, and 
 olives, seems to constitute, at this season, the prin- 
 cipal fare of the common people at all times of the 
 day. 
 
 Wednesday, Wth October. On Thursday morning 
 last I joined the caravan of the ordinario, which, on its 
 starting, consisted of six wagons, besides a covered 
 cart with stuffed seats and backs, called a tertana, in 
 which were three friars and myself. A number of 
 persons, on asses and on foot, also accompanied us, 
 but these gradually dropped off as we proceeded. It 
 took six days, including a day spent at the town of 
 Antequera, to accomplish the journey to Malaga, a 
 distance of 130 miles. About eight miles before reach- 
 ing the former town, a party of horsemen came in 
 sight, to the evident consternation of every one. It 
 was said they belonged to the party of Jose Maria, a 
 famous brigand, who has 35 men well mounted and 
 equipped, and levies contributions on all the roads 
 throughout the province. They did not, however, ap- 
 proach nearer than half a mile ; and one of the mule- 
 teers having gone off to them, returned in three quar- 
 ters of an hour, and said they were not robbers, but 
 soldiers. Two miles farther on, however, we stopped
 
 JOUNEY FROM SEVILLE. 45 
 
 at a house where we were told it was customary to 
 make a contribution to guarantee travellers against 
 robbers ; and 14 dollars having been collected, we 
 saw no more of the party which caused such alarm. 
 
 With little exception, the whole tract of country 
 from Seville to Antequera is of the richest possible de- 
 scription, but in the most wretched state of cultiva- 
 tion. There are no enclosures save here and there a 
 vineyard ; and such is the state of personal insecurity, 
 that no farmer or proprietor ventures to live on his land. 
 The inhabitants are congregated in the towns or in 
 miserable villages, and only visit the distant fields to 
 give them the least possible culture, and to gather in 
 the harvest when ripe. This being a cross-road, the 
 inns were of the meanest description ; and the fare, 
 which was undoubtedly superior to the daily fare 
 even of those above the rank of a peasant, was such 
 as to indicate the greatest poverty. I did not see 100 
 head of cattle, or twice as many sheep, during the whole 
 journey ; and only once was butcher's meat set upon 
 the table. My companions seemed to consider them- 
 selveer foriiumte whoa the bill of fare included a stew- 
 ed rabbit or hare ; and this was in a country rich 
 enough to support ten times its population, in the great- 
 est abundance. From Antequera to Malaga, about 
 22 miles, the character of the country was totally dif- 
 ferent. Instead of the rich and extensive plains, 
 bounded by gently rising hills covered with the olive, 
 the road here wound through a continuation of steep 
 rocks and hills, in many places approaching in cha- 
 racter to mountains. But here the hand of industry 
 had been at work, and, instead of a track formed by 
 the successive marks of wheels, there was a road cut 
 out of the sides of the hills, and winding through them 
 with considerable art. Here and there also, where a 
 favourable spot was presented, a peasant had estab- 
 lished himself; and the plantations of vines and olives, 
 with which his industry had surrounded his habita- 
 tion, had given to the narrow valleys, and steep decli- 
 vities of the mountains, an appearance of cultivation
 
 46 ENIRONS OF MALAGA. 
 
 and fertility that might be looked for in vain in the 
 wide-spreading and rich valleys through which we 
 had previously passed. As we approached Malaga 
 these plantations became frequent, although the coun- 
 try only presents a succession of steep hills ; the soil 
 a loose brown loam, plentifully mixed with the gravel 
 of the strata beneath, which is a blue or gray shale or 
 schistus, turning brown and falling to pieces on ex- 
 posure to the atmosphere. In many places, as ap- 
 peared at the sides of the road, there were five or six 
 feet in depth of this loose soil, before it came upon the 
 more solid material. It was evident the vines had been 
 planted without the ground having undergone any 
 previous preparation ; and no provision was made, 
 even in the steepest places, to prevent the soil from 
 being washed away. The vines, in general, seemed 
 to be treated in a very slovenly manner ; the stock 
 was close to the ground, and numerous weak shoots 
 were springing out in every direction. 
 
 It was seven in the evening when we entered Mala- 
 g-i, having been travelling from three o'clock in the 
 morning, at which ilm wo start^-1 by torch light. 
 During the whole of this time the mules had no food, 
 and only one hour's rest, which was afforded them by 
 the overturning of a wagon, and yet they came into 
 Malaga without any symptoms of fatigue. 
 
 After enjoying a comfortable night's rest, I pro- 
 ceeded to deliver my letters of introduction. One of 
 these was to Mr. Kirkpatrick, the Hanoverian con- 
 sul, a Scotchman by birth, who had resided 40 years 
 in Spain, and whose kindness to travellers is prover- 
 bial. I found that the season for preserving raisins 
 had been over for some time ; Mr. Kirkpatrick, how- 
 ever, lost no time in ascertaining what information 
 could yet be procured. 
 
 Friday, 2\st October. At day-break this morning, 
 a gentleman, whom Mr. Kirkpatrick requested to 
 show me his vineyard, and explain the process of 
 preserving the grapes, waited upon me, and we set out 
 immediately. Our road lay along the shore, to the
 
 MUSCATEL RAISINS. 47 
 
 eastward, the vineyard of Don Salvador Solier lying 
 in that direction, at the distance of about 14 miles. ' 
 In the immediate vicinity of Malaga the country is ex- 
 tremely rugged, but every patch where it was possi- 
 ble to thrust in a plant was under cultivation. The 
 rocks consisted of rugged masses of limestone, alter- 
 nating with the same kind of slaty sciiist I had pre- 
 viously observed on the road from Antequera. For 
 the first two leagues there were few vineyards, chief- 
 ly owing to the ruggedness of the country, which 
 would not admit of cultivation. Beyond that distance 
 almost every hill was covered with vines, the produce 
 of which is all converted into raisins. The grapes are 
 all of the large white Muscatel the Muscatel Gordo 
 of Roxas Clemente. This grape, my companion in- 
 formed me, does not succeed in the interior, and there- 
 fore all the Muscatel resins are made within two 
 leagues of the coast, ifte Lexia raisins, which are 
 used for puddings, &c., are made in the interior. We 
 arrived at the country house of Don Salvador at nine 
 o'clock, and, after a substantial breakfast, sallied out 
 to examine the vines. Six or seven workmen were 
 employed in preparing the ground for planting, with- 
 in a short distance of the house. They did not trench 
 the whole of the ground, but dug out square holes 
 about two feet in diameter, and not more than 20 
 inches in depth. The distance of the centres of 
 these holes from each other is seven feet, and this is 
 the distance at which the vines on the hills round Ma- 
 laga seem invariably to be planted. The vineyard I 
 was examining, as well as all those in its vicinity, con- 
 sisted of a series of steep hills. The soil every- 
 where was a decomposed slate, mixed with abundance 
 of gravel of the same substance. On the higher 
 part of the ground this soil appeared rather hard, and 
 required great labour to break it up, but once broken 
 up it is loose for ever ; so much so, that it slides aw r ay 
 from under the feet even where there is only a slight 
 slope. There is no difference made in the distance at 
 which the vines are planted, between the hills and the
 
 48 ENVIRONS OF MALAGA. 
 
 valleys : although in many places, on the former, the 
 shoots scarcely extend more than 10 or 12 inches, 
 while in the valleys they extend to the length of as 
 many feet. They never, under any circumstances, 
 manure these vineyards ; they say it would give more 
 wood, but would not add to the quantity of the fruit. 
 The branches are pruned closer to the stock than 
 those of any vines I ever saw ; nothing but the half- 
 formed buds, at the junction of the old and new wood, 
 being left to produce the wood of the succeeding year. 
 I could not find an instance where the spur had been 
 left long enough to include the first full-formed bud, 
 which is generally from half an inch to an inch from 
 the junction. The number of shoots seemed almost 
 unlimited ; I counted from 10 to 22 ; there was scarce- 
 ly any vine had fewer than 10, and they generally had 
 from 12 to 15. The stock was close to the ground, 
 and not the slightest effort made to raise the shoots, or 
 support them from the ground. Almost every bunch 
 would therefore lie on the ground ; and, were the soil 
 of a less gravelly description, the greater part would 
 without doubt be lost. After the pruning, they dig 
 over the ground and lay bare the stock, in order to 
 scrape off the barbe, or small thread-like roots which 
 are near the surface. As scarcely any grass or herb 
 vegetates among these vines, and the soil is always 
 sufficiently loose, it is evident that they require lit- 
 tle digging or cleaning. We went out to visit a 
 peasant, a neighbour of Don Salvador's. He said four 
 or five very fine vines might yield raisins enough to 
 fill a box which contains an arroba of 25 Ibs. ; but 
 throughout the country it would require, on an aver- 
 age, nine or ten. The grapes lose about two thirds 
 of their weight in drying : this would, therefore, give 
 a produce of 7 or 8 Ibs. of grapes to each vine a cal- 
 culation which I should think must include a much 
 greater proportion of stinted vines than of luxuriant 
 ones ; for the majority of those in Don Salvador's 
 vineyard would, 1 have no doubt, yield double that 
 quantity. Including, however, those vines which are
 
 MUSCATEL RAISINS. 49 
 
 x r isible at the tops even of the highest hills, the calcula- 
 tion is likely enough to be correct. The peasant 
 whom we visited was making wine from some of his 
 grapes, which, after having been nearly dried, were 
 spoiled by the rain. In a small skilling, behind the 
 cottage, a portion of the floor, about ten feet square, 
 was elevated above the rest. It was paved with tiles, 
 and a man was busy trampling the raisins, which he 
 had almost reduced to a paste. He heaped them into 
 a corner as he successively passed them under his 
 feet for the press, which was merely a large beam 
 passing along the skilling, without any screw, or any 
 other means of giving it additional power as a lever. 
 A little water was added to the grapes to bring out the 
 juice, and a part of the must was on the fire boiling, to 
 add to its strength. We tasted some wine made two 
 months before from the Pedro Ximenes grape, and also 
 some from that grape mixed with the Muscatel ; both 
 were as sweet and luscious as possible. The grapes, 
 when dried, are worth double what they would yield 
 made into wine, and therefore they are never made 
 into wine unless spoiled by the rain. 
 
 They usually commence gathering the grapes about 
 the middle of August, choosing only such bunches as 
 are ripe. They return, after a week or two, to make 
 another selection, and so on for a third and fourth 
 time. A place is always reserved in the vineyard, 
 free from plants, on which to spread the grapes when 
 gathered ; and they choose a spot where the soil is of 
 the darkest colour, in orderto its keeping the full force of 
 the sun's rays during the day, and retaining the heat 
 during the night. The bunches are spread out sepa- 
 rately on the ground, and never allowed to press upon 
 each other : according to Don Salvador they are 
 only once turned over. At the end of 15 days they 
 are, in general, sufficiently dry. This season was 
 more unfortunate for the early commencement of the 
 rains than any season for many years, and the crop 
 was remarkably fine. It is Don Salvador's intention, 
 in future years, to have wooden toldos, or awnings, 
 5
 
 
 50 ENVIRONS OF MALAGA,, 
 
 prepared to shelter the grapes, while drying, againsi 
 the rains, and also to cover them duri; ht. He 
 
 says that the drying of the gnij 'ich retarded 
 
 by their being exposed to the dews daring the night, 
 that when he has the means of cover i at night, 
 
 expects they will be dried in half the time usual at 
 present. Before the bunches are spread out, the small 
 f~ijf grapes are picked out, as well as any which may hap- 
 pen to be injured ; the small grapes are dried sepa- 
 rately. I saw a heap of them in Don Salvador's 
 house, which had the appearance of very large cur- 
 rants. When the grapes are turned, any spoiled ones 
 are, or ought to be, picked out ; they have no particu- 
 lar rule for judging when they are sufficiently dry, 
 it is learnt by experience. When they happen to get 
 -\{fa rain while drying, the stalks become black or rusty- 
 ="!*<*** looking, instead of being of a bright light brown. 
 Jfc^L According to Don Salvador, the district which pro- 
 duces the Muscatel grape extends only two leagues 
 farther east ; that is, not more than three leagues in 
 all, along the coast, and two leagues inwards. He 
 says the value of the land planted with it is about 
 3,000 rials, or 150 Spanish dollars per fanega. There 
 L 4>t*ttJ 8 a piece of land, adjoining their own, which they are 
 yA, ,.,.. anxious to buy; they would give for it 1,500 rials per 
 fanega to plant it with vines would cost 500 rials 
 more, and there would be no return forthn 
 EachjfanegY?, he says, contains 050 stocks, and as each 
 stock is seven feet apart from its neighbours, the num- 
 ber of square feet in ^func^a will be 31,850, which is 
 2 roods 37 perches English measure. It required, he 
 said, ten men for a day to hole a f(ni"!?a for the 1 plan- 
 tation. If, therefore, 10 stocks give 25 Ihs. of rai 
 a fanega will give 1,025 Ibs., or 05 arrohas or boxes 
 of 25 Ibs. each ; which would be, for an English acre. 
 2,222 Ibs. Don Salvador pays his workmen 3^ rials, 
 about 17^ cts. a day, besides food. The food consists of, 
 in the morning, a soup of lentils, &c. ; at dinner, pork ; 
 and, at supper, the aspachio, or cold soup, formerly
 
 MUSCATEL RAISINS. 51 
 
 ribed, bread and grapes at discretion. The whole 
 costs about 5|- rials, or 26 cents a day. 
 
 Saturday, 22nd October. Having read over to Mr. 
 Kirkpatrick my notes of yesterday's excursion, he 
 said that Don Salvador's information was generally 
 correct, but added the following observations : The 
 Muscatel grape, Mr. Kirkpatrick thinks, must be cul- 
 tivated as much as four leagues from the coast, but 
 will not succeed beyond that distance. The extent of 
 coast which admits of its cultivation must also be five 
 or six leagues, at least, at the principal cultivation is in 
 the neighbourhood of Velez Malaga, five leagues to the 
 eastward of Malaga. There are three distinct sorts of 
 raisins: 1st, the Muscatel, which are the finest, and 
 are always packed in boxes of 25 Ibs., and half and 
 quarter boxes, containing, respectively, the half and 
 quarter of that quantity. 2dly, Sun or Bloom raisins : 
 these are prepared in a manner in every respect simi- 
 lar to the Muscatel, but from a different grape ; a very 
 long grape, called in the country Uva Larga. These are 
 also generally packed in boxes, but sometimes in casks. 
 Those in boxes are also called bunch raisins; the 
 others are generally of an inferior quality, and sepa- 
 rate from the stalks. 1 he Sun or Bloom raisins keep 
 better than the Muscatel, and for that reason, it 
 is this description which is usually sent to India. 
 3dly, the Lexia raisins, which are packed in casks, 
 or grass mats called frails. These raisins are of 
 an inferior kind, and require to be dipped in a lye 
 (Lexia) of wood ashes, with a little oil, before drying. 
 
 Muscatel raisins are worth to the grower, from 30 
 to 40 rials a box, according to the season. This year 
 as much as 52 rials was given for some that, with the 
 aid of toldos, had been preserved without having been 
 touched by the rain. When Muscatels are 40 rials, 
 or 2 dollars a box of 25 Ibs., Blooms are about 30 rials, 
 and Lexia only from 24 to 28 rials per quintal of 
 100 Ibs. Mr. Kirkpatrick says, that 12 English acres 
 make 13 fanegas. According to this calculation, an 
 acre will produce, at 2|- Ibs. to each stock, 1,760 Ibs. ;
 
 52 MUSCATEL RAISINS. 
 
 which, at 40 rials the box, or 4d. (8 cents) a pound, are 
 worth 29 7s., ($140,) at 30 rials 22, ($104 50) 
 an acre. From this must, however, be deducted the 
 expense of 70 boxes, at 4 rials each, which amounts to 
 2 17s. 6d. Still, it seems a most profitable cultiva- 
 tion ; so much so, that I incline to think the quantity 
 is less than that estimated. The expenses of cultiva- 
 ation cannot exceed 5 or 6 ($24 to $29) an acre. 
 The following accounts of the exportation of fruits 
 from Malaga were taken from detailed statements 
 which had been copied froifi the custom house cockets,, 
 and were kept in the office of Mr. Kirkpatrick : 

 
 FIUUT TUADE. 
 
 53 
 
 /ow 
 gran 
 
 '31 " -O - " 
 " *- *- 
 
 
 I I 
 
 |J2g2SS| | L^ e 
 
 -MO c o 
 
 * :> = r- 
 - 
 
 O Q 00 UJ 
 
 <c o 
 cs o = n 
 
 : s =* =g 
 
 S .-i t j-" 
 
 T _C5 P5 => tr O *. 
 OOSI CO 
 
 ooxt-ac onoo 
 
 - 
 
 ? 
 
 > Sf t - 
 
 fc -~ =J 
 
 vme 
 
 bo M 
 
 - -o r/2 = ^S . a a 
 
 Illliltllls 
 
 l?2o-3S|g-ItSg 
 
 Hfecaaasoai, JO 
 
 VQ VHX, "J 
 ' 
 
 5*
 
 54 FRUIT TRADE. 
 
 The boxes are partly Bloom or Sun raisins, but 
 principally Muscatel. The barrels and frails are 
 chiefly Lexias. 
 
 In the spring, shipments are made for the Baltic, 
 and small parcels are sent, at all times, in assorted 
 cargoes. On the whole, Mr. Kirkpatrick is of opinion, 
 that from 20 to 25 per cent, may be added to the ship- 
 ments of the fruit season, to make up the whole export 
 from Malaga. This would make the whole weight of 
 raisins annually exported from Malaga from 4,000 to 
 4,500 tons. The almonds shipped from Malaga are 
 of the kind called Jordan ; and these, as well as the 
 Muscatel raisin, will only grow in a very limited dis- 
 trict. Mr Kirkpatrick has this day about 100 women 
 shelling almonds in his yard. This costs three rials a 
 fanega, which yields from 20 to 22 Ibs. of shelled al- 
 monds. A fanega is the produce of about four trees. 
 The grower gets from three to four dollars for a fane- 
 ga. The women break each almond separately, lay- 
 ing it on a small anvil, and striking it with a small 
 iron rod ; others pick them out from the shells on a 
 table. The confectioners purchase the shells for their 
 fires, and they almost pay the expense of shelling. 
 Such is the superior value of the Jordan almond, that 
 the duty upon them in England is 4 15s. per cwt., 
 which is double that upon the common sorts. The 
 Jordan almond is distinguished in appearance from 
 the common, or Valencia almond, by its greater 
 length. 
 
 Monday, 24th October. I this day visited the stores 
 of Messrs. Rein and Company, the first'mercantile 
 house in Malaga. They were receiving, in one store, 
 Lexia raisins from the country. The grower, in the 
 beginning of the season, got ten rials the arroba, of 25 
 Ibs. ; the price is now only seven. The quality this 
 season is very bad ; many of the raisins appeared 
 bruised and burst by the rain. Ten rials the 
 arroba amounts to two dollars per quintal of 100 
 pounds one penny per pound. A peasant, \\lio had 
 come with the 1'rnit, said they would get from ten 
 
 ,
 
 FRUIT TRADE. 55 
 
 to twelve quintals from a fanega. The persons in the 
 office seemed to think, that, either from ignorance or 
 intention, he understated the quantity. This would 
 only be twenty two dollars for a fanega. 
 
 Mr. Delius, the clerk of the fruit department, said, 
 he thought the estimate of 1,625 pounds of Muscatels 
 from a fanega, was likely to be correct. They usually, 
 he said, expected 60 arrobas that is, 1 ,500 pounds, in 
 a good season ; from 50 to GO arrobas was the average. 
 In the neighbourhood of Messrs. Rein's stores they 
 were packing lemons. The grower gets seven dollars 
 for a case containing 1,000 : the largest are sent to 
 England. They are each put into a piece of paper by 
 women, who get through the work very rapidly ; they 
 are employed by the day, and get five rials, about one 
 shilling, for their work. The green grapes sent to 
 England are packed in oak saw-dust, which is import- 
 ed from Enghfnd for that purpose ; no other kind will 
 answer. It is a coarse fleshy grape called Loja, 
 from the place where it is cultivated ; it keeps till 
 April and May. There is a large black grape very 
 abundant in the markets at present, and also a large 
 green grape, neither of which is distinguished for fla- 
 vour ; they are sold at four quartos, about one penny, 
 a pound. 
 
 The house of Rein and Company have extensive 
 sugar plantations at Almunecar, about 30 or 40 
 miles cast of Malaga. I had determined to ac- 
 company Mr. Delius, a member of the house, to 
 visit these plantations, in which I felt a great 
 degree of interest, as I was confidant, that if su- 
 gar could be cultivated here, it o'.:;- ! it to succeed 
 at Port Macquerie. An opportunity . f a vessel for 
 Marseilles having, however, presented itself in the 
 mean time, I resolved on taking my passage by 
 her. I procured fr ;:n Mr. Delius the following in- 
 formation the sugar plantations. Sugar 
 has been cultivated in this part of Spain for nearly 100 
 years, but never to any very great extent. The plan- 
 tations at present are more extensive than they have
 
 60 SUGAR PLANTATIONS. 
 
 ever been before. The whole produce does not, how- 
 ever, exceed 20,000 quintals, of which 5,000 are pro- 
 duced by their house ; 20,000 quintals, of 100 pounds 
 each, are 894 tons. Rein and Company's own plan- 
 tations are not very extensive, but they have erected a 
 mill and distillery. They receive from the planters 
 the cane, and return them one half of the manu- 
 factured article. Four or five kinds of cane have 
 been cultivated, but they are now confining their 
 attention to the large Otaheite cane, finding it succeed 
 better, and yield a better return. The soil is in ge- 
 neral of a loose sandy quality, but very rich, and is 
 also richly manured. 
 
 The planting takes place in May, and the canes are 
 cut in February following. The same stools will last 
 for six years. They are cut down to 10 inches from 
 the surface. Six plants are put into one hole, and the 
 holes are not more than three feet apart, so that it is 
 impossible to enter the plantation after the canes 
 have got to a certain height. The ground is cultiva- 
 ted by ploughs with oxen, but of course only when 
 the canes are very young, or in the early part of the 
 season. The cane grows to the thickness of a man's 
 arm, and from 18 to 20 feet high. Mr. Delius has 
 seen fifteen feet of ripe cane. A fanega of rich land 
 will yield from 45 to 50 quintals, that is, from 4,500 
 to 5,000 pounds of sugar. They have a refinery on 
 the spot. This year their sugar brought 10 per cent, 
 higher than imported sugar ; and their rum promises, 
 when old, to be equal to that of the West Indies. 
 It is now two years old ; but as they consider that the 
 rum hitherto made has failed to come into use, from 
 having been sold to the consumer too early, they in- 
 tend to hold it for two years longer. The frost some- 
 times injures the sugar cane a little, but frost seldom 
 occurs. Twice during '^0 years Mr. Delius has ob- 
 served it of the thickness of a dollar in the night. The 
 ordinary range of the thermometer, during the day, 
 in the winter months, is 50 to 58 ; in May and June, 
 72 to 75 ; in July and August, 78 to 82 or 83, except
 
 OLD MOUNTAIN WIXES. 57 
 
 when, once or twice during the season, it blows over 
 the land, when it rises to 100. The temperature of 
 the atmosphere along the coast is exceedingly equa- 
 ble. During 20 years Mr. Delius never observed the 
 barometer vary more than an inch ; its range is be- 
 between 29|- and 30|. The sugar cane will not grow 
 except within five miles of the coast. Beyond that 
 distance the frost is greater, and the weather more 
 unsettled. The land planted with sugar cane is irri- 
 gated twice or thrice when the shoots are very young, 
 but Mr. Delius thinks not afterwards. All the plan- 
 tations command the means of irrigation. 
 
 With reference to the value of vineyards, a friend 
 of Mr. Kirkpatrick's gave me the following informa- 
 tion : He purchased an estate five years ago. It is 
 situated about two leagues from Malaga, and is all 
 mountain. Vineyards are valued by the number of 
 stocks. An abrado contains 1,000 stocks ; this, at se- 
 ven feet distance, gives 180 perches, or one acre and 
 20 perches, as the extent of an abrado. In this estate 
 there were 80 abrados, or 90 acres, planted with 
 vines, which were in very bad order. Also about 
 150 acres more, which were not planted, and were 
 considered of very little value. The price was 5,000 
 dollars,about 1,059, nearly 12 an acre for the vines, 
 counting the remainder as nothing. The produce 
 was very little the first four years ; last year 600 ar- 
 robas, this year 1,000, and if the next season be favour- 
 able, it will produce 1,500 arrobas. The new wine, 
 as soon as the fermentation is over, is worth from nine 
 to ten rials an arroba; 1,500 arrobas are equal to 
 about 4,590 gallons, which is only 59 gallons an acre, 
 and at the highest price only eight dollars and one 
 third per acre. This is so poor a return, both in 
 quantity and value, that it is probable the vineyard is 
 still far from having been brought into full bearing, 
 and that the 159 acres must have been considered 
 worth a considerable part of the price, notwithstand- 
 ing its depreciation.
 
 58 MALAGA. 
 
 The produce of the vineyards round Malaga, which 
 is not converted into raisins, is now chiefly a dry 
 wine. It is similar to sherry, but very inferior 
 in flavour, and is chiefly taken off by the Ameri- 
 cans. The demand from America has greatly in- 
 creased since the general establishment of temperance 
 societies in that country. This wine retains a sweet 
 taste till it is two years old. The Old Mountain, or 
 Malaga sweet wine, which was formerly so much in 
 demand, is now almost out of fashion throughout the 
 world, and is very little made. It was formerly the 
 chief export from Malaga. 
 
 Friday, 28tli October. Having been introduced to 
 Mr. Bryan, a gentleman of Irish extraction, and bro- 
 ther-in-law to Mr. Heredia, one of the principal mer- 
 chants in Malaga, I went with him to visit the cellars 
 of the latter. There is no such wine as Malvasia, 
 which is said, in the Topographie des Vignobles, to be 
 produced at Malaga. The Muscat wine is very 
 scarce, the raisins being so much more profitable. 
 They make a white sweet wine with the Pedro Xi- 
 menes, and a small portion of the Muscat wine added 
 to it, to give it the flavour of Muscat wine. The sole 
 difference between this wine and the Mountain, is that 
 the latter is mixed with a portion of must, which has 
 been boiled down to one. third ; this also gives it the 
 brown colour. Mr. Bryan says, that within the last two 
 years there has been a great demand for sweet wines 
 from the United States. Most of the wines this year 
 were, therefore, made sweet, and the farmers are get- 
 ting a better price. The new wine is this year worth 
 to the grower twelve rials the arroba. The dif- 
 ference in the making between the sweet wine 
 and the dry is, that when the grapes are intended for 
 the former they are spread out for three or four days 
 in the sun. The new wine, when sweet is worth a 
 third more than when dry. An abrado of 1,000 stocks, 
 even in the mountains, Mr. Bryan said, will some- 
 times yield three or four butts of wine. Mr. Heredia 
 has lately purchased a vineyard of 400 abrados, which
 
 MALAGA. 59 
 
 they are now improving. In one or two years more 
 they expect it will yield 1,000 butts of wine annually. 
 Mr. Bryan thinks it may contain 500,000 stocks ; he 
 the varieties of vines chiefly cultivated, are the 
 Pedro Ximenes and the Doradillo. Both the dry and 
 the sweet wines are made from them, the difference 
 being only in the management. In Mr. Heredia's 
 vineyard, which is situated to the north of Malaga, 
 near the top of the mountain, there are fifteen varieties 
 of wine ; but by far the greater portion consists of 
 two varieties already mentioned. The system of 
 pruning in the neighbourhood of Malaga has hitherto, 
 Mr. Bryan says, been very bad, it having been the 
 universal practice to leave a spur on every shoot, weak 
 or strong, and no care was taken to keep them from 
 the ground. Since their house became such extensive 
 proprietors of vines, they have procured men from JTe- 
 rcs de la Frontera to prune the vines, according to 
 the system pursued at the latter place ; but they find 
 great difficulty in getting their own people to follow^ the 
 example set. Mr. Bryan pressed me very much to 
 visit with him their vineyard, which they were now 
 pruning, the leaves having fallen, in consequence of 
 the difference of temperature at that elevation, al- 
 though near Malaga they were still perfectly fresh : 
 he promised to send to Mr. Kirkpatrick an assortment 
 of cuttings of every variety in the vineyard ; and on 
 the other hand he requested me to purchase all the 
 publications which have lately appeared in France, on 
 subjects connected with vine growing, and forward 
 any information which might strike me as particularly 
 valuable to ti'eni. This, he says, may save him the 
 trouble of a trip to France, which he was contem- 
 plating. 
 
 Mr. Bryan disapproves of the system pur.-' od in 
 Xeres, of leaving a void of one fifteenth part in each 
 cask, with the bung loose to admit the air. He refers 
 to Dr. Ure's Chemistry as an authority against this 
 practice. It seldom happens, however, that sherry 
 wines thus exposed turn sour in consequence, al-
 
 CO VARIETIES OP VINES. 
 
 though this would inevitably happen with wines of less 
 body. 
 
 The farmers in the neighbourhood of Malaga do 
 not, like those of Xeres, hold their wine twelve months 
 before selling it to the merchant. They have earthen 
 vats, of the shape of an urn, and sometimes large 
 enough to contain two or three butts. Into these vats 
 the must flows as it is pressed ; and as they become 
 full, in order igupake room for more, the wine is con- 
 veyed from them, more or less fermented, as it may 
 happen, to the stores of the merchant. Their means 
 of conveyance are mules and asses, the wine being 
 carried in sheepskins ; these skins, from being constant- 
 ly used, do not, however, give any taste to the wine. 
 No difference seems to be made in price in conse- 
 quence of any real or supposed difference in quali- 
 ty ; and the culture of the vine, excepting that of 
 the Muscatel for raisins, seems to be a very poor pur- 
 suit. 
 
 1 Messrs. Heredia and Co. sent a quantity of wine to 
 America without brandy, and it was much liked, and 
 considered to bear a resemblance to Champagne. I also 
 tjSted wine of a year old, which he said resembled 
 ^|pat had been sent. It was very deficient in flavour, 
 but promised to be a wine of a good body when older. 
 I \ilso tasted some wine which had been sent to Ha- 
 vana for the voyage, but it seemed to me to be ex- 
 ceedingly vapid and flavourless. Mr. Bryan com- 
 plained of the presence of tartaric acid in their wines, 
 which gives it, when new, a harsh taste. It appeared 
 to me that this acid was rather deficient than in ex- 
 cess, and I told him I thought their wines would have 
 more character if fermented with the ln:s!-:s. and, per- 
 haps, ( ven a part, of the stalks. I think their vapid 
 j, orfadcvr, to use a French : un, is chiefly 
 
 owin, r lo the must containing only the pun-si principles 
 of I'D A more violent fermentation, produced 
 
 by a larger quantity being ferine- mass, would, 
 
 on the oilier hand, make the win ulv as at 
 
 present, notwithstanding the addition of these other
 
 CULTIVATED .\EAR MALAGA. 61 
 
 principles. Indeed, there can be little doubt, that by 
 allowing a large portion of tartaric acid to mingle in 
 the must with the husks and stalks, a perfect fermen- 
 tation would be much earlier effected. 
 
 The best wine in Mr. Heredia's cellars falls far 
 short of a good sherry. They have not yet adopt- 
 ed the system of having soleras, which are never 
 exhausted. But Mr. Bryan says, their attention has 
 been so largely devoted to other pursuits, that hither- 
 to they have not paid so much attention to their wines 
 as they will do now that they have embarked so large- 
 ly in the business. 
 
 In the evening I accepted an invitation from an old 
 Irish merchant, who has been settled in Malaga for 
 forty years, (Don Juan Langan,) to visit his cellars. He 
 has been in the habit of sending choice wines to Eng- 
 land and Ireland, and particularly of supplying the cel- 
 lars of noblemen, and men of great wealth. Although 
 his stock is not very large, he has decidedly the t\est 
 wines I have tasted in Malaga ; that is, dry wines. 
 Some of them, he says, are twenty years old and up- 
 wards. Some of his wines of seven or eight yoars 
 old resembled a good sherry, and he agreed with mef in 
 thinking that his sweet wine of that age was equal to 
 those three times as old. He further agreed with me, 
 that the great age of those wines did by no means add 
 proportionably to their quality ; and he evidently un- 
 derstands the art of giving the qualities generally at- 
 tributed to age, by mixing, and other management. 
 He himself hinted at the success with which he had 
 conducted this branch of trade, and he has the repu- 
 tation of having acquired great wealth. 
 
 In the evening I for the last time took leave of my 
 kind and worthy friend, Mr. Kirkpatrick, and embark- 
 ed on board the French schooner, in which I had en- 
 gaged my passage to Marseilles. I left with Mr. 
 Kirkpatrick the following memorandum : " a box 
 three feet long, by two feet deep, and two feet wide, 
 will contain nearly 500 cuttings of vines, each the full 
 length of the box. The book called Conversaciones 
 G
 
 62 (SEVERAL OBSERVATIONS 
 
 Malaguenas contains a list of the varieties cultivated 
 in the neighbourhood of Malaga. Perhaps there are' 
 some new varieties which were not known when it 
 was published. About thirty varieties are there enu- 
 merated. This would allow of thirteen or fourteen 
 cuttings of each kind to be sent ; but it is not likely 
 that it will be possible to procure cuttings of every 
 kind ; there will, therefore, be room in the box to send 
 a greater quantity of the most valuable ; for example, 
 the Muscatel (the Larga, or long grape, which yields 
 the bloom raisins) and the Pedro Ximenes ; six or 
 eight cuttings of each would be enough of the less es- 
 teemed Varieties; It will be observed that there are 
 two kinds of the Muscatel ; the smaller may be underva- 
 lued in this country, but it may suit our climate better 
 than the other. Mr. Delius mentioned a vine which 
 had produced bunches weigh ing fifty pounds. Perhaps 
 it would be possible to obtain cuttings of this kind. 
 ' perhaps of the identical vine. I should not like the 
 little Corinth grape to be forgotten. A cutting should 
 be taken from the lowest part of the shoot, as near to 
 the stock as possible, the top part of the branch being 
 cut away. Those are the best which contain the 
 greatest number of knots or buds ; a string to be tied 
 round each variety, and a small piece of wood tied 
 to the string numbered, so as to correspond with the 
 number in the list and description. 
 
 " Besides the name in the book, and colour of the 
 grape, it would be desirable that the name most com- 
 monly given in the country should be stated ; also, 
 whether it is most esteemed for raisins or for wine ; 
 whether used for sweet or dry wines ; whether a great 
 bearer or otherwise ; whether it ripens early or late ; 
 whether cultivated in the vineyards, or the gardens, 
 and any other particulars which may distinguish it. 
 The cuttings will pack better if procured as strait as 
 possible. Should it be found that there is not room to 
 send six or eight cuttings of the least esteemed varie- 
 ties, let the number be diminished to four or five ; but, 
 under any circumstances, I should not like fewer than
 
 \VINE. -C3 
 
 :-, twenty to thirty each of the Muscatel, Bloom, 
 -md Pedro Xiraenes. 
 
 " The interstices formed by the cuttings to be filled 
 up with sand and very dry soil. Two boxes of the 
 above description to be prepared, one to be sent by 
 the first vessel which sails after the vines can be cut 
 with safety, which undoubtedly may be done about the 
 1st of December, the duplicate by the next vessel that 
 may follow, both addressed to Messrs. Walker, Lon- 
 don, who will pay all expenses which may have been 
 incurred up to the arrival of the boxes in London, and 
 will send them to New South Wales by different ships, 
 and by the earliest opportunities. Perhaps, in addition 
 to the above, Mr. Kirkpatrick will take the trouble 
 to procure a quantity, say a gallon, of the freshest 
 Royal Dates of Barbary; also a few of the common 
 varieties, and a gallon of Jordan almonds, and send 
 them in a box to the same address. Also in the same 
 box a few seeds of the very fine onion, which is so 
 abundant in Malaga, and of any esteemed kind of 
 melons, or any other fruit or vegetable grown from 
 seed which may be considered worth attention. After 
 my arrival in London I shall ascertain what are the 
 best seasons and modes of sending plants of the 1 Span- 
 ish chestnut and Jordan almond, and I will take the 
 liberty to write Mr. Kirkpatrick upon the subject, sa- 
 tisfied, as I cannot but feel, that he will esteem it rather 
 a pleasure than a trouble to contribute to the advance- 
 ment of a colony containing so large a proportion of 
 his countrymen as New South Wales." 
 
 During my stay in Malaga I also wrote to my friend 
 Dr. Wilson a letter, which contained the following 
 observations and queries relative to Sherry wines : 
 
 " I have been thinking a good deal about the 
 
 Sherry wines, and there are some points on which I 
 have not been able to satisfy myself. You know we 
 no sooner had the practice of returning the scum upon 
 the wine, by means of a funnel, pointed out to us by 
 Mr. Domecq, than we condemned \L It has occurred 
 io OQe 5 that after all, it may in most cases be the best
 
 64 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 
 
 thing they could do. It is the saccharine principle 
 that is undoubtedly most abundant in the grapes of 
 these climates, and the imperfect fermentation which 
 takes place in a butt, may require to be carried for- 
 ward by the addition of the yeast, which, were it not 
 for the funnel, would escape. I think Cormack used 
 the expression, that it was to feed the wine that the 
 scum was returned. In this I have no doubt he was 
 correct. On the other hand, it seems to be agreed 
 that a good deal of the Sherry, even of the albarizas, 
 turns sour. This might undoubtedly be prevented by 
 a contrary arrangement to the above. I think Domecq 
 said, that sometimes 100 butts of the Machar Nudo 
 wine would turn sour in one season. I wish you would 
 ask him whether there has been an instance of any of 
 his wine turning sour since he adopted the practice of 
 allowing the scum to escape. Perhaps there are par- 
 ticular kinds of grapes in the vineyard which yield a 
 wine without body. Perhaps particular parts of the 
 soil do not bring the grapes to perfection. You will 
 see from Chaptal what a difference there frequently 
 exists in France in the value of the produce of two 
 sides of the same hill. It was a question I always 
 forgot, 01^ neglected to put, at Xeres, whether the dif- 
 ference of exposure was found to affect the quality of 
 the wine. I suspect all these things have been over- 
 looked. 
 
 " When I saw the state of the grapes which Domecq 
 was pressing, and which seemed, in fact, no worse than 
 others we saw in all directions, I thought it was easy 
 to account for the scuddiness which so generally at- 
 tacks Sherry wines. Cassabon's overseer, however, 
 afterwards showed us, that however broken or rotten 
 ia appearance, the grapes were by no means in reality 
 ''decayed. This shook my faith in scuddiness being 
 the result of the employment of decayed grapes. On 
 the whole, I think if a more perfect fermentation were 
 effected in the first instance, little scuddiness would 
 "i ever afterwards be found in the wine. I think you 
 will find in Chaptal, that the graisse, which I take to
 
 CK SPANISH WIST, 65 
 
 be the same thing, most frequently shows itself in 
 wines which have undergone little fermentation ; that 
 is, where, in order to preserve the bouquet, the fer- 
 mentation is stopped. He says elsewere also, that it 
 had been usual at Orleans to ferment the must with 
 stalks and skins and all. At one time, however, they 
 thought of relieving their wine of a degree of harshness, 
 by not suffering the stalks to be fermented, but it was 
 found that the wine was much more subject to graisse, 
 and they returned to their oid practice. He says, that in 
 various parts of France they deprive the grapes, i. e, 
 the must, more or less of the stalks, according as the 
 season has been favourable or otherwise for maturing 
 the grapes. In a very fine season they leave all the 
 stalks, considering it necessary to produce a perfect 
 fermentation. In no part of Spain, as far as I can 
 find, do they ferment even the skins of the grapes.* 
 Were I concerned in the business. I should certainly 
 attach much importance to, and expect important re- 
 sults from, a trial of the system of large vats, and the 
 fermentation of the skins, in order at once to effect a 
 thorough fermentation. In most cases I think you 
 would have an Amontillado ; that is, if you allowed 
 the grapes to be as ripe as they are allowed to be at 
 present, dried them in the sun, and assisted their 
 natural dryness still further by adding gypsum. (By 
 the bye, may the gypsum not contribute, by absorbing 
 the existing acid, to produce scuddiness ?) But if, as 
 is the practice at San Lucar, you make the vintage 
 before all the grapes should attain the perfect ripe- 
 ness they do at present, and were less particular in 
 depriving them of moisture, then I think you would 
 have a wine something between the Manzanilla and 
 the Amontillado ; not so dry as the latter, but adding 
 much of the mellowness and richness of Sherrv to the 
 
 * The n>d"tt-ines of Catalonia, n:ul of other provinces which produce red 
 wine, are of course au exception to this observation, as it is necessary to 
 icrmcnt the skins in order to give tlij wine a L-<. : '.<.ur. 
 
 G*
 
 63 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 
 
 lightness of the Manzanilla. The latter is, in fact, the 
 natural wine of the country on the ordinary soils. If 
 the produce of the albarizas were treated in the same 
 manner, you would have a wine of the same charac- 
 ter, but probably surpassing it in quality as much as 
 the real wines of the Chateau Margaux and Haut 
 Brion surpass the ordinary growths of Claret. Add 
 to this what I cannot but think would be a certain, 
 and to the merchant the most important result, you 
 would have a wine as ripe in eighteen months as it 
 now is in three or four years. There are two or three 
 other little points, about which I should like to inquire. 
 Domecq said, a number of his grapes had rotted this 
 year, in consequence of the wet weather and luxuriant 
 vegetation. This he would prevent in similar seasons 
 in future, by stripping ofTthe leaves to give the grapes 
 sun and air. Pray is this practice not generally 
 known in the country ? In the South of France it is a 
 regular part of the labours of the vineyard, unless in 
 remarkably dry seasons. Another query is, do they 
 never take the top ofi'the branch after the grapes are 
 formed ? I should like to know Pedro Domecq's ideas 
 about the agua pies. In many seasons, Cormack says. 
 the agua pies is better than the first pressing, now 
 this can only be owing to the over- ripeness of the 
 grape to its containing too much saccharine matter 
 in proportion to its moisture. Would it riot be better 
 to make the vintage earlier ? and, instead of adding 
 foreign moisture, you would then have enough of the 
 natural juice of the fruit, and enough also of saccha- 
 rine matter, seeing its excess is the most general fault. 
 But this would not suit the hot mouths of your En- 
 glish customers. If you have an opportunity, give 
 me some particulars of the relative value of the alba- 
 rizas and arenas. I am confident Cormack must be 
 mistaken. I think it is barely possible but that the 
 albarizas must be double, if not treble, the value of the 
 others." 
 
 Thursday, 10th November. After encountering a 
 succession of contrary winds and calms, we this day
 
 ON SPAMSII WINE. 67 
 
 came to an anchor in the bay of Rosas, in Catalonia, 
 the north wind blowing so strongly out of the Gulf of 
 Lyons, that it was impossible to double Cape Creux. I 
 was now on the verge of one of the most interesting wine 
 countries in France, and was glad of this opportunity 
 of quitting the vessel before her arrival at her destina- 
 tion. But on touching the bea.ch we were informed 
 that we must be put under quarantine, owing to a re- 
 port that the yellow fever had broken out at Gibral- 
 tar. 
 
 Rosas, like most of the other towns I have-seen on 
 the east coast of Spain, is backed by steep hills, which 
 are clothed with vines and olives to the very tops. 
 In the distance are the Pyrenees, capped with snow. 
 If one might judge from the state of these hills, con- 
 trasted with that of the rich plains of Andalusia, we 
 might draw the conclusion, that wherever nature had 
 been bountiful, man had been indolent ; but where she 
 had been niggardly in her gifts, the difficiency had 
 been more than compensated by the industry of man. 
 The hills above Rosas, as well as those in the south, 
 exhibit every where an appearance of the most care- 
 ful cultivation, and, in general, are covered with habi- 
 tations, while it was rare that a detached house was 
 met with for many miles on the plains. 
 
 Friday, 11 th November. On paying a small fee to 
 the health officer, I was permitted, under his guardian- 
 ship, to walk to one of the neighbouring hills. The 
 soil consisted of nothing else than the rough debris of 
 the granite of which they are composed. Towards 
 the bottom of the hills the vines were planted in double 
 rows, three feet apart, with a space between of thrice 
 that width, which had just been ploughed for a grain 
 crop. Higher up, the ground is entirely covered with 
 vines and olives, planted with regularity wherever the 
 ground permits ; but, on ascending higher, advantage 
 has been taken of every spot where it was possible to 
 thrust a plant among the rocks. These vines have 
 been planted with great labour, as there is scarely soil 
 enough to cover their roots ; and terraces have been
 
 08 ROSAS IX CATALOMA. 
 
 formed by small walls of dry stone, to prevent the 
 little there is from being washed away. The vines 
 were all pruned down to one or two knots on each 
 mother branch, and each vine had from three to six or 
 seven shoots, in proportion to their strength. Those 
 among the rocks were in general very stinted, and 
 must bear a very small crop. The olives, which they 
 were now employed in gathering, were a small black 
 variety and I could not observe that they had suffered 
 in the same manner as the olives of Andalusia. 
 
 Monday, 14th November. Having yesterday been 
 permitted to land, I spent last night in the Posada, at 
 Rosas, and proceeded this morning to Figueras, in 
 order to join the diligence, which passes to-morrow 
 morning for Perpignan. This country, though far 
 from being naturally so rich, is in a much higher state 
 of cultivation, and proportionally more productive than 
 the south. Passing through the town I observed them 
 carrying out from a cellar the refuse of a fermenting 
 vat, and on entering I found they had just been press- 
 ing the skins, which had fermented with the wine. 
 Outside the cellar were two presses, each on wheels. 
 These were composed of a box 2^ feet long, and about 
 the same width and depth, formed by light bars, with 
 stronger bars at the corners. Before and behind these 
 boxes was a screw, and there wa - ; o convey to a 
 
 vessel placed below, the must which would ilmv through 
 the bars to the bottom on the pressure being applied. 
 It was evident that these were itinerant presses, which 
 the proprietor was accustomed to send to the different 
 vineyards as they were required. I found also that 
 he had a more powerful press within the cellar, and 
 that there also was a mill fur grinding olives, much 
 superior to the one I had seen at the Marquis del Arco 
 Hermoso's. The basin of the mill consisted of an im- 
 mense piece of granite, formed into a circle, and hol- 
 lowed out in a sloping direction, leaving a space level 
 at the bottom consider;, biy greater than was required 
 for the vertical stone *to turn upon, as upon a pivot ; 
 and attached to the vertical stone was a sort of scoop,
 
 PERTIGNAJT. G9 
 
 which collected the scattered olives into the line which 
 it passed over. 
 
 Tuesday, \5th November. This morning at 9 o'clock 
 I took my seat in the coupe, of the diligence, for Per- 
 pignan. I found here an Englishman who was return- 
 ing from an excursion to Madrid and Barcelona. The 
 road passed through a valley in the direction of the 
 Pyrenees, the soil every where cultivated like a gar- 
 den. Here were immense numbers of olive trees of 
 a very large size, underneath which grain crops are 
 cultivated. Some of the wheat has almost covered the 
 ground ; but in general it is just making its appear- 
 ance, and in many places the plough is still at work. 
 On the hills the vines are cultivated in terraces, and 
 not a spot is left unoccupied. Adjoining the road over 
 the Pyrenees are every where to be seen the marks of 
 the greatest industry ; not a spot which is capable of 
 cultivation is left untouched, and the mountain scene- 
 ry is sometimes beautifully diversified by dwellings 
 surrounded with trees of every kind, and enlivened 
 by the verdure with which the mountain stream has 
 covered its banks. The hills themselves are entirely 
 destitute of herbage. After passing the town of La 
 Jonquiere on the French side, the ground (although 
 evidently of a very meagre quality) appeared general- 
 ly cultivated with vines and corn. The vines appeared 
 every where to be cultivated with great care. I re- 
 marked some new plantations ; and, in one instance, 
 a plantation of the preceding year had made so little 
 progress, that I could scarcely persuade myself the 
 vines were not the cuttings of the present year newly 
 planted, with some of the leaves still remaining upon 
 them. On questioning the postilion as to this point, 
 he sai'd that the plantation had two years, but the 
 ground here was so very arid the vines made little 
 progress. 
 
 Wednesday, 16th November. Having called at the 
 banking house of Messrs. Durand, who are agents for 
 Herries, Farquhar, and Go's notes, I took occasion to 
 mention to one of these gentlemen the object with
 
 70 VIXEYAKDS AND WI.NES 
 
 which I was travelling, and to ask his advice as to the 
 best mode of seeing the vineyards near Perpignan. 
 He said I could not have inquired of persons more 
 competent to give me information ; that they had con- 
 siderable agricultural establishments in the neighbour- 
 hood, and if I and my friend (the gentleman with whom 
 I had travelled from Figueras) would accompany 
 them the next day, they would be glad to give us every 
 information in their power. After accepting this very 
 liberal offer, with due expressions of thankfulness, I 
 mentioned that I had heard of their eminence as agri- 
 culturists, and had I gone to Marseilles in the first in- 
 stance, I intended to have procured an introduction to 
 them. He replied that it was unnecessary ; that if 
 we were agriculturists we were their friends that all 
 agriculturists were their friends. It was accordingly 
 arranged that we should accompany them the next 
 morning in their carriage. 
 
 Thursday, 11 th November. Mr. Durand having 
 recommended our starting at six in the morning ; as 
 the days were short, and we had more than one place 
 to visit, we proceeded to their house at daybreak. 
 Both the brothers accompanied us. When we got 
 clear of the walls of Perpignan, it was sufficiently 
 light to enable us to make some observations as we 
 passed. The olive is cultivated to a great extent on 
 all sides. Mr. Durand knows only one variety, a 
 large black sort, not so large as the La Reyna of Se- 
 ville, but about as large as the largest of the other 
 sorts cultivated there. Here, as elsewhere, the olive 
 has this season been attacked by a worm, but it is at- 
 tributed rather to a deficiency than an excess of rain. 
 
 The rain has this season been below the average in 
 this district, and the country has suffered a good deal 
 in consequence. The average annual produce of olive 
 trees throughout the country is from fifteen to twenty 
 pounds of oil ; but there is every possible variety. A 
 very fine olive, in a favourable year, will sometimes 
 yield as much as 80 pounds. Such a misfortune as 
 has happened this season is of rare occurrence, In
 
 OP PERPIG.XA^. 71 
 
 planting they take a sucker from the root of an old 
 tree, and keep it three years in a nursery ; it is then 
 transplanted, and in three years more it begins to give 
 a few olives. In ten years it has become a largish 
 tree, but requires many more years before it acquires 
 all the magnitude it is capable of reaching. Many of 
 the olives we passed had the greatest possible appear- 
 ance of old age. They were so old, Mr. Durand said, 
 that no one had any knowledge of their age. In ge- 
 neral the ground underneath was cultivated with grain 
 crops ; the trees are benefited by the manure, and 
 the crop suffers only partially from the shade. We 
 saw, however, some very fine trees planted from thir- 
 ty to thirty-five feet apart, which overshadowed the 
 ground so much, that grain crops could not be culti- 
 vated under them with advantage. 
 
 After a drive of about an hour and a quarter, we 
 arrived at the first of Messrs. Durand's establishments. 
 This is an immense square enclosure, with high walls 
 and buildings. It formerly belonged to the Knights 
 Templars. The church is converted to a wine cellar, 
 and the houses of the Templars to the residences of 
 Messrs. Durand's peasants. Several other buildings 
 are also erected within the walls, forming altogether 
 a most complete and extensive homestead. After 
 taking chocolate, we proceeded to the vineyards. Mr. 
 Durand only cultivates three varieties of vines, the 
 Grenache, which gives sweetness, the Carignan, which 
 gives colour, and the Mataro, which gives quantity. 
 His vines are in general planted either on the plain, or 
 on a gently inclined slope ; but when there is a slope, 
 the exposure is always to the south. The soil is loose 
 and stony, the stones quartz, of various colours and 
 shades. 
 
 The stony and least fertile portions of the estate are 
 selected for vines. Some of the cornfields are planted 
 at wide intervals with olive trees, but there are none 
 of these among the vines. The distance at which the 
 vines are planted is always four feet, and the quin- 
 cunx is preserved with the greatest possible exact-
 
 72 VIXEVAKDS AND WINES 
 
 ness. The ground is ploughed twice a year ; that is, 
 immediately after the pruning, which is now going on, 
 and in spring, after the vines have given shoots of 
 eight or ten inches in length. On both occasions it is 
 first ploughed in one direction, and then cross plough- 
 ed. It receives no other labours during the year, and 
 in summer, such is the strength of vegetation gene- 
 rally among the vines, that few weeds make their ap- 
 pearance, the ground being almost covered with the 
 vine shoots. I was much surprised on finding that, 
 with the exception of one field, the only preparation 
 the ground had received previous to having been plant- 
 ed was a common ploughing. The cuttings were 
 then put down in holes made by an iron bar or dibble, 
 and left to shift for themselves. Many of them, as 
 might be expected under such treatment, never came 
 forward, and it requires six years before the vine- 
 yard is so well established as to yield a crop. 
 
 On learning this I had no difficulty in accounting for 
 the small progress of the vines I had seen before ar- 
 riving at Perpignan. There was a plantation of the 
 Muscat of Frontignan, w r hich was now six years old. 
 but in much greater vigour, and with a much greater 
 number of shoots on the vines than was usual. Having 
 remarked this, Mr. Durand informed me, that in plant- 
 ing this field he had caused a hole to be dug for each 
 plant 18 inches deep by 18 inches Jong, and 12 wide, 
 and had laid the cuttings horizontally into this trench, 
 bending up the extremity where the plr.nt was to grow. 
 This, he said, accounted for the greater number of 
 shoots from the greater quantity of roots. The pro- 
 duce, he said, was double what the ordinary vineyards 
 yielded. The stocks are all extremely low, not more, 
 in general, than six inches from the ground; but 
 so well has the pruning been managed, that all the 
 shoots arc nearly vertical ; stakes or props are thus 
 quite unnecessary, and are never used. Indeed, their 
 use seems to be quite unknown throughout this dis- 
 trict. The number of the buds or knots left in pruning 
 was from three to six, according to the strength of
 
 OF ROUSILLON. 13 
 
 4 
 
 the plant. They are universally pruned in the spin- 
 fashion. Having mentioned the system of alternate 
 long and spur shoots, Mr. Durand's steward, who 
 seemed to be a very respectable and well-informed 
 man, said that it would sooner wear out the plants. 
 I told him of the precaution Mr. Domecq, of Xeres, 
 intended to adopt in order to prevent the attacks of 
 worms. He said, that however close the branch 
 might be pruned, there was no danger of these worms 
 finding their way to the heart of the stock, unless the 
 stock itself were bruised or broken. It was, he said. 
 by wounds or splits in the stock itself that the worms 
 found access to it, and not by close pruning of the new 
 wood. In this opinion I perfectly coincide with him. 
 There are no worms in any of their vines ; which are, 
 indeed, all in the highest possible order. 
 
 The average produce of these vines is six barriques 
 (hogsheads) per hectare ; this is about 140 gallons per 
 English acre ; a much smaller produce than I would 
 have expected from the general health and vigour of 
 the vines, although it still continues a matter of sur- 
 prise that they should produce at all, considering the 
 great hardness of the subsoil, and the slight hold of ir 
 which is originally given them. Part of the vineyard 
 had already been pruned, and two men were busy in 
 a part which we visited. There had been fourteen 
 men employed the day before ; but this was the /<'/ 
 day of the neighbouring village, and only two of* the 
 men had come. It requires a man ten days to prune 
 a hectare. The instrument which they use is contrived 
 to give, in some degree, the purchase of a lever. 
 
 With the edge A they cut with great 
 care the shoots where a bud is left for 
 the following season ; but the superfluous 
 shoots are chopped ofFwith the blunt edge 
 ] B B with very little ceremony. I took this 
 opportunity to request that Mr. Duraad 
 would give me a parcel of cuttings of all the kinds of 
 vines he possessed ; and he immediately gave orders 
 to his steward accordingly. 
 7
 
 ' 
 
 74 AGRICULTURE 
 
 Between twelve and one o'clock we returned to the 
 house, and after a substantial dejeuner a la fourchette, 
 visited the wine-cellar. Along the wall, on each side 
 of the cellar, are arranged a number of large vats, con- 
 taining from thirty to fifty barriques that is, from 
 1800 to 3000 gallons each ; the whole number was 
 fourteen or sixteen. They were placed horizontally, 
 with one end to the wall. /Vbove them, on each side, 
 is a floor or platform, which is on a level with a door 
 that opens to the cellar from a higher side; by this 
 door the grapes are brought in. On the platform are 
 several troughs, about 10 feet long, by 2 feet wide. 
 . the side sloping inwards. Above the boftom of 
 the trough there is a false bottom, perforated with holes, 
 and divided by open spaces, which allow the liquid to 
 pass to the true bottom, whence it flows, by a spout at 
 one end, into an aperture of about a foot square in the 
 upper side of the vat underneath. While the men are 
 treading the grapes in these troughs, they take out a 
 portion of the stalks by means of a three-pronged stick, 
 and after the grapes are pretty well broken, the whole 
 contents of the trough are emptied into the vat. In the 
 vat it is left to ferment, from eighteen to twenty- four 
 days, according to circumstances, and at the end of 
 that period, the wine is drawn off to another vat, by < 
 means of a siphon arid a pump. The marc, or skins 
 and grounds, are then removed to the press, and the 
 wine extracted from them is kept apart, as being of in- 
 ferior quality. In the end of each vat there is an aper- 
 ture sufficiently large for a man to enter and clean it 
 out. This is strongly secured by means of copper 
 screws. After having been removed to a clean vat, 
 the wine is kept in it till the following spring, when it 
 is again drawn off the lees. When twelve months old, 
 it is sent to port Vendre, where Mr. Durand has very 
 extensive stores and cellars ; it is there mixed with 10 
 percent, of brandy, and shipped for Paris. This is the 
 ordinary description of Rousillon* wine, of the plain; 
 
 * Rousillon is the old name of the province which is now called " Pyre- 
 nees Orientales."
 
 OF OUSII,IX>N. 75 
 
 but being made with more care than that of the smaller 
 proprietors, it is the best of its kind. The wine of the 
 hills is of a better quality. 
 
 Exclusive of the ploughing, which is done by their 
 permanent servants, the management of the vines costs 
 about thirty francs a hectare. The ploughing and the 
 vintage may cost fifteen francs more being, in all, 
 about 16s. English an acre. The value of the produce 
 is from 15 to 18 francs a charge of 26 English gallons ; 
 or from 180 to 216 francs per hectare that is, from 
 3 4s. to 4 16s. per English acre. 
 
 After having walked into the garden, which was 
 well stocked with fruit trees, we proceeded to the other 
 property which Messrs. Durand proposed we should 
 visit. This was entirely an irrigated farm. It con- 
 sists of 240 hectares, 562 acres, and every acre of it 
 can be laid under water when irrigation is required. 
 This farm supports between 1,000 and 1,100 sheep, 
 1 14 head of cattle, and about a dozen horses, and there 
 is always less than two fifths of the land in pasture or 
 green crops. The lucerne is cut five times in the sea- 
 son, and twice eaten down. The soil is a fine friable 
 mould. In a field, were five ploughs were at work, 
 it turned up in the finest possible condition. They 
 were ploughing in wheat. Part of the field was ma- 
 nured, and part had been manured the preceding sea- 
 son. Messrs. Durand have an excellent breed of cat- 
 tle : the working oxen as fine almost as any I have 
 ever seen, although I have seen larger. In all the 
 qualifications of depth and breadth of carcass, they 
 were iie.-irly perfect, with the line of the back perfect- 
 ly straight, and the tail well set on. They were yoked 
 with bows and yokes, the bows made of wood, which 
 seemed to answer very well. The ploughs and carts 
 were of the same construction as those generally in 
 use in the country. The ploughman drove his pair of 
 oxen with a goad fixed to the end of a long pole ; on 
 the other end of which was the small spade for clean- 
 ing the plough. They seemed to make excellent work, 
 notwithstanding the rudeness of the plough.
 
 76 AGRICULTURE 
 
 The buildings on this farm were very extensive, 
 and though old, are now undergoing a thorough re- 
 pair, which will leave them in excellent condition 
 when completed. The stables and sheep houses are 
 very spacious, as both cattle and sheep are housed 
 every night. The lambs are always kept in the house, 
 and the ewes are brought home to them three times a 
 day. The lambs appeared all of the same size, and 
 must all have been dropped within two or three days 
 of each other. The wool was not of a quality that 
 would be reckoned fine in New South Wales ; and 
 yet Mr. Durand says, there is nothing finer in this 
 part of the country. At the rate wools were selling 
 in August this year, (1831,) it would bring,' in Lon- 
 don, about I8d. a pound. It is at present only worth 
 about l^d. here, though two years ago it sold for 20d. 
 A good wether will bring 10s. or 12s. They do not 
 milk the cows, but allow the calves to suck them. 
 There is no such thing known in this country as a 
 dairy farm. Oil is the almost universal substitute for 
 every purpose to which butter is applied with us, and 
 milk is seldom or never used. There are, perhaps, 
 few prejudices stronger than that of the English against 
 the general use of oil, which they are accustomed to 
 consider as a very gross kind of condiment ; and per- 
 haps there is no prejudice more unfounded. For sure- 
 ly, the pure vegetable juice of the olive is far from be- 
 ing inferior, in delicacy, to butter, the animal fat of the 
 cow ; and there can be no doubt, that oil is also more 
 wholesome and congenial to the human constitution, 
 in a hot climate, than the latter. This district is not 
 celebrated for the quality of its oil ; but they do not, 
 as in Spain, consider rancidity a merit ; and in the ho- 
 tels it is furnished of very good quality, while the olives 
 are quite delicious. Mr. Durand's working oxen are 
 fed during the winter on hay of excellent quality, and 
 are all in the highest condition. They have also po- 
 tatoes, and sometimes turnips in winter. One set is 
 worked from morning till noon, another set from noon 
 till evening. I neglected to inquire what the average
 
 or KorsiLLoi*. 77 
 
 produce of wheat is on this farm ; but on the farm first vi- 
 sited, where there was no irrigation, it was sixteen or 
 seventeen bushels per English acre. The workmen are 
 paid extremely well. The permanent servants of the 
 farm have 150 francs, ($28,) about 6 a year in money ; 
 C hectolitres (2l English bushels) of wheat ; 500 litres 
 (120 gallons) of wine ; 40 pounds of oil, and 20 pounds 
 of salt, besides a piece of ground to plant vegetables 
 and haricots, (the great dependence of the working 
 people here,) and house room about the premises. 
 The peasants and their wives and children are all ex- 
 tremely well clothed. Day labourers, at all seasons, 
 receive 30 sous, about 14d. a day. In the harvest, 
 mowers and sheep shearers, 2 francs, and reapers two 
 francs per day, besides their food ; and Mr. Durand 
 says, they make six meals a day at that time, and the 
 quantity of food they consume is almost incredible. ' 
 About sunset we reached Perpignan, from which the 
 last farm was three leagues distant, highly gratified 
 with our excursion, and the kindness of our enter- 
 tainers, who, to wind up their attentions for the day, 
 iiad invited us to dine, and we now found a sumptuous 
 dinner waiting our arrival. 
 
 Friday, 18th. Messrs. Durand had been kind enough 
 to say that they would give me a letter to their mana- 
 ger at Port Yendre, where they have a large estab- 
 lishment for shipping wines. I waited upon them to- 
 day, and found it ready. Port Vendre is only about 
 half a league from Collioure, which I had resolved to 
 visit, as its environs produce the first quality of Rou- 
 sillon red wine. At two o'clock I accordingly took 
 my -place in the diligence, and arrived at about seven 
 at Collioure, where I stopped for the night. From 
 Perpigaan in this direction (southeast) the soil is richer 
 than I have elsewhere observed it in the neighbour- 
 hood of Perpignan. Though there is here and there 
 a vineyard, the land is generally under corn or mea- 
 dow. Two or three miles before reaching Collioure 
 the country begins to ascend towards the Pyrenees, 
 on the tops of which, bordering the ocean, are still to 
 7*
 
 78 COLLIOURE AND 
 
 be seen some towers built by the Moors when mas- 
 ters of this part of the country. No sooner do the 
 hills begin to rise, than the cultivation of the vine be- 
 gins also, and the first ranges of the mountains are 
 covered with it to their very tops. 
 
 Saturday t 19th. After breakfast this morning 1 
 walked over to Port Vendre, and waited upon Mr. 
 Mas, the agent of Messrs. Durand. The road from 
 Collioure winds from hill to hill along the shore. The 
 hills are exactly similar in form and structure to those 
 of Malaga : a shale or schist, with a slaty gravel, 
 plentifully mixed through the soil. Mr. Mas conduct- 
 ed me over the hills in the neighbourhood of the town, 
 which are planted with great regularity and beauty 
 in terraces from 6 to 18 feet wide, according to the 
 slope of the hill. The terraces are made to follow the 
 different curves taken by the hills, and are divided by 
 channels, to allow of the passage of the water. It is a 
 stated part of the labour to carry up the soil from 
 the lower part of the terrace, where it has been stop- 
 ped by the small stone walls, to the higher part. 
 
 In planting these hills they break up the ground 
 only to the depth of eight or nine inches, and as they 
 take up a great number of stones, the depth of the soil 
 remaining is not more than six inches. They then 
 bore a hole in the loose rock with a bar of iron, and 
 thrust in the plant to the depth of 12 or 15 inches. 1 
 saw a plantation of the preceding year where almost 
 every plant had succeeded, although none of them had 
 given shoots of more than six or eight inches. Mr. Mas 
 says it was formerly the practice in this country to 
 trench and break up the rock to the depth of two or 
 three feet, but (strange to say) they found the vines 
 were sooner worn out, and they now follow the less 
 expensive method. A hectare of middle-aged vines is 
 here worth 1,000 francs. The greatest expense is in 
 the first plantation, for it is universally necessary to 
 build a series of terraces to support the soil. The 
 value of a hectare with a good exposure, before plant- 
 ing, is 500 francs. There is, however, little ground
 
 PORT V ENDUE. 79 
 
 in this neighbourhood remaining to be planted, al- 
 though the greatest portion has been brought into cul- 
 tivation within the last 15 or 20 years. The average 
 produce, according to Mr. Mas, does *not exceed six 
 charges the hectare, which is just the half of the vines 
 of the plain. The annual expense of cultivation, in- 
 cluding the vintage, is 40 francs, but the wine is worth 
 28 to 30 francs a charge, or from 168 to 180 francs 
 the hectare. The distance of the plants is from three 
 to four feet, and the pruning is, in every respect, simi- 
 lar to that of the vines of the plain. The varieties 
 chiefly cultivated are the Grenache and the Carignan. 
 The vines are never manured. The wine sometimes 
 remains in the fermenting vat so long as 30 days. 
 Like the wine of the plain, it is seldom drank in its 
 pure state, but is sent to Paris, with an addition of 
 from 7^ to 10 per cent, of brandy, in order to be 
 mixed with the lighter wines of Burgundy and Or- 
 leans, to give them strength and colour. The mixture 
 of the brandy has, they say, a double purpose. It 
 enables them to ship the wines when 14 or 15 months 
 old, without risk of their turning sour, which could 
 not be done for twelve months more without the ad- 
 mixture ; and it enables the Parisians to mix a portion 
 of water in order to reduce the wine in strength, and 
 thus to save a part of the municipal duty which is 
 levied on wines entering Paris. The latter is, I think, 
 the only valid argument. Being desirous of procu- 
 ring some of the wine of Collioure, Mr. Mas sent a 
 person with me whom he was accustomed to employ 
 in such matters, and after completing my purchase, I 
 went with the proprietor to the vineyard where it was 
 produced, and obtained four varieties of grapes which 
 were not in Mr. Durand's vineyards. This vineyard 
 was on the side of a very steep hill, and appeared to 
 have been planted with great labour ; the terraces did 
 not exceed from eight to ten feet in width, and the 
 walls were from two to three feet in height. He said 
 the annual average from 500 plants was about two 
 charges of wine. This, according to the distance they
 
 80 PEUPIGNAN AND 
 
 were planted, was rather more than double the quantity 
 stated by Mr. Mas ; but it was probably only a guess, 
 although I am inclined to think the estimate of the 
 latter was under the truth. There was, however, no 
 way of coming nearer the true state of the case, for 
 he knew neither the extent of the hectare, nor of the 
 arpent. The wine of Cosperon, which is celebrated 
 as a Vin de Liqueur, is the produce of a farm which 
 was pointed out to me by Mr. Mas, under one of the 
 / hills which we passed over. It is, according to his 
 t* account, nothing more than a mixture of brandy with 
 the unfermented juice of the grape. After the grapes 
 ^ " (of the Grenache kind) are very ripe, they are gather- 
 <fid and allowed to dry a few days in the sun ; they are 
 ,^/then pressed, and the juice is put into a cask, where 
 it is mixed with a large portion, Mr. Mas thinks from 
 a third to a half of its own bulk, of brandy. The bran- 
 dy prevents the fermentation, the liquor retains the 
 sweetness and flavour of the fruit ; and this is the Vin 
 de Liqueur of Cosperon, which has acquired a great 
 name in the south of France. 
 
 Monday, 21st November. Having returned early 
 yesterday morning from Collioure to Perpignan, I 
 found the Messrs. Durand had sent to my hotel 9 
 bundles, containing 50 each, of nine distinct varieties 
 of vines, and on visiting them at their house, I was 
 again pressed to dine with them, but on this occasion 
 excused myself. The kindness and attention of these 
 gentlemen to me, a perfect stranger, without the slight- 
 est claim to their notice, is worthy of remark. They 
 are the sons of Mr. Durand, the Deputy for the Pro- 
 vince, and are now managing his affairs in his absence. 
 Their mercantile as well as their agricultural concerns 
 are of great magnitude. The latter they informed me 
 yielded only about 5 per cent, upon the money invest- 
 ed, but they make no allowance for the value of the 
 improvements, which were very extensive. Besides 
 the properties I visited with them, the one consisting 
 of 700, and the other of 560 acres, they had two other 
 estates in the neighbourhood of Perpignan, and all in
 
 RIVESALTES. 81 
 
 their own hands. The irrigated land is worth 1500 
 francs (about 60) per hectare, the vineyards not more 
 in general than one third of that sum ; but that pro- 
 portion was, I believe, intended to represent the value 
 of the land before planting. On one of the estates 
 there is a handsome mansion, with extensive gardens, 
 and a green-house. I was happy to promise that 1 
 would, in return for their attention to me, contribute 
 to stock the latter by sending a packet of Botany Bay 
 seeds, a present which I was glad to find would be 
 highly agreeable to one of the brothers, who has a taste 
 for horticulture and botany. 
 
 After having engaged my place in the diligence for 
 Montpelier, (which was to start at seven in the even- 
 ing,) 1 procured a guide, and proceeded to visit Rive- 
 saltes, which is famous for producing the first sweet 
 wine of France. Rivesaltes is a town containing about 
 3000 inhabitants, situated in the middle of an irrigated 
 plain, about four miles from Perpignan. The vine- 
 yards are on the extremities of the plain, where there 
 is a dry gigantic soil ; and on that portion which sepa- 
 rates the meadow land of Perpignan from those of 
 Rivesaltes, it is so thickly covered with stones of 
 various coloured quartz as to make it difficult to tread 
 upon it. In many places where the vines appear to 
 grow with great vigour, and to have attained a great 
 age, the soil is of such a nature as would with us be 
 considered absolutely sterile. They were very gene- 
 rally engaged in the vineyards in pruning and hoe- 
 ing. The pruning was here, as elsewhere, universally 
 in the spur fashion ; from 3 to 7 or 8 knots being left 
 on each vine, according to its strength. The stocks 
 were in general close to the ground, and, indeed, 
 where the soil was newly dug up, and gathered up 
 into the form of a small ridge between the rows of 
 plants, they scarcely seemed to be upon a level with 
 it. I examined a plantation of young vines which 
 had been planted last year, and found that more than 
 one half the number had failed. Here also they never 
 think of trenching the soil before planting ; but after
 
 82 JUVESALTES. 
 
 hoeing it the ordinary depth, they make a hole with 
 an iron dibble and thrust in the plant. As they never 
 afterwards take the trouble to water them, it is not 
 surprising that in so dry a soil so large a proportioi 
 of the cuttings should never take root. At Rivesaltes 
 for the first time in France, I observed them manuring 
 their vines with strong stable dung, and I was inform- 
 ed that this was the usual practice here, although 
 Messrs. Durand never used manure to their vines. 
 The Muscat is the grape commonly cultivated, and 
 by visiting different parties who were engaged in 
 pruning, I obtained a few cuttings of this, and three 
 other sorts ; two of these four were entirely new to 
 me ; of two of them I had procured two or three cut- 
 tings each at Collioure. 
 
 The Muscat wine of Rivesaltes is made in the fol- 
 lowing manner : The grapes are allowed to hang 
 upon the vines till they are so ripe that they begin to 
 shrivel ; they are then cut and left on the ground un- 
 der the vines where they grew, for eight or ten days, 
 unless the weather should prove unfavourable, after 
 which they are pressed, and the juice is put into a 
 cask, leaving the bung out ; about a month after this, 
 it is drawn off to a fresh cask, which is prepared by 
 burning a match, not of sulphur, but of strong brown 
 paper, steeped in the strongest brandy. They use 
 ''this, they say, because the sulphur tastes the wine. 
 The Muscat wine of Rivesaltes sometimes brings the 
 propi'ietor 300 francs the charge of 118 litres (bot- 
 tles) when it is only from one to two years old. The 
 produce of the vineyards of Rivesaltes was stated by 
 the small proprietors, from whom I obtained the cut- 
 tings, to be about two charges for every 500 stocks, 
 exactly the same as was stated by the person from 
 whom I bought the wine at Collioure. I consider 
 them both, however, as a very wide guess, for it was 
 evident neither of them had been accustomed to reck- 
 on the produce in this way, and they neither knew the 
 extent of the hectare, nor of the arpent. Many of 
 the vines here seemed to require renewal. I would
 
 DEPOT OF STALLIONS. 83 
 
 have been inclined to say owing to the quality of the 
 soil, had I not seen the excellent condition in which 
 Messrs. Durand's vines were kept, in soil which was 
 in some places not less stony and arid. 
 
 In filling a vacant space, when they cannot find a 
 ^hoot on any of the neighbouring vines long enough 
 to reach the spot, they take the longest shoot there is. 
 and lay it in a circular form round its own stock ; the 
 following year they raise it, when, with the shoot it 
 has produced, they can not only reach the spot to be 
 iilled. but have by this means a strong plant to fill it. 
 
 While noting above the use of a match with brandy 
 instead of sulphur, there has occurred to my memory a / 
 an observation stated by Mr. Mas, in reply to my " 
 question, whether they did not find the burning of sul- 
 phur in the cask to taste the wine ? He stated that 
 when this occurred it must be owing to a small quan- 
 tity of water having been left in the cask when clean- 
 ed. When this was the case, the wine, he said, was 
 sure to be tasted, because the sulphuric acid impreg- 
 nated the water ; but when every drop of water was 
 carefully drained off before the cask was smoked, it 
 never occurred. 
 
 I returned to Perpignan about four o'clock, and be- 
 gan to ticket the different bundks of vines, taking 
 only 25 of each of the varieties sent by Mr. Durand, 
 on account of their great bulk. This, and other little 
 matters which required arrangement, occupied me 
 so fully, that I forgot to send for my passport till it 
 was too late to procure it for the diligence that night. 
 
 Tuesday, 22nd November. My delay for another 
 day in Perpignnri allowed me to visit the Bergerie 
 Royale, where the government keep a flock of Merino 
 sheep for the improvement of the flocks of the dis- 
 trict. As Mr. Durand had assured me that it was 
 not worth my attention, I had given up thoughts of 
 visiting this establishment previously, but on now ap- 
 plying to my landlord for a horse, he told me that 
 before arriving at the Bergerie, I would come to the 
 Royal Haras, or depot of stallions for the south. At
 
 84 DEPOT OP STALLIONS. 
 
 less than a league from Perpignan, I accordingly came 
 to the house and offices which had been described to 
 me as this depot, and on riding into the yard, I was 
 conducted by a groom to the stable. There are here 
 31 horses, kept by the government for the purpose of 
 improving the breed in this part of France. They 
 are chiefly cross-bred, and I remarked several very 
 beautiful animals which were a cross between the 
 Arab and the Limousin. There was a small dark 
 brown Arab from St. John d'Acre, and next to him a 
 thorough-bred Arab, produced in France. The latter 
 was incomparably the finer animal, in many points 
 resembling old Model, of New South Wales, but 1 
 think inferior to him. There was also the Jennet of 
 Andalusia, and a number of Flemish horses, both pure 
 and crossed with various other breeds. The Russian 
 and Polish breeds had also their representatives on 
 this side of the stable. On the other side were the 
 breeds of Normandy, and an immense animal from 
 Mecklenburgh, for improving, as they said, the work- 
 ing breeds. Of this kind there were three huge 
 horses, which appeared to me ill proportioned to such 
 a degree as to be almost monstrous. Further on was 
 a splendid English racer, though with more bone alid 
 muscle than the horses bred for the turf usually pos- 
 sess. This horse stood higher than any other horse 
 in the collection ; he is named Rembrandt, and was 
 purchased by the French government from lord Sey- 
 mour, at Paris, where he had distinguished himself upon 
 the turf, and had been the winner of large sums. There 
 was also an English horse of the little Cob breed, and 
 between these stood some very fine saddle horses of 
 the pure breed (I think) of Limousin. The charge 
 made by the French government for the service of 
 any of these horses is only six francs for each mare. 
 They travel to the distance of from 30 to 40 leagues, 
 and find their chief employment in the department of 
 Arriege. Here there are few horses bred, the work 
 being chiefly performed by oxen and mules, and the 
 ass still maintaining its ground, though not to such an
 
 BEKGERIi: ROYALE. 85 
 
 extent as beyond the Pyrenees. The services of each 
 horse are limited to 45 mares; but notwithstanding the 
 extreme cheapness of the charge, and the extensive 
 district over which they travel, scarcely one of the 
 horses covers this number during the season. The 
 horses are fed at all seasons with meadow hay and 
 ground barley. From the terrace behind the stables 
 there is a rich view of the' plain to the north of Per- 
 pignan, terminated on two sides by the Basses Pyre- 
 nees, and on the third by the sea. It is said that there 
 is here an extent of land, 10 leagues in length by six 
 in breadth, all of which can be regularly irrigated by 
 means of small canals and water courses, which are 
 cut in every direction. The distribution of the water 
 is regulated by law. The old chateau of Rousillon, 
 with its round tower, overlooks this beautiful plain. 
 The habitations are still, for the most part, congrega- 
 ted in small towns and villages, but here and there a 
 detached house is to be seen. The plain is covered 
 with trees, which border the water courses in every 
 direction. Among these the Lombardy poplar, only 
 now assuming the tints of autumn, is conspicuous. 
 Every field is separated by a row of trees, chiefly the 
 willow. These, however, on a nearer approach, lose 
 much of their beauty, from the practice of cutting 
 them down every third year for fuel, leaving only the 
 trunk about 10 feet in height, with the stumps of the 
 branches, to produce fresh shoots. 
 
 The plain of Perpignan offers as strong a contrast as 
 possible to the (naturally) much richer plains of Anda- 
 lusia. Much maybe owing to the difference of cli- 
 mate, and the greater facilities for irrigation ; but 
 much more is owing to the difference in the political 
 institutions of the respective countries. The absurd 
 law of Spain, which prevents the enclosure of corn or 
 meadow land, strikes at the root of all agricultural 
 improvement. 
 
 On arriving at the bergerie, which is a shabby looking 
 cluster of old houses in bad repair, I was informed 
 that the sheep were out at pasture ; and on following 
 8
 
 86 MONTPELIER. 
 
 the directions given me, I soon came up with them. 
 There are 160 rams, and about 300 females. Their 
 wool is certainly much finer than any I had seen at 
 Mr. Durand's, but still there are few of our sheephold- 
 ers in New South Wales who could not show finer 
 sheep in their flocks than the generality of them. The 
 government make an annual sale of these sheep. The 
 minimum price for the rams is 60, and for the ewes 
 40 francs. A very few of those offered sometimes 
 go oft' at much higher prices, but the demand is not 
 nearly sufficient to take off those that are disposable 
 at the minimum price. I saw amongst them a Saxon 
 ram, which had cost the government 600 francs. Run- 
 ning with the rams were a male and two females of 
 the goats of Cashmere ; the male was a very large- 
 animal, with long white hair ; the females under the 
 size of an ordinary goat, but they were both very 
 young, the one being 18 and the other only 7 months 
 old. They breed when under 12 months ; the young- 
 est of the two being expected to produce a kid in 
 four months. After they arc three years old, the 
 shepherd said, (if I understood him right, which \vas 
 no easy matter, from his Catalan dialect,) that they 
 produce four kids annually. The fine Cashmere wool 
 is produced under the hair, and is combed out in the 
 month of May. The large male, they said, yielded 
 from five to six ounces, and the females only two 
 ounces a piece. The government, the shepherd in- 
 formed me, possess 150 of these animals, which were 
 formerly all here, but, with the exception of the three 
 which I saw, they were removed to the interior. They 
 were brought from Persia by a gentleman of Paris, 
 who started with a flock of 1,600, only 150 of which 
 he succeeded in bringing to France. They were pur- 
 chased by the government at the price of 3,000 francs 
 a head, and their produce were for some time offered 
 for sale in this department, but found no purchasers. 
 The price I either did not hear, or do not recollect. 
 
 Wednesday, 23d Last evening, at seven o'clock, I 
 took my place in the diligence, thg director having
 
 BOTAXIC GAUDEN. 87 
 
 freely agreed to take me without any additional charge, 
 and at seven this evening I arrived at Montpelier. In 
 going into Beziers about nine o'clock this morning, I 
 observed hoar-frost upon the grass where the sun's 
 rays had not penetrated. The whole country from 
 Beziers to Montpelier, on both sides of the road, is co- 
 vered with vineyards. Between the former town and 
 Penzenas the country is extremely beautiful even at 
 this season. The hills are covered with olive trees, 
 intermixed with vines, but the plains with vines only. 
 Detached habitations are every where thickly scatter- 
 ed over the country. The vine is cultivated even in 
 the alluvial plains ; and the immense size of some of the 
 stocks, with the vigour of their numerous shoots, 
 affords ample evidence that whatever may be the qua- 
 lity of its produce, the plant itself is no enemy to a rich 
 soil. Notwithstanding the apparent richness of the 
 soil, I observed them" every where digging in large 
 quantities of dung, and this, as well as the mode of 
 pruning, indicated that they were more anxious for 
 the quantity than the quality of the produce. The 
 wines of this district are almost universally converted 
 into brandy. The soil had the appearance of being 
 calcareous the whole way from Beziers to Montpelier, 
 in some places almost resembling the albarizas of 
 Xeres, but on trial I found it argillaceous. 
 
 Notwithstanding the great luxuriance of the vines, 
 and the strength and length of their shoots, still no sup- 
 ports nor props were used. Here and there I observed 
 the shoots of three neighbouring vines tied together to 
 afford each other support ; but even this practice was 
 rare compared to the whole, which are allowed to 
 spread as they will, and cover the ground in such pro- 
 fusion, as to make it in most places difficult to pene- 
 trate amongst them. 
 
 Thursday, 24th. I this morning proceeded to the 
 Botanic Garden, in the hope of finding some one who 
 would give me information of the nature I required. 
 My expectations were also a good deal excited by 
 having heard from an Englishman whom I met at
 
 88 MONTPELIER. 
 
 breakfast, that the professor of botany had there a 
 collection of vines. I was not long in discovering this 
 collection, which was numbered up to 560 varieties. 
 I did not hesitate a moment to inquire for the profes- 
 sor, and lomake known to him the object of my visit. 
 He received me with great kindness, and asked many 
 questions respecting the Australian settlements, in 
 which he appeared to take a great deal of interest. 
 He conducted me over the gardens, and through the 
 conservatories, pointing out every object which he 
 thought would interest me. The latter are very ex- 
 tensive, and in the most perfect order. Among other 
 plants he made me remark the Galactodendron, the 
 " tree of the cow, or milk tree," of Humboldt, which 
 he said would undoubtedly grow in New South Wales. 
 He also pointed out, growing in the open air, the Ca- 
 roubier of Spain, the Ceratonia Siliqua of Linnaus, 
 that yields a pod, upon which the mules are almost 
 exclusively fed in the mountainous districts of Spain, 
 and the south of Italy. This tree I had not so much 
 as heard of. There was a small department separate 
 for New South Wales plants, of which there was a 
 considerable number. Finally, Professor Delisle told 
 me, that I was not only welcome to cuttings of all the 
 vines he had, but he offered me his correspondence 
 for any thing he could in future supply. He also said 
 he would make up a packet of seeds for our Botanic 
 Garden. In return for such liberality, I did not hesi- 
 tate to pledge myself to make him whatever returns 
 our Botanic Garden could supply. He accordingly 
 called for the catalogue of vines, which was partly 
 printed, being a copy of the list of the Ecole of vines 
 established in the Gardens of the Luxemburg, at Paris, 
 by Messrs. Chaptal and Bosc, when the former was 
 Minister of the Interior. A great proportion of the 
 numbers which had been left blank in the original, 
 were filled up in writing. He gave directions that a 
 copy of the list should be prepared for me, and that a 
 man should attend me to take the cuttings of the
 
 BOTANIC GARDEN. 89 
 
 vines. I determined to take a duplicate of each va- 
 riety. 
 
 Saturday, 26th November. Having ordered a quan- 
 tity of leaden tickets to mark the cuttings, and a 
 couple of cases to contain them, I proceeded to the 
 
 farden yesterday morning, and found that the man 
 ad already commenced to take off the cuttings. On 
 examining those he had taken, however, I immediate- 
 ly saw the necessity of making the choice for myself, 
 and I have accordingly been engaged all yesterday 
 and to-day in choosing the cuttings. This evening, 
 by the assistance of a second man, who dressed the 
 cuttings as they were taken off, we had finished this 
 part of the task, and commenced attaching the num- 
 bers. 
 
 Monday, 28th. This day, at an early hour, I pro- 
 ceeded to the garden, expecting to have all the vines 
 numbered and packed before the evening. In this, 
 however, I was disappointed. While the workmen 
 were at dinner I spent an hour with the* Professor, 
 who showed me his Herbarium, which appeared to 
 rne very extensive. Among others, he opened out 
 some New Holland plants, which had been collected 
 by Laballardiere, the botanist, who accompanied 
 D'Entrecasteaux in his voyage. In reply to my in- 
 quiries respecting the history of the vines, the object 
 to me of greatest interest, he informed me, that about 
 12 or 15 years ago, when Messrs. Chaptal and Bosc 
 had formed the gardens of the Chartreuse, adjoining 
 the gardens of the Luxemburg, into an experimental 
 garden, specimens of the different varieties were also 
 sent to the Botanic Garden of Montpelier, but many 
 of these never succeeded. He told me that he had 
 found it very difficult to obtain from the chief garden- 
 er at Paris the different varieties which he required to 
 fill up the vacancies occasioned by those which had 
 failed ; they always sent chasselas, chasselas, chasse- 
 las, though under different names. A great part of 
 the collection had therefore been brought together 
 by the Professor himself. Mr. Delisle told me that 
 8*
 
 99 MONTPELIER. 
 
 there was a similar collection of vines at Versailles, 
 and there was also one at Genoa. 
 
 All this day was employed in attaching thetickets 
 to the vines, and arranging them in bundles, which, 
 from many of them being very crooked, was no easy 
 task. From the 560 varieties I could only make up 
 437. the remainder being either wanting in the ori- 
 ginal, or as identical with some previous number. I 
 had also employed the master gardener to send a man 
 on whose judgment and honesty he could depend, to 
 make a collection of all the vines cultivated in the 
 vineyards round Montpelier. This man had, all his 
 lifetime, been employed in the vineyards ; and as he 
 gave me a description of the qualities of each, I had 
 no doubt whatever that his collection might be depend- 
 ed upon. Rejecting, from those he brought me, such 
 varieties as I had previously procured at Perpignan, I 
 was now enabled to carry the collection of vines of 
 Rousillon ajid Languedoc, or Pyrenees Orientales and 
 Herault, toteS. I here again reduced the number of 
 Mr. Duranfi's vines, taking only 12 of each of them, as 
 well as or those cultivated in the neighbourhood of 
 Montpelier. When I came to pay for their carriage 
 from Montpelier to Nismes, I had no reason to regret 
 this reduction. 
 
 Wednesday, 30th November. It was half past 10 
 this morning, when the packing of the vines was 
 finished, and at 11 o'clock I started with them by the 
 diligence for Nismes. Before leaving the garden, I 
 paid a farewell visit to its liberal Director, Mr. De- 
 lisle. I now received from him a letter addressed to 
 Mr. Frazer, the Colonial Botanist, at Sydney, and also 
 one for myself. In both he expressed his wish to 
 maintain a correspondence with Sydney, to recipro- 
 cate the exchange of seeds and plants. He also gave 
 me an introductory note to M. Audibert, the propri- 
 etor of a very extensive and celebrated nursery at 
 Tarascon, a small town situated on the left bank of 
 the Rhone, which he strongly recommended me to 
 visit. A fourth paper contained hints about the best
 
 NISMES. 91 
 
 mode of preserving the cuttings from frost and damp ; 
 but on that subject he recommended me particularly 
 -to coFwlt*M. Audibert. - Mr. -Befhrtu" had also wait- 
 ing for me a packet of botanic seeds, which he had 
 put up for the garden at Sydney ; and a packet of 
 seeds of the more useful trees, &c. for myself. 
 
 The Botanic Garden of Montpelier is only second 
 in France to that of Paris. It appeared to me to be 
 kept in very high order. 
 
 The weather has now become piercingly cold. On 
 Friday and Saturday I found it very unpleasantly so in 
 the garden, but on Sunday evening a strong wind set in 
 from the north, and next day all Montpelier was wrapt 
 in cloaks. The sloping glass roofs and windows of 
 the conservatories were now all covered with straw 
 mats, which were not rolled up till the sun had attain- 
 ed a considerable height. 
 
 The road from Montpelier to Nismes lies through a 
 well cultivated country, producing chiefly vines and 
 olives. The vines appear here to be cultivated for 
 wine for the table more than for distillation. Their 
 size and strength were less remarkable than on the 
 other side of Montpelier ; and although I saw several 
 parties hoeing in the vineyards, I could nowhere ob- 
 serve them digging in manure. Here for the first 
 time I saw the mixed cultivation of vines, olives, and 
 corn, alternating in rows of different widths ; and the 
 vineyards are also very generally planted with olive 
 trees. This seems to be the season for gathering the 
 fruit of the latter. They place large ladders against 
 the trees, and ascend to pull them, instead of beating 
 them down with poles, as is the practice in Spain. 
 The women are very generally employed in this way, 
 and from all parts of the road are to be seen with 
 small baskets slung round their necks, either perched 
 upon a ladder, or mounted into the interior of the 
 trees. Half way from Montpelier to Nismes lies the 
 town of Lunel, which, with Frontigran, also in the same 
 neighbourhood, is famous for its sweet wines. These 
 
 I did not. however, wait to visit, being now satisfied 
 

 
 92 NURSERY OF TARASCOX. 
 
 that whatever may be the case with regard to the 
 quality of dry wines, it requires only a good grape, a 
 hot sun, and a particular management, to make ex- 
 cellent sweet wines. A gentleman in the diligence 
 informed me that the Lunel is only produced on one 
 estate, but in this I think he was misinformed. 
 
 1st December. The diligence for Tarascon not 
 starting till half past eleven, I had time to visit many 
 of the beautiful and highly interesting remains of 
 Roman architecture which are to be found in Nismes. 
 The cold, last night and this morning, has been ex- 
 cessive. I have seldom found any thing more keen 
 and penetrating than the north wind out of doors, and 
 the air of my chamber was almost intolerable till a 
 large fire (for which the charge of two francs was 
 made in my bill) had been some time burning. Even 
 then, and with the assistance of a screen, it was still 
 difficult to keep off the cold. The tiled floors are ill 
 calculated for the winter, however suitable they may 
 be for the summer temperature of these climates. In 
 the morning the canal was frozen over, and there were 
 pieces of ice of six cubic inches in thickness about 
 the fountains. 
 
 I arrived at Tarascon about half past two o'clock, 
 and having procured a guide, proceeded immediately 
 to the nursery of the Messrs. Audibert, whom I found 
 at home. The nursery is about a mile and a half from 
 the town. Messrs. Audibert expressed the greatest 
 desire to be of service to me. One of the brothers 
 conducted me through a great part of their nurseries, 
 which are extensive, and apparently very well kept. 
 He also insisted that I should remain for the night, 
 and made up a packet of every variety of seeds which 
 they could imagine would be useful in New South 
 Wales. The elder brother, M. Urban Audibert, is a 
 corresponding member of the Horticultural Society 
 of London, and has, as M. Delisle informed me, a 
 very extensive correspondence in all parts of Europe. 
 His library is filled with books on all matters connect- 
 ed with rural economy and natural history, in all Ian-
 
 TAKASCOBT. 93 
 
 guages. I selected from their list of vines eight or 
 ten varieties, which I either knew to be wanting in 
 M. Delisle's collection, or conceived to be so valuable, 
 that I was glad of the opportunity of making still 
 surer of possessing them. These, being rooted plants, 
 will afford the proof whether they or the cuttings are 
 more capable of bearing the transport to New South 
 Wales. 
 
 Having, according to the advice of M. Delisle, con- 
 sulted Messrs. Audibert respecting the packing of the 
 plants, he expressed his fear that without moss they 
 would soon all die ; for the north wind, he observed, 
 caused dryness as much as the heat ; his brother was 
 accordingly kind enough to accompany me to the 
 town, with a man who carried a bag ot moss. The 
 plants were unpacked, and the boxes lined with double 
 oiled paper, to prevent the access of air, and the es- 
 cape of humidity. The moss, after having been 
 slightly watered, was stuffed in at the ends of each 
 bundle of plants. The latter were then replaced, and 
 the cases closed. This is the mode adopted by Messrs. 
 Audibert in sending vine plants to Russia and other 
 countries of Europe ; and they were of opinion that 
 this would be sufficient to protect the vines till their 
 arrival within the tropics, when the warm weather 
 would cause them to shoot, and it would therefore 
 become desirable to sustain the shoots a little by the 
 admixture of earth or sand among the cuttings. 
 
 Messrs. Audibert refused to receive any payment 
 for the plants I had selected from their collection, 
 although I insisted very strongly on paying the stated 
 price, as well as for the time his workman was occu- 
 pied. He furnished me with several copies of his 
 catalogues ; and as I had informed him there was an 
 Agricultural and Horticultural Society in New South 
 Wales, he expressed a strong desire to be put in com- 
 munication with them. M. Audibert also furnished 
 me with introductory letters to the Directors of the 
 Botanic Garden, and of the Cabinet of Natural His- 
 tory at Marseilles.
 
 94 MARSEILLES. 
 
 I concluded these matters in time to join the dili- 
 gence for Marseilles, which passed at half past two, 
 having, by Mr. Audibert's advice, forwarded the cases 
 containing the plants to Avignon, there to wait my 
 return to that town. 
 
 I had several times endeavoured, but without suc- 
 cess, to ascertain the best mode of pickling or pre- 
 serving olives. Mr. Audibert told me he had no 
 doubt the innkeeper where I had left my baggage 
 could inform me ; and I took down from his dictation 
 the directions, of which the following is a translation. 
 The olives which he produced as preserved in this 
 way were of an inferior kind, but appeared very well 
 
 cured. " To make a lye, take for each pound of 
 
 olives a pound of ashes and an ouncfe of lime ; boil 
 these ingredients in water till the lye is neither too 
 thick, nor too clear. 
 
 " When the flesh of the olives detaches itself easily 
 from the stone, which happens about six or seven 
 hours after their immersion, the olives are washed 
 with clear water, and left to steep for about nine 
 days, the water being changed at least once every 24 
 hours. They are then kept in water, strongly charg- 
 ed with salt, and seasoned with a few grains of cori- 
 ander seed, to give them a good taste." 
 
 This recipe was scarcely finished at the moment it 
 was necessary to join the diligence, and I had not 
 therefore time to read it, much less to ask such ques- 
 tions as are necessary to make it fully intelligible. 
 The lye is doubtless intended to free the olives from 
 the bitterness natural to them when fresh. 
 
 Saturday, 3d December. At an early hour this 
 morning I arrived at Marseilles. My object in com- 
 ing to this city was to visit the districts in its neigh- 
 bourhood, where the raisins and other dried fruits of 
 Provence are prepared. 
 
 I lost no time in waiting upon M. Negrel Ferand, 
 the Director of the Cabinet of Natural History, whom 
 I found not only very ready, but extremely well quali- 
 fied, to give me the information I required. He said
 
 MARSEILLES. 95 
 
 that almost the only district where raisins were made 
 for exportation was Roquevaire, which was his native 
 place, and to which he gave me a letter. 
 
 M. Negrel Ferand has contributed the division that 
 treats upon Agriculture and Rural Economy, to a 
 quarto work now publishing in four volumes, on the 
 Statistics of the Provence of Bouches du Rhone. 
 
 Being anxious to obtain the volume which treated 
 upon this subject, he told me that I could not purchase 
 it without the others, and that the whole work was 
 not yet complete ; but he very good naturedly gave 
 me his own proof sheets. This work contains a de- 
 tailed classification and botanical description of the 
 vines cultivated in the department of Bouches du 
 Rhone, or Provence, to the number of 74. The whole 
 number which exists is stated to be about 350, but the 
 above are all that are considered valuable for cultiva- 
 tion. The most of the others are cultivated in gar- 
 dens and nurseries more as an object of curiosity than 
 usefulness. Of the 34 varieties, 220 have been per- 
 fectly identified with those bearing the same names in 
 the collection of the Luxemburg. 
 
 In speaking of the olive, M. Xegrel Ferand said, 
 that its mode of bearing is biennial ; that is. that the 
 young wood must be two years old before it bears 
 fruit. This accounts for the pruning every two years, 
 and the frequent deficiency in the cro;> every second 
 year. He said it was a point on which there existed 
 much difference of opinion, whether it were better to 
 prune the trees partially every year, and thus to have 
 always a quantity of bearing wood, or to prune them 
 full}' -cond year, and have a full crop once in 
 
 two years. In this part of the country the olive is 
 subject to great injuries from the severity of the 
 weather : a great part of the trees in a whole district 
 being occasionally cut off by the frost of a single 
 night The roots still remain, however, and are not 
 long in sending up strong shoots : but the trees in this 
 part of the country never attain to any great magni- 
 tude. When the crop of olives is very small, they
 
 DC RAISINS AND OTHER 
 
 are generally attacked by insects. The annual ave- 
 rage quantity of oil produced from each tree is only 
 about two quarts. The best oil for eating is extract- 
 ed cold ; what is extracted by warm water is used for 
 burning, and for soap, and other manufactures. The 
 
 011 of Marseilles is certainly more pure and beautiful 
 than I have elsewhere seen it. The finest oil of France 
 is produced at Aix, eight leagues north of Marseilles.' 
 
 I walked with M. Negrel to the Botanic Garden, 
 for the Director of which I had also a letter. The 
 garden is neither extensive, nor particularly well fur- 
 nished. The Conservatory is handsome, but is too 
 large to be easily heated. The collection of plants is 
 insignificant compared with that of Montpelier. I 
 saw a swamp oak, a pretty large tree, and a splendid 
 specimen of the caoutchouc, in the conservatory. A 
 specimen of the latter in the open air had been killed 
 by the frosts of the preceding week, notwithstanding 
 its having been wrapped up with straw mats. 
 
 Monday, 5lh December. Having engaged a cabrio- 
 let and a guide from my maitre d'kotel, I proceeded 
 at an early hour to Roquevaire ; the distance is about 
 
 12 or 14 miles in an easterly direction. The road 
 almost every where proceeded among steep acclivi- 
 ties, through a country which the industry of man 
 has won from its original barrenness, and which is on 
 all sides cultivated like a garden, with every variety 
 of produce. The hills, or rather mountains, which 
 bounded the horizon to the right, formed a very rug- 
 ged and picturesque back-ground to this picture of 
 industry. There is scarce a spot which, by any de- 
 gree of labour, could be gained from the rocks, that is 
 not under cultivation ; and the same field frequently 
 bears at the same time a triple crop ; first is a triple 
 or quadruple row of vines, then an open space from 6 
 to 12 feet wide, under corn or legumes ; (and I could 
 not but observe the garden pea several inches above 
 the soil, and perfectly uninjured, notwithstanding the 
 severity of the late frosts ;) lastly, there is, with every 
 third row of vines, a row of olives, and not unfr-
 
 DRIED FRUITS OP PROVENCE. 97 
 
 quently the whole is surrounded by a hedge of mul- 
 berries. The same system is pursued on the sides of 
 hills so steep, that it is necessary at every 12 feet to 
 have a wall three feet in height. Notwithstanding 
 the natural ruggedness and poverty of this country, it 
 appears to be every where teeming with a fine, healthy, 
 and well fed population. 
 
 Between 1 1 and 1 2 o'clock I arrived at the house 
 of M. Brest, the gentleman to whom, in the absence 
 of the Mayor, M. Negrel had given me a letter. Be- 
 sides being a proprietor of land, M. Brest is an exten- 
 sive soap manufacturer and merchant ; his premises 
 are very extensive, and comprise a great variety of 
 accommodation. In several of the rooms on the 
 ground floor, women were employed in packing rai- 
 sins into boxes and frails, similar in every respect to 
 those used at Malaga, and the prices of the raisins 
 appeared also to approach very near to those of that 
 place. ' 
 
 The first quality is made from the Pause, or Passe, 
 a largish white grape, but by no means so large \\ 
 some 'others. The skin is rather fine than hard ; the 
 bunches are sometimes very large, although M. Brest ' 
 informed me, that they are reduced in drying to one 
 fourth of their original weight. The second quality 
 is from the Arignan : the raisins of this grape are '' 
 equally well flavoured, and keep as well, but are 
 smaller. When the former are thirty francs the quin- 
 tal of 100 pounds, the latter are only from 20 to 25. 
 The third quality consists of the smaller and loose 
 pes of the others, which are packed in frails ; they 
 are worth from 15 to 18 francs per quintal. The 
 aisins of Roquevaire are packed in boxes, containing 
 12,25, and 50 pounds, as at Malaga; but between 
 every two inches in thickness of grapes they spread a 
 sheet of white paper. These raisins, M. Brest says, 
 keep the whole year through. They are certainly, 
 in every respect, inferior to the raisins in Malaga. 
 Their preparation invariably consists in immersion in 
 a boiling lye previous to drying. They do not ap- 

 
 98 DRIED FRUITS 
 
 pear to be aware that it is possible to preserve the 
 raisins without this previous preparation. M. Negrel 
 says, the effect of the lye, in which they are kept from 
 15 to 20 seconds, is to open very fine cracks in the 
 skin of the grapes, by which cracks the moisture eva- 
 porates. The strength of the lye is of the fifth de- 
 gree of Beaume's hydrometer, which is equal in spe- 
 cific gravity, at the temperature of 55 of Fahrenheit, 
 to about 1.032. After having been dipped in this lye. 
 the grapes are spread out on claies, which consist of 
 a number of reeds tied together, so as to form a flat 
 surface of about seven feet by four. They are brought 
 under cover every night, and if the season is fine, 
 they are usually sufficiently dried in five days, though 
 in the latter part of the season it sometimes requires 
 een ^ a ^ s to ^ r y them sufficiently. The preparation 
 raisins commences about the 25th of August, and 
 ntinues during the whole of September, and some- 
 times as late as the 1st of November. Those raisins 
 are finest which are dried in the shortest time. The 
 neighbourhood of Roquevaire is the only part of 
 France where dried raisins are prepared as an article 
 of commerce ; in other parts they are cured by parti- 
 cular individuals for their own consumption. The 
 Pause Musque, or Muscat of Alexandria, is also 
 found in this district ; but although M. Negrel says it 
 is the identical v'ariety which yields the Muscatel 
 raisins of Malaga, and though he strongly recom--, 
 mends it to cultivators in preference to the others, it 
 is very seldom made into raisins. M. Brest says, 
 the thickness of its skin makes it very difficult to dry 
 it in this climate. M. Negrel also says, that the Pause 
 Musqu is less cultivated than the Panse, because it 
 is very delicate in flowering, and frequently blights. 
 He says, however, that this may. be remedied by pru- 
 ning it long, and cultivating it in a trellis ; the com- 
 mon Panse also requires to be pruned rather long. 
 The whole quantity of raisins of the first quality pro- 
 duced for sale in Provence, does not, in the average 
 of years, exceed 4,000 quintals, (400,000 pounds.)
 
 F PROVENCE. 99 
 
 According to M. Brest, the preparation of raisins is 
 uearly on a par, as far as regards profit, with the 
 making of wine. During the continental war, when it 
 was impossible to import the raisins of Malaga and 
 Calabria, those of Provence were in much greater 
 demand, and their cultivation was much more pro- 
 fitable. 
 
 M. Brest had also a large quantity of figs packed in 
 boxes, and ready for packing. The preparation of 
 these consist simply in drying them on the dales for 
 four or five days after they are pulled. The flat form 
 which most of them have is given them in the boxes, 
 each fig being separately pressed into the box. The 
 larger and smaller figs are packed in separate boxes, 
 and the finest quality is double the price of the inferior. 
 Nothing can be more simple than the drying and 
 packing of figs. M. Negrel Ferand describes sixty- 
 seven varieties of figs which are cultivated in the de- 
 partment of Bouches du Rhone. He quotes two au- 
 thors, De Solier and Raymond, showing how much 
 the cultivation of this fruit had fallen eff within the 
 last two centuries. The former, who wrote in the 
 IGth century, after describing the means then pursued 
 in drying them, adds, " that those of the inhabitants 
 who had least, could sell from 100 to 150 quintals," 
 (from 10,000 to 15,000 pounds.) " Two centuries la- 
 ter," the latter says, " the quantity of figs which the 
 inhabitants dried formerly was their principal pro- 
 duce, but now each proprietor only gathers about 40 
 quintals, (4,000 pounds,) not more than enough for 
 the consumption of his own family !" 
 
 The next object which attracted my attention, was 
 a quantity of large earthen jafs, capable of containing 
 from 40 to 60 gallons each. These were filled with 
 capers of different sizes, from the size of a small nut 
 to that of a very small pea, or, rather, to half the size 
 of a very small pea. The latter are called Nonpareils, 
 and are worth 32 sous (16d.) a pound. The former, 
 being the coarsest quality, are worth only 3 sous a 
 pound. Between these extremes there are 8 or 10
 
 100 DRIED FRUITS 
 
 different qualities, all varying in price according to 
 their size, the smaller being always the more valuable. 
 They are put into vinegar as soon as they are gather- 
 ed, after the different sizes are separated by means 
 of a succession of coarser or finer sieves ; and they 
 need no other preparation. I observed a quantity of 
 olives spread out upon some claies on the floor ; they 
 did not appear to have suffered in any degree from the 
 worm, as was the case with most of the other olives 
 I had seen. Many of them still retained' a greenish, 
 or, rather, a whitish colour, while the majority were 
 either of a deep .purple colour, or perfectly black. 
 M. Brest said, these light-coloured olives, pressed se- 
 parately, would yield a finer oil than the others, 
 though less in quantity. 
 
 From the apartments where the dried fruits were in 
 process of packing, M. Brest conducted me through 
 his soap manufactory, which is on a considerable 
 scale, soap being one of the most important manufac- 
 tures of Marseilles, and being made chiefly with the 
 inferior kinds of olive oil ; thence to a saw-mill, turn- 
 ed by water, and finally, to a room heated by steam 
 for the treatment of silk worms. M. Brest next took 
 me through the plantation adjoining his buildings, to 
 show me how the caper is cultivated. At present 
 the bushes are all covered with soil to prevent them 
 being destroyed by the frost ; and preparatory to this 
 they had been pruned down to the length of from 6 to 
 12 inches each branch or shoot. In the spring they 
 are cut down close to the stock, so that every year 
 produces new branches. The bushes which yield the 
 caper, if well treated, will last for 40 years ; they 
 yield on an average one pound and a half of capers, 
 though some of the very strong bushes will occasion- 
 :i!ly yield from five to six pounds. The caper is the 
 flower bud before its development ; the largest and 
 least valuable grow near the bottom of the branch, the 
 smallest at the top. They are gathered by women 
 at the expense of a half penny a pound. The bushes 
 are about four feet apart ; they are propagated by
 
 OF PROVENCE. 101 
 
 means of offsets from the roots, two of which offsets 
 were presented to me by M. Brest. On opening the 
 box which contained these offsets in London, I had 
 the mortification to find that they had both perished. 
 Having expressed my desir to procure cuttings of 
 the grapes which are dried for raisins, and of any 
 other sort cultivated in the district which I had not 
 already procured, M. Brest sent a boy to conduct 
 me to a property of his own, with a message to the 
 fermier to give me the different kinds I wanted. He 
 observed that he would have accompanied me him- 
 self, had he not been very busy packing up a quantity 
 of fruits which were required to be sent off imme- 
 diately. The whole of the ground over which I went 
 is cultivated like a garden. In many places the vines 
 are only planted along the edges of the terraces, 
 which are every where built to support the soil. The 
 caper is very generally cultivated in this district. The 
 fermier was not at home, but soon arrived. He gave 
 me cuttings of six new varieties, a dozen of each. 
 The vines are pruned, leaving on each shoot two buds, 
 exclusive of the one at the junction. These are the 
 vines which yield the grapes for drying ; there were 
 from two to three shoots on each vine pruned in this 
 manner. v The fermier said, that each vine produced 
 from 8 to 12 bunches. According to M. Brest, the 
 ground in this district is all trenched to the depth of 
 'Z\ or 3 feet before planting, but they do not put 
 in the cutting the whole of this depth. M. Negrel 
 states, that it has been observed that the roots come 
 from the two buds nearest to the surface only, and 
 that the lower part of the cutting imparts to the re- 
 mainder a portion of its decay. There is a good deal 
 of sweet wine made in this neighbourhood, chiefly 
 from a variety of the Muscat grape. The wines of 
 Provence, or Bouches du Rhone, are not celebrated, 
 nor do they appear to be known as well as they de- 
 serve to be. They have never furnished many choice 
 wines for commerce ; but M. Negrel says, many pro- 
 prietors make them of excellent quality, when they 
 9*
 
 102 HERMITAGE. 
 
 take some trouble to have them good for their own 
 consumption. I returned, after an excursion of an 
 hour and a half, to the house of M. Brest, who press- 
 ed me to remain for the night, and return to Mar- 
 seilles next day ; but this kindness my anxiety to get 
 forward induced me to decline ; and, after partaking 
 of some fruit and wine, I returned to Marseilles. 
 
 Tuesday, Glh December. During the course of this 
 day I visited M. Negrel. He is now engaged in re- 
 moving the collections of Natural History to a new 
 Museum. I was happy to be able to promise that I 
 would send him from London a stuffed Ornithorhyn- 
 chus paradoxus and a few shells. M. Negrel is only 
 pro tempore Director of the Cabinet of Natural His- 
 tory at Marseilles ; M. Roux, who holds that appoint- 
 ment permanently, being at present travelling in the 
 East Indies with a German naturalist. M. N. said it 
 was probable they might visit New Holland, in which 
 case he recommended them to my attentions. Through 
 the kindness of Mr. Gower, an English merchant, to 
 whom I had brought a letter of introduction, I pro- 
 cured letters to Valence, to the neighbourhood of 
 Beaune, and to Dijon ; the first, in order to enable me 
 to visit, with -advantage, the vineyards of Hermitage, 
 the two latter, those of Burgundy. I then procured, 
 for the purpose of planting in New South Wales, a 
 quantity of very fine fresh dates, three varieties ; the 
 first was called the date of Oran ; the second, the 
 Muscat date : both of these were from Tunis. The 
 third was the common date of Barbary, to which they 
 attached little value. 
 
 Wednesday, 1th December. This morning, at seven 
 o'clock, I quitted Marseilles for Avignon, where I ar- 
 rived at eight in the evening. The whole district 
 from Marseilles till within a few miles of Avignon, -is, 
 to all appearance, of the most sterile description, 
 though every where cultivated with the greatest care. 
 Aix, about 20 miles from Marseilles, is celebrated for 
 the quality of its oils ; but from this town, onwards, 
 the olive becomes more rare, its place being taken, in
 
 HERMITAGE. 103 
 
 general, by the mulberry. The plain round Avignon 
 is said to be one of the richest in France. At Avig- 
 non I found that there is a regulated price at which 
 the diligences are accustomed to take merchandise, 
 much lower than they charge for the addiliohal bag- 
 gage of a passenger. I accordingly agreed for the 
 carriage of the two cases of vine plants to Lyons. 
 
 Friday, 2th December, Valence. Having joined the 
 diligence for this place late on Thursday evening. I 
 arrived about seven this evening, and immediately 
 proceeded to the house of the merchant for whom I 
 had brought a letter. I was informed that he was 
 then from home, and it would be very late before he 
 returned. I was, therefore, prevented joining a dili- 
 gence which was to proceed to Tain at eight next 
 morning. After quitting Avignon I saw no more 
 olives, but the mulberry was most abundant on all 
 sides ; and every person with whom I have spoken 
 on the subject, including Messrs. Durand, Professor 
 Delisle, Messrs. Audibert, Negrel, and Brest, concur 
 in representing the rearing of silk worms as a most 
 profitable pursuit. M. Audibert said, that many per- 
 sons in their neighbourhood who had mulberries did 
 not themselves rear the silk worm, but disposed of the 
 leaves to others. I he ordinary price given for the 
 leaves of a good sized mulberry tree was from seven 
 to eight francs ; and if the leaves happened to be scarce, 
 so much as 10 or 12 francs have been given. They 
 do not begin to strip the trees of their leaves till they 
 arc five or six years old. 
 
 Saturday, IQth.December. The gentleman to whom 
 I brought the letter was not himself a proprietor ol 
 vineyards at Hermitage, but was requested to intro- 
 duce me to some person having a vineyard there. 
 On waiting upon him this morning, I found a letter 
 prepared for me, addressed to Messrs. Richard and 
 Sons, who are eminent wine merchants and bankers 
 in Tournon, a town on the opposite side of the Rhone 
 to Tain, and joined to it by a suspension bridge. On 
 receiving this letter, I hired a vehicle to carry myself
 
 104 WINES OF 
 
 and my baggage to Tain, which is a small town, situ- 
 ated on the left bank of the Rhone, on the plain which 
 lies immediately between the hill called Hermitage 
 and the river. On presenting my letter, and explain- 
 ing in general terms the object of my visit, I entered 
 into conversation with M. Richard, senior, relative to 
 the wines of Hermitage. The greatest part of the 
 finest growth is sent to Bourdeaux to mix with the 
 first growths of Claret. Messrs. Richard are them- 
 selves proprietors of part of the hill of Hermitage, 
 but not of that part which yields the finest wines. 
 They are also wine merchants ; but like the Messrs. 
 Durand, of Perpignan, they sell it only on the grand 
 scale. One of the sons who manages this depart- 
 ment, conducted me over the cellars. The press is 
 more complete than any I have yet seen ; the screw 
 is of iron, and from the closeness of the worm, must 
 be of immense power. It is raised in the centre of a 
 square trough, about seven feet in diameter. The 
 female screw is covered by a horizontal wooden 
 wheel, the spokes of which project over the sides of 
 the trough, and are finished off so as to afford a con- 
 venient handle for the workmen. At the height of a 
 foot from the bottom of the trough, on the crutside, 
 there is a circular stage projecting from its sides for 
 the workmen when filling the press, and turning the 
 wheel. The sides of the trough only rise to the height 
 of this stage. The grapes, without any previous 
 treading, are built up in the trough to the height of 
 the screw, and when the latter is turned, the must 
 flows from spouts which issue from {he bottom of the 
 trough at each side. When the sides of the mass 
 which may have been pressed out so far as to escape 
 from the action of the press have been cut off with 
 an instrument resembling a hay knife, and the press 
 has been raised so as to receive this additional quan- 
 tity, and again put in operation, the process is com- 
 plete ; not a drop of must remains in the marc, as the 
 mass of skins and stalks is called. The marc is dis- 
 posed of, and employed to produce a bad brandy ;
 
 tft* 
 
 HERMITAGE. 105 
 
 for this purpose it is soaked in water to extract any 
 saccharine matter which may remain, and the fluid 
 which it yields, when again pressed, is fermented and 
 distilled. To my astonishment, M. Richard informed 
 me, that by one charge of this press they could obtain 
 40 casks of wine, of about 50 gallons each. As the 
 must flows from the press, it is conveyed to the casks, 
 where it is suffered to ferment from five days to a 
 month, according to the strength of fermentation, the 
 casks being always kept full to permit the scum to 
 escape. When the first fermentation is decidedly 
 finished, the wine is drawn off into a clean cask, 
 which has been previously sulphured. This is the 
 whole process of making the white wines of Her- 
 mitage. They are more or less sweet, according to 
 the proportions of sweet and dry grapes which have 
 been united in producing them ; for they are all made 
 from two varieties, the Marsan yielding a must, which, 
 by itself, would give a sweet wine, and the Rousette a 
 must, which, by itself, would yield a dry wine. 
 
 The white wine of Hermitage, even after having 
 undergone the complete fermentation above described, 
 still retains a disposition to effervesce when put into 
 bottle. It is said to be without question the finest 
 white wine of France, and will keep for 100 years, 
 improving as it gets older ; and when very old, ac- 
 quiring a similarity to the white wines of Spain. 
 
 For fermenting the red wines, Messrs. Richard have 
 fc. two vats, each capable of containing 16,000 gallons. 
 Every day, as the grapes are brought from the vine- 
 yard, they are trodden in troughs, and then emptied 
 into the vats ; and while the vats are filling, a man gets 
 into them once a day to tread down the surface. 
 The object of this is to prevent the surface from be- 
 coming sour by exposure to the air, and to render the 
 fermentation as equal as possible through the whole 
 mass. When it becomes too deep for a man to tread 
 it to the bottom, he suspends himself by the middle 
 from a plank across the vat. The duration of the 
 fermentation is very uncertain, depending upon th
 
 106 VINEYARDS OF 
 
 state of the weather, and the ripeness of the grapes. 
 Messrs. Richard ferment the finest grapes in one vat, 
 and those of an inferior quality in the other. I tasted 
 the wine of both vats of the last vintage ; the first 
 was made of the best grapes, which were also gather- 
 ed in dry and warm weather; the second quality was 
 made from the inferior grapes, and from others which 
 had been gathered during rain and cold weather. 
 
 The fermentation of the first was over in five days, 
 * and its present value is 300 francs the cask of 210 
 
 '*" litres, (that is, about as many bottles ;) the other con- 
 . , j/tinued fermenting in the vat for twenty days, and its 
 1* f" present value is only 80 francs for the same quantity. 
 rf *^ The finest Clarets of Bourdeaux are mixed with a 
 portion of the finest red wine of Hermitage, and four 
 fifths of the quantity of the latter which is produced 
 are thus employed. The wines are racked off the 
 lees in spring, and sulphured. A very small piece of 
 sulphured match is burnt in the casks intended for the 
 white wine ; the red wine requires a greater portion. 
 \Zfeh These matches are purchased from persons who make 
 a business in preparing them. They are slips of 
 '* ^ P a P er > about one incli and a half broad, and when 
 \~Af-t coated on both sides with sulphur, are about the thick- 
 ness of a sixpence. A piece of one inch and a half 
 " , square is sufficient for a cask of white wine contain- 
 * 6*4k i n g 50 gallons. 
 
 On returning from visiting the cellar of old wines, 
 which is under the other, I found one of M. Richard's 
 sons in the office, who had been 12 months in Eng- 
 land, and spoke English very correctly. He took me 
 to visit one of the largest proprietors of the part of 
 the hill of Hermitage, which produces the best wines. 
 We found him at home, and walked with him to two 
 of his vineyards. The hill of Hermitage is so called 
 from an ancient hermitage, the ruins of which are 
 still in existence near its top. It was inhabited by 
 hermits till within the last 100 years. The hill, though 
 of considerable height, is not of great extent ; the 
 whole front which looks to the south may contain 300
 
 HERMITAGE. 107 
 
 acres, but of this, though the whole is under vines, 
 the lower part is too rich to yield those of the best 
 quality, and a part near the top is too cold to bring its 
 produce to perfect maturity. Even of the middle 
 region, the whole extent does not produce the finest 
 wines. M. Machon, the gentleman whose property 
 we were traversing, pointed out to me the direction 
 in which a belt of calcareous soil crossed the ordinary 
 granitic soil of the mountain, and he said it requires the 
 grapes of these different soils to be mixed, in order to 
 produce the "finest quality of Hermitage. I took home 
 a portion of the soil which he pointed out as calcareous, 
 and the degree of effervescence which took place 
 on my pouring vinegar upon it, indicated the presence 
 of a considerable portion of lime. It is probably to 
 this peculiarity that the wine of Hermitage owes its 
 superiority ; for to all appearance many of the neigh- 
 bouring hills on both sides of the Rhone present situa- 
 tions equally favourable, although the wine produced 
 even upon the best of them never rises to above half 
 value of the former, and in general not to the 
 *** fourth of their value. A good deal may also be attri- 
 _. butable to the selection of plants. The best red wines 
 of Hermitage are made exclusively from one variety, 
 ;md the white wines from two varieties ; but in the 
 istrict generally a much greater number of varieties 
 cultivated. The Red Grape is named the Ciras.* 
 white varieties are the Rousette and the Marsan. 
 The former yields by itself a dry and spirituous wine, 
 which easily affects the head ; the plant produces indif- 
 ferently. The latter yields a sweeter wine. They are 
 mixed together to produce the best white Hermitage. 
 The labour bestowed upon these vineyards is im- 
 mense. According to M. Machon, on their first plan- 
 tation, and every time the plantation is renewed, the 
 
 * In the CEnologie Franraise, a very minute and correct account of the 
 French vineyards, published in 1826, the name of this grape is spelt Scyras ; 
 and it is stated that, according to the tradition of the neighbourhood, the 
 plant was originally brought from Shiraz in Persia, by one of the hermits 
 of the mountain.
 
 108 VINEYARDS OF HERMITAGE. 
 
 soil is dug to the depth of 4 or 5 feet. In most places 
 it is also supported by terraces. This was the first 
 place, in the course of my journey, in which I observed 
 any supports given to the vines ; but these were simply 
 a stake of about five feet in height to each plant, 
 and the shoots were tied together at its top ; for 
 from the care indicated by the small trellis of the 
 Medoc vineyards, this part of the labour seemed to be 
 performed in the rudest possible manner. M. Ma- 
 chon informed me that the vines require constant at- 
 tention to keep them in bearing, and whenever a vine 
 is observed to be weak, or to yield a poor crop, it is 
 dug out, and its place supplied by a promn from the 
 strongest vine in its neighbourhood. I saw this ope- 
 ration commenced and completed. A vine which ap- 
 peared weaker than the rest was dug out, and a trench 
 of about two or two and half feet deep was opened 
 up between it and the nearest vine in the adjoining 
 row. This vine bore three vigorous shoots ; the stock 
 was carefully bent down till it was laid fiat along the 
 bottom of the trench ; a quantity of dung was next put. 
 over it, and then some soil ; of the three shoots, the least, 
 favourable from its inclination was cut off, one of the 
 two remaining was bent back to the original position of 
 the stock, and there fixed by the covering in of the soil ; 
 the other, in like manner, was bent in the opposite 
 direction to fill the place of the plant which was dug 
 out. It is evident that this is a very different process 
 from that of filling a vacant space by bending the 
 shoot of an adjoining vine into the ground till it issues 
 at the place where it is intended to grow, and after- 
 wards, when it has acquired sufficient strength, cut- 
 ting off its connexion with the original ; the stock 
 actually became the root of two distinct vines, and 
 their connexion is never destroyed. This process 
 had taken place with a considerable portion of the 
 vines this season, and a portion of them are annu- 
 ally treated thus : Into each trench was put rather 
 a large basket full of stable dung, mixed with soil. 
 On my expressing great surprise that dung should be
 
 VINEYARDS OP HERMITAGE. 109 
 
 used at all in a vineyard of such reputation, as I had 
 always understood, that though it added to the quan- 
 tity of the wine, it injured its quality, and often gave 
 it a bad flavour, the proprietor said, that without fre- 
 quent and strong manuring the vines would scarcely 
 yield any thing ; and that provided horse or sheep dung 
 only were used, there was no danger of its giving the 
 wine a bad flavour, though the contrary was the case 
 if the dung of cows, and still more that of pigs, were 
 made use of. M. Machon gave me 12 cuttings, the 
 number I requested, of each of the three varieties of * '&%,* 
 vines. He strictly charged the vigneron to select 1 ** 
 them from young vines; he said it was with the 
 greatest difficulty they could get the vines to last 30 
 years, and they would not last more than half of that ^ 
 time, if they were not taken from young vines, that is, ^ 
 from vines of five or six years. The vines of Hermitage 
 are planted at the distance of only 2^ feet from each 
 other, and are pruned differently from any I have be- 
 fore observed. They are not anxious to keep the 
 stocks low, as in the south, but many of the older 
 9 /among them are 18 inches, or two feet in height. In f i 
 
 ineral there is only one mother branch, and one shoot //**** 
 only (very seldom two) is pruned to yield the shoots 
 of the season ; on this shoot are left from 3 to 8 buds, 
 according to its strength, and from 8 to 10 bunches 
 is the average produce of each vine. However loose- (<r- 
 ly the bearing wood of the season appeared to be tied ' 
 tip in a tuft at the top of the stake, M. Machon showed 
 me that the portion which had been left of the last 
 year's wood was carefully bent down in a circular 
 form, and thus fixed to the stake. This, he said, was 
 to prevent the sap from shooting up with too great 
 force to the top. The average produce of M. Ma- ^ 
 chon's vineyards is from 10 to 12 casks, or about 50 
 gallons per hectare ; that is, from 210 to 260 gallons 
 per English acre. The soil appeared to be of great 
 depth, and full of small stones and gravel, but still 
 there was every where a large proportion of good 
 vegetable mould. An observation made by M. Ma- 
 10
 
 110 COTE D ? OK, 
 
 chon was, that the wines of granitic soils soon ac- 
 -w- quired their maturity, and were in general very plea- 
 sant wines for the consumption of the country where 
 they grew, but seldom kept well. 
 
 Before parting, M. Richard asked me how I had 
 in general been treated by his countrymen, and he ap- 
 peared much gratified when I told him that the atten- 
 tions I had uniformly met with far exceeded either 
 what I did expect, or had any right to expect. Indeed, 
 I have often reflected how ill placed was the reserve 
 I was advised to use about the objects of my journey, 
 when in the Bordeaux country in 1822. I was then 
 told, that if these were known, it would excite the 
 greatest jealousy wherever I should go, and that I 
 would be thwarted and misled in every possible way. 
 On the present occasion I had no advisers ; and acting 
 upon the impulse of my own disposition, I uniformly 
 prefaced my request for information with a statement 
 of the object for which it was required. So far, how- 
 ever, from having been in any one instance ill received 
 or misled, I have found every person to whom I 
 applied anxious to forward my undertaking. M. Ri- 
 chard expressed a hope, that if I published an account 
 of my journey, I would give his countrymen the cre- 
 dit to which I considered them entitled. 
 
 Wednesday, 14th December, Beaune. After quit- 
 ting the vineyards of Hermitage, there was nothing 
 which I was desirous of examining, till my arrival in 
 Burgundy, and I accordingly made the best of my 
 way to this town, which is in the centre of the Cote. 
 d'Or. Spending only one day in Lyons, which was 
 still in a state of ferment from the disturbances that 
 had taken place three weeks before, the road from 
 Chalons sur Saone, whence I took my departure this 
 morning, and Chagny, a small town, where com- 
 mences the range of hills called Cote d'Or, was crowd- 
 ed with people driving cattle and pigs ; a gentleman 
 who was with me in the diligence said they were 
 going to a fair at Chagny. 1 observed a number of 
 very fine working oxen, in pairs ; they were yoked
 
 CJOTE D'OR. Ill 
 
 by tlie head, and appeared perfectly docile. My com- 
 panion said they were worth from 300 to 400 francs a 
 pair. I had a letter of introduction addressed to Rul- 
 ly, near Beaune, and I never doubted that I should find 
 it within a mile of that town. On making inquiry, how- 
 ever, in which direction I must proceed, I was in- 
 formed that Rully was 13 or 14 miles distant, and 
 that I had passed it by on the road from Chalons. Af- 
 ter some hesitation, I resolved, as the weather was 
 extremely wet, to content my self with seeing the vine- 
 yards nearer Dijon, to which town I had also a letter. 
 After waiting a couple of hours in hopes of better wea- 
 ther, I procured a boy to conduct me in the direction 
 of Pornard, the nearest vineyard to Beaune which has 
 any celebrity. After leaving the town, however, for 
 about half a mile, I became tired of walking through 
 the mud, which was in many places ankle deep, and 
 turned aside to join some men who were at work on 
 the road-side. The first thing which had struck me 
 on seeing the vineyards of Burgundy, was the ex- 
 ireme closeness and feebleness of the plants. These 
 men were employed in planting. They opened a small 
 furrow with a spade, only one spit, or about 12 inches 
 deep, and about 9 inches wide at the bottom. The fur- 
 rows were 2^feet apart, and the plants were placed in 
 them at the distance of 14 or 1 5 inches ; the lower end of 
 the plant was placed across the bottom of ihe furrow, 
 and bent up at one side; a quantity of dung was 
 placed above, and then the soil was covered in, and 
 the plantation finished. They told me that after these 
 vines were three years old, the strongest of them 
 would be selected to fill another row between each 
 of the present row, by the system of provignage, the 
 same as I had seen at Hermitage; and thus a space 
 of 15 inches only would be left between each plant 
 in every direction. The vines adjoining had not more 
 space allowed, although the soil appeared exceedingly 
 fertile. They said it would yield a good ordinary wine, 
 but not a fine wine.
 
 112 BEAUNE, 
 
 The plain between Chagny and Beaune, lying to 
 the southeast of the range of hills, which, from 
 the value of their produce, give the name of Cote 
 d'Or to the department, is extremely rich, and to all 
 appearance capable of yielding golden harvests of 
 corn, as the hills do of wine. The greater portion of 
 it, however, was planted with vines on both sides of 
 the road. Near Chagny it appeared lighter, with 
 u larger admixture of stones, and on approaching 
 Beaune, it was a rich brown loam. A portion of the 
 soil taken from where the men were planting was 
 very slightly calcareous. Towards the top, the range 
 of hills, which are of no great elevation, not nearly 
 so high or so steep as Hermitage, was not planted, but 
 seemed to be in a state of nature, or in pasturage. 
 The hill of Hermitage was planted to the top. 
 
 Thursday, 15th December, Dijon. Having joined 
 the diligence at ten last night, I arrived here at three 
 this morning. After breakfast I proceeded to the 
 house of the merchants to whom i had brought a let- 
 ter from Marseilles, but found they were both from 
 home ; neither was there any person belonging to 
 eir establishment who could in any way forward 
 y views. I applied to the innkeeper ; and after tell- 
 ing him the object of my journey, inquired if he were 
 acquainted with any of the proprietors of the best 
 vineyards. He said yes ; that he could give me the 
 address of a proprietor at Gevray, and also of the 
 proprietor of the Clos Vougeot. The day was, how- 
 ever, too far spent to proceed to either of these places. 
 I therefore walked through the mud to the nearest 
 vineyards, and entered into conversation with some 
 of the people whom I found employed in them. The 
 place I visited was a gentle slope, with a southeast 
 exposure. The soil seemed good, and at the same 
 time perfectly loose and full of gravel. It belonged 
 to the mayor of the town, and produced, the man 
 said, a fine wine ; by which term the French charac- 
 terize, generally, those wines which are drunk pure 
 k '' in wine glasses, in contradistinction to those
 
 DIJON. 113 
 
 which are drunk in tumblers mixed with water at 
 their ordinary meals. If, however, I had sought a 
 reason for the wine not having a high name, I might 
 perhaps have found it in the quantity of strong dung he 
 was adding to the soil, and to the mixture of different 
 kinds of vines, the infamous gam, as it is sometimes 
 called, holding a considerable place. He was busily 
 employed in the provignage, which seems almost the 
 only work going on at present. He had commenced 
 the same morning, and had dug about twenty trenches, 
 three or four feet long by about two feet wide. In 
 each of these were half a dozen provins ; that is, the 
 ends of the shoots which belonged to the stock that 
 had been buried in the trench. These trenches are 
 never more than half filled, as the shoots are never 
 sufficiently long to come up to the level of the surface. 
 From this circumstance the whole of the vineyards 
 of Burgundy are full of these holes at irregular dis- 
 tances, and have a very rugged and unworkmanlike 
 appearance. I remained while he completed two of 
 these trenches, and he endeavoured to explain to me 
 the process ; but all that I could comprehend was, 
 that the shoots were so disposed as to preserve the 
 alignment, although it would have been very difficult 
 to point out which way the alignment lay. * For this 
 purpose the stocks and roots were twisted, and the 
 different plants laid across each other in every pos- 
 sible direction. At a little further distance, another 
 man was employed in rooting out a vineyard, which 
 he said had been neglected some years before, and 
 which it had been found impossible to reduce to order. 
 The plants were literally crowded to such a degree, 
 that it was almost impossible to set down the foot 
 without treading upon some of them. Before it should 
 be again planted with vines, it would, he said, be laid 
 down for three or four years with sainfoin. This is a 
 common preparation of the soil for vines in this district, 
 and seems to be almost considered equivalent to a 
 trenching. He said that, for a poor man, the gamt, or as 
 it was generally called, the large plant, was undoubt-
 
 _4 A J[ 
 
 114 COTE1>'OR. 
 
 edly the best kind of vine, the quantity it yielded was 
 so much greater than the other ; and, to a poor man, 
 the quality was not so much an object, for the large 
 proprietors and merchants would never acknowledge 
 his wine to be a fine one, and it was very difficult to 
 sell it for a high price, however good. He said that, 
 [n that soil, the large plant would yield eight pieces 
 of wine on a plot of ground 78 paces by 24, (the extent 
 of that he was working.) This is little more than the 
 third of an acre, and is more than 1000 gallons per 
 English acre. It would require, he said, to be occa- 
 sionally manured. The manure gave a slight flavour 
 to the wine for the first season only ; but as only a 
 part of the ground was manured each season, the 
 bad flavour of the part was not observed in the 
 whole. The soil of this vineyard effervesced very 
 strongly with an acid. 
 
 Friday, 16th December. Having engaged a cabrio- 
 let from the maitre d'hotd, I proceeded at an early 
 hour this morning for Gevray and Clos Vougeot. It 
 was a retracing of part of the road by which I had 
 arrived from Beaune. The appearance of the range 
 of hills is almost in every respect similar to what it 
 was from Chagny to Beaune, but towards the top it 
 was more generally covered with wood. On both 
 sides of the road the soil also appears similar, but on 
 the north side it is in most places evidently too moist 
 for the vine, and is under cultivation with corn. The 
 young wheat looks healthy .and vigorous, but is not 
 nearly so far advanced as in the south. The country 
 is thickly peopled along the whole range of the Cote 
 d'Or. There are said to be fifty villages between 
 Dijon and Beaune, a distancs of twenty-six miles. 
 Some of these villages are of very considerable ex- 
 tent, and the houses are in general large, and all 
 whitewashed and in good order. 
 
 The village of Gevray is about five miles from 
 Dijon. In its immediate neighbourhood is the small 
 vineyard of Chambertin, as well as several others 
 which yield wines scarcely inferior, though less known
 
 J 
 
 GEVRAY AND CHAMBERTIN. 115 
 
 to fame. The person to whom my guide was desired 
 to take me, was a merchant as well as a proprietor. 
 He said he would, with the greatest pleasure, give 
 me all the information in his power, and he made 
 some general remarks upon the requisites which must 
 concur to afford a good wine. But he said that the 
 postillion had informed him that he was also directed 
 to take me to the Clos Vougeot, where I would find 
 the confidential manager of M. Ouvrard, the proprie- 
 tor, who could explain much better not only the ma- 
 nagement of the vineyard, but the making of the wine, 
 for it was the largest and best managed vineyard in 
 Burgundy. In the mean time, as I had expressed a 
 desire to see Chambertin, he procured a vigneron, 
 who, he said, was a very intelligent man, and would 
 conduct me to it. Chambertin lay in the direction of 
 Vougeot, but by a very bad road. The land under 
 vines is in general very much subdivided throughout 
 France, but here the properties are of less extent than 
 anywhere I have been. Five or six proprietors often 
 divide among them a piece of ground not exceeding 
 an acre in extent, and the usual extent of most of the 
 separate properties is not more than half an acre. 
 The vigneron said that the wine produced to the left 
 of the by-road we were travelling was inferior to that 
 on the right, which was higher and drier. We turned 
 off into the vineyard of Chambertin, which in extent 
 cannot exceed 15 or 20 acres ; but this, like most 
 other parts of the district, is subdivided among a 
 number of proprietors. The vignerons were at work 
 on most of the divisions, which are only made by a 
 footpath, or an irregularity in the plantation. The 
 soil of Chambertin varies extremely, even in the dis- 
 tance of 100 yards ; that nearest the road is of a 
 brown loam of sufficient consistency, but full of gravel, 
 and consequently very friable. The gravel consists 
 of small broken' pieces of the whitish limestone, of 
 which the hill is partly formed. At the highest limit 
 to which the ground has been broken up, it is a light 
 coloured clayish looking soil, with a subsoil of marl,
 
 116 COTE D'OR. 
 
 and abundance of small shells. Both of these soils 
 effervesced strongly with an acid, but the light colour- 
 ed evidently contains a far greater proportion of lime. 
 The soils of Beze, another first rate vineyard of the 
 commune of Gevray, was exactly similar to that of 
 the lower part of Chambertin. A league further on, 
 the middle part of the Clos Vougeot was as nearly as 
 possible the same ; but the lowest part of that vine- 
 yard is almost a pure clay, of a dark yellow colour, 
 without any admixture of calcareous matter whatever. 
 From what I had previously observed at Dijon on the 
 one side, and Beaune on the other, I have no doubt that 
 the same character applies, with trifling variations, to 
 the whole range of the Cote d'Or. Nearest the top 
 the soil contains a larger proportion of lime, and this 
 in general yields the driest and best wine. On de- 
 scending, the clay begins to predominate, and the 
 wine gradually falls off in quality til! it becomes the 
 vin ordinaire of the country. By dint of frequent 
 observations and repeated questions, I conceive that 
 I at last perfectly understand the system of provig- 
 nage. To .make it plain, suppose a small portion of 
 ground to be annually planted with vines. At the 
 end of ten or a dozen years, a number of the plants, 
 in the portion first planted, become weak and worn 
 out. These weak plants are removed, and their 
 places filled by provins from their stronger neigh- 
 bours ; but these provins are not mere layers which 
 leave the stock exactly as before. The whole space 
 of ground, generally the breadth of two rows of 
 plants, is dug out to the depth of about two feet ; the 
 old stock is then laid flat down in the bottom of the 
 trench, and the branches, that is, the wood last pro- 
 duced, are twisted and bent into the places where 
 the voids are to be filled. The stock is thus con- 
 verted int the root of two or three different plants ; 
 it throws out fibres from every side, which henceforth 
 yield the nourishment to the plants, and the old root 
 dies off. I observed some spots where all the plants 
 had been too weak, and a colony of young plants, as
 
 GEVRAY AND CHAMBERTIN. 11? 
 
 it was called, had been introduced, which would be 
 employed in peopling their neighbourhood when they 
 had acquired sufficient strength. The provignage 
 extends irregularly over the whole vineyard, but most, 
 or all, of the plants are thus buried, and renewed 
 once in 12 or 14 years ; and thus the whole is in 
 constant state of bearing, (the provins yielding a crop 
 the first year,) and it is seldom necessary to introduce 
 young vines. All of the small proprietors manure 
 their vines with strong stable dung ; they make no 
 distinction between that of horses and that of cows. 
 
 After quitting the vineyard of Chamber tin, I rejoined 
 the cabriolet, and after recovering the main road, pro- 
 ceeded to Clos Vougeot. This vineyard formerly be- 
 longed to a convent, and the buildings are therefore 
 rather extensive. What was the old vineyard is en- 
 closed by a high stone wall ; but M. Ouvrard, the 
 present proprietor, has also acquired a considerable 
 portion of the land without the wall, and the present 
 extent of the Clos Vougeot is therefore 48 hectares, 
 112| English acres. 
 
 I mentioned to the steward of M. Ouvrard, my dis- 
 appointment regarding my letters of introduction, and 
 my having resolved in consequence to trust to the good 
 nature of the proprietor of Clos Vougeot for a friendly 
 reception. He replied, very heartily, that I had done 
 well. He conducted me over the cellars where the 
 wines are made, and subsequently over those where I 
 they are kept, explaining the whole process pursued in 
 making the wine, and answering all my questions with 
 great exactness. The first cellar forms a square, or 4- '# 
 rather consists of four parallelograms, enclosing a^***,^ 
 square. In each of the four corners is a large square /v> > 
 case, or trough, about 12 feet in diameter ; and above *v A^j 
 this an immense lever, worked by a wooden screw, 
 similar to those I had seen for pressing the olives in 
 Spain. Along the walls, on each side, are arranged 
 the fermenting vats, which are each of the capacity of 
 18 hogsheads. The vintage is, in general, soon over, 
 M. Ouvrard employing often from 4QO to 450 vinta^
 
 118 COTE D'OR. 
 
 gers at the same time. For the red wine, the grapes 
 as they are brought in are thrown into the large cases 
 or troughs above described, and there trodden by a 
 number of men, with large wooden shoes, till the 
 grapes are nearly all broken. They are then taken 
 up in baskets, with interstices wide enough to allow 
 the grapes to pass through, when a portion of the 
 stalks, generally about two thirds, are taken out. If 
 the whole of the stalks were taken out, the quality of 
 the wine, as has been repeatedly proved, would be 
 inferior. The whole is then put into the vat into which 
 4116 must, as it ran from the treading, had been pre- 
 ^^yiously carried. With the number of people employ- 
 ed, it requires a very short period to fill a vat. A 
 space of about 12 inches is left unfilled at the top, and 
 a sliding lid is then put over, which floats upon the 
 surface, As soon as the fermentation becomes violent, 
 the swelling of the mass lifts the lid to the height of 
 six inches above the mouth of the vat. As, however, 
 the skins and the stalks had previously risen to the 
 surface, none of the liquor escapes. A very small 
 space, formed by the looseness of the lid, is considered 
 sufficient to allow the gas to escape, until the rising of 
 the lid allows a greater space. And it is perhaps ow- 
 ing to the confinement of the gas that the lid is raised 
 to such a height. If the weather had been very warm 
 when the grapes were gathered, and still continues 
 4i'Jw t * varm ' wn il e tne fermentation is going forward, the 
 wine is soon made. The fermentation is sometimes 
 over in 30 hours ; at other times it continues 10, 12, 
 and even 15 days. The best wine is always produced 
 from the most rapid fermentation. When the fermen- 
 tation slackens, the liquor begins to subside, and when 
 it is entirely over, sinks within the top of the vat, but 
 not so low as when the vat was first filled ; for the marc, 
 or, in other words, the stalks and skins, are completely 
 separated from the liquor, and float upon the top. 
 
 As soon as it is known, by the subsiding of the head, 
 and by the taste and examination of the wine, that the 
 fermentation has ceased, the wine is drawn off into
 
 CLOS VOUGEOT. 119 
 
 large vats, which contain about 700 gallons each. 
 Every three or four months it is pumped, by means of 
 the siphon and bellows, into another vat of the same 
 dimension, when a man enters by the small opening 
 left in the end of the vats, and washes out, with a brush 
 and cold water, any lees which may have been deposit- 
 ed. The Burgundy of the Clos Vougeot receives no 
 other preparation, and it is treated in this manner as 
 often as may be judged requisite, till it is disposed of. 
 They commence selling it when three and four years 
 old, but the wine of very favourable seasons is retained 
 by the proprietor till it is ten or a dozen years old, when 
 it is bottled, and sold at the rate of six francs a bottle. 
 The price of the wine of ordinary vintages, from three 
 to four years old, is from 500 to 600 francs the hogs- 
 head, but seasons occasionally occur when the wine is 
 not better than the vin ordinaire of the country. The 
 wine of 1824 was given to the labourers as their ordi- 
 nary drink ; that of 1825 is now ripening in the large 
 vats, and will be worth, in three or four years more, six 
 francs a bottle. The wine has been found by expe- 
 rience to be of better quality, and to preserve its 
 perfume better, in these large vats than in casks. 
 
 For making the white wine, the process here, as 
 elsewhere, is different. The grapes are pressed with- 
 out being trodden ; the must, as it flows from the 
 press, is conveyed to the small casks, where it is left 
 to ferment, the casks being occasionally filled up to 
 allow the scum to escape. The fermentation of the 
 white wine lasts from 10 to 15, or even 20 days. At 
 the end of three weeks, or a month, the white wine is 
 drawn off the gross lees which it has deposited, into 
 clean casks. In the spring it is again drawn off into 
 sulphured casks. M. L'Ecrivain, M. Ouvrard's stew- 
 ard, knows the use of spirit of wine instead of sul- 
 phur, but they use the latter from economical motives ; 
 the sulphur for a cask costs only a sous, the alcohol 
 to produce the same effect would cost six sous. They 
 do not find that the sulphur tastes the wine. They 
 are getting rid of the white grapes in the Clos Vougeot,
 
 120 COTJ3 D'O. 
 
 for the vines not only produce less, but the price of 
 white wine never rises so high as the red wines. It 
 is no uncommon thing for a hogshead of the latter to 
 bring from 1,'^50 to 1,500 francs, but the white wine 
 never rises above 600 francs the hogshead. The ave- 
 J- ^ rage produce of the Clos Vougeot, that is to say, the 
 ^ ^average of twenty years, is about 100 queues, of two 
 '*? f ' hogsheads each, or about eight hogsheads per hec- 
 144 g3* tare, something less than 3| hogsheads per English 
 > -%<* acre. They never manure the vines, and they have no 
 other varieties of the black grape than the Pineau, or 
 of the white, than the White Pineau, and the Chaude- 
 nay, which resembles it so much that the two kinds 
 are confounded. M. L'Ecrivain said, that if he knew 
 of a plant of the game in the vineyard, he/would have 
 it immediately dug out. Every year they carry up 
 a quantity of the strong soil from the bottom of the 
 vineyard, which, as before observed, consists of a yel- 
 low clay, to mix with the lighter soil of the higher 
 part. They also mix the wine produced on the higher 
 part of the vineyard with what is produced at the 
 bottom, to make a perfect wine. The wine of the 
 higher part is by itself too dry and spirituous, and 
 requires the mixture from the lower part to give it 
 body. The substratum is in some places marl, and 
 in other places decayed (pourri) roek. The cultiva- 
 tion is much the same as described for Chambertin. 
 M. D'Ecrivain considers that the vineyard is .of the 
 proper degree of fulness when the plants are fifteen 
 inches apart in every direction. In the course of 
 from 12 to 15 years, all the plants in the vineyard will 
 undergo the process of provignage ; but the winter be- 
 fore last appears, from all accounts, to have injured 
 the vines exceedingly, and they are every where dig- 
 ging out many of them which have not recovered from 
 the effects of the frost. M. Ouvrard, the proprietor 
 of Clos Vougeot, also possesses a portion of Cham- 
 bertin, and it is probable that to this circumstance the 
 latter is indebted for being brought into notice ; for it 
 appears to me indubitable that it only requires similar
 
 ,. CHAMPAGNE. 121 
 
 treatment to make a very large portion of the Cote 
 d'Or produce wines equal to those of Vougeot and 
 Chambertin. But it requires a large capital to effect 
 this, and a knowledge of commerce to make it pro- 
 fitable ; and the smaller proprietors appear in gene- 
 ral to endeavour to make up by the quantity, for what 
 they sacrifice in the quality, of their wines. From 
 other accounts I am inclined to believe that the pro- 
 duce of a vineyard planted with the gamt, and ma- 
 nured, as stated to me at Dijon, viz. about 1000 gal- 
 lons per English acre, was not much exaggerated. 
 After having received from M. L'Ecrivain a small 
 bundle of each of the kinds of vines cultivated in the 
 Clos Vougeot, and thanking him for his kindness, I 
 took my leave, and arrived at Dijon at rather a late 
 hour. 
 
 Wednesday, 21st December, Rheims. After hav- 
 ing quitted the Cote d'Or, the seat of the famous vine- 
 yards of Burgundy, there appeared little to be worthy 
 of my attention till I should reach Champagne ; and I 
 therefore made the best of my way for this town, the 
 centre of the district, in as far at least as the chief 
 trade in Champagne wines is concentrated there. For 
 the last two days I had travelled through a bare, un- 
 interesting country, consisting almost exclusively of a 
 chalk subsoil, with a thin layer of vegetable mould 
 on the surface. After quitting Dijon, few vines were 
 to be seen till after having passed Chalons-sur-Marne, 
 between which and Rheims are situated the Sillery 
 vineyards, which produce the famous still wines of 
 that name. The range of hills lies to the left of the 
 road, and has an eastern exposure, in some places 
 even to the north of east. The small town of Sillery 
 is three or four miles from the nearest of them. Du- 
 ring part of the journey from Dijon to Rheims, I tra- 
 velled in company with an officer of artillery, who 
 had gone to Algiers with the expedition, and had only 
 returned to France about a month before. The French 
 colony there remains almost stationary ; owing to the 
 insecurity of the settlers, there is little or no emigra- 
 11
 
 122 RHEIMS. 
 
 tion. There are now 1,500 French troops in the 
 country, and it would require not fewer than 40,000 
 to protect the settlers within 25 miles of Algiers. Al- 
 lotments of land are only made to actual labourers., 
 and not to a greater extent than from 8 to 20 acres 
 each, and there is generally also a house and garden. 
 The land granted by the French government was the 
 property of those who abandoned their homes on the 
 French taking possession ; those Xvho remained were 
 undisturbed in their property. There are also exten- 
 sive domains which belonged to the dey or the go- 
 vernment. Merino sheep are plentiful, and in large 
 flocks ; the mutton is excellent. Beef is riot so good. 
 The French have made excellent wine from very de- 
 licious grapes. The civil courts of justice are still 
 preserved as before, and the same officers employed. 
 The same taxes are also raised, but they are of tri- 
 fling amount. Most of the emigrants, including Swiss. 
 Germans, Italians, and a few Spaniards, have be- 
 come dealers, leaving to the Bedouins the cultivation 
 of their land. The hostile Bedouins come down upon 
 the outposts in bands of 15,000 or 20,000, but they 
 cannot withstand the attacks of a small body of dis- 
 ciplined troops. 
 
 The very eminent wine house of Messrs. Ruinart 
 and Son, of itheims, are agents for Herries, Farquhar 
 and Co.'s notes. Having called upon them to cash 
 one of these, M. Ruinart, junior, conducted me over 
 their wine cellars, which are very extensive, and all 
 subterranean, consisting of three under-ground stores, 
 one beneath another, all mined out of the limestone 
 rock. The wine which has received the last atten- 
 tions which it requires, and is ready for expediting 
 to the consumer, is packed in large square masses, 
 bottle above bottle, and side by side, with no other 
 precaution to keep them steady than a lath passing 
 along between the necks of one layer and the butts of 
 the next layer above. They generally send the wine 
 to the consumer at the age of three and four years, 
 but after the first winter, it is all put in bottle. The
 
 JBJI RHEIMS. 123 
 
 stock, therefore, appears immense, and, indeed, it is 
 very large, for not only are different qualities required, 
 but also different descriptions, to suit the varying tastes 
 of their customers in England, America, and Russia, 
 to which countries Messrs. Ruinart make their chief 
 exports. A gentleman, with whom I travelled, told me 
 he could buy very good sound Champagne at Chalons 
 for two francs a bottle, and was then going to purchase 
 100 bottles at that price ; but respectable wine mer- 
 chants never send any to England under three 
 francs a bottle. What is sent to England is more spi- 
 rituous, and froths more strongly than what is sold for 
 domestic consumption. The greatest and most mi- 
 nute attentions are necessary in preparing Champagne. 
 The casks in which it ferments, after running from 
 the press, are previously sulphured,' to prevent the 
 fermentation from proceeding to too great a length. 
 It is twice clarified during the winter, and in the 
 month of March, before the return of spring has re- 
 newed the fermentation, it is bottled off. When in 
 this state the bottles are placed in frames, diagonally, 
 xvith their heads downwards. The lees are thus col- 
 lected in the neck of the bottle ; but they do not consi- 
 der it necessary to uncork the bottles as soon as the 
 wine is perfectly clear, nor is it considered that there 
 is any danger of the wine spoiling if the return of 
 warm weather should cause a recommencement of 
 the fermentation, and remix the lees through the 
 wine. On the contrary, they sometimes allow the lees 
 to remain to ripen, as they term it, longer than usual. 
 The wine, in general, remains in this state till the fol- 
 lowing winter ; each bottle is then placed in a frame, 
 and carefully uncorked. The contents of the neck of 
 the bottle are emptied. It is filled up from another 
 bottle of the same wine, and being recorked, only now 
 requires age to give it all the perfection it is capable 
 of. It of course often happens, that the wine has 
 either undergone less than the usual fermentation, or, 
 being stronger than usual, requires a greater fermen- 
 tation before being put into bottles ; and it consequent-
 
 124 CHAMPAGNE. 
 
 ly happens that the fermentation in the bottles is 
 greater than they can bear, and that a large propor- 
 tion of them burst during the first summer. The floors 
 of the wine cellars are all covered with grooves slo- 
 ping to a gutter, by which the wine which has burst the 
 bottles is conveyed to a cistern in the floor ; and as 
 there is most perfect cleanliness observed, a part of 
 the wine is thus sometimes saved. 
 
 M. Ruinart, junior, is a large proprietor of vines 
 at Ay, where the first qualities of frothing Cham- 
 pagne are made, and to this place he strongly recom- 
 mended my proceeding, in order to have the most 
 view of the vineyards of Champagne, of 
 which, he said, the cultivation was every where near- 
 ly similar, although conducted at different places with 
 ' more or less care. He says the ordinary produce of 
 his own vineyards is from 10 to 12 pieces, of about 
 46 gallons per arpent, which is about a 25th part 
 more than an English acre ; that is, from 440 to 530 
 gallons per English acre. Having determined on 
 visiting Ay, M. Ruinart gave me a letter to his mana- 
 ger, but he said he expected him next day at Rheims, 
 and would give him full instructions on seeing him. 
 
 Thursday, 22d December. At six o'clock this 
 morning I joined the voiture for Epernay, where I 
 arrived at eleven o'clock. After breakfast I imme- 
 diately proceeded to Ay, intending to return the next 
 day also to meet the agent of M. Ruinart, should I 
 not be satisfied with the information I might procure 
 in his absence. Ay is a small town on the right bank 
 of the river Marne, a little higher up than Epernay, 
 which is situated on the left bank. On both sides of 
 the river there is a range of chalky hills, but separated 
 also by a very beautiful meadow about a mile in 
 width. These hills are of no great elevation, and are 
 more or less steep, but in no place is the soil required 
 to be supported by terraces. The range of hills 
 above the town of Ay is exposed to the full south, 
 except where the exposure is varied by recesses in 
 the range ; it consequently produces wine of the
 
 EPERNAY AND AY. 125 
 
 finest quality, and very superior to that of Epernay, 
 which is produced on hills exposed to the north. I 
 walked through the meadow with great difficulty and 
 labour, the road being almost impassable in some 
 places, owing to the depth of the mud. On arriving 
 at Ay, I delivered my letter to Madam Hazart, the 
 wife of M. Ruinart's manager, and expressed my 
 doubts whether I should return the next day. She 
 immediately called the maitre vigneron to proceed 
 with me to the vineyard, and another to obtain the 
 plants which the letter expressed my wish to procure. 
 The depth of soil, before reaching the chalk on the 
 hill of Ay, is, in most places, according to the report 
 of the vigneron, 10 to 15 feet ; nor is he aware of any 
 difference being^ 'occasioned in the quality of the wine 
 when the chalkNcomes nearer the surface, which hap- 
 pens a little farther to the east, where they also make 
 wines of the first quality. The soil is strongly cal- 
 careous, full of small pieces of chalk, and of stones. 
 Near the top of the hill the soil is more argillaceous 
 and stronger than towards the bottom ; and this, in 
 some degree, affects the quality of the wine, but not 
 in a great degree. The great difference is caused by 
 difference in exposure, that to the south producing 
 uniformly the best ; where the soil is the same from 
 the top to the bottom, the middle region of the hill is 
 still the most valuable, for it is less subject to the in- 
 juries which early frosts frequently occasion in the 
 lower region, and enjoys in general a warmer sun, 
 especially towards the close of the season, tha the 
 top. When the season has been extremely fine and 
 warm from beginning to end, the wine of the higher 
 and lower regions of the hill equals that of the middle 
 region. If I was struck with the closeness of the 
 plants in Burgundy, the closeness of these was more 
 remarkable still. The vigneron said, that if it were 
 possible to keep the vineyard fully furnished with 
 plants, there would be one for each 8 or 9 inches in 
 length, by 6 or 7 in breadth. The supposition which 
 1 made to illustrate the mode of provignage in Bur- 
 11*
 
 1 26 CHAMPAGNE. 
 
 gundy is actually realized here. Every year an ad- 
 dition is made to the bottom of the vineyard of a cer- 
 tain number of plants, and the whole of the vines are 
 in a state of continual progression, being buried, and 
 by that means carried 12 or 14 inches up the hill 
 every third year. The process is of course not regu- 
 lar, for in every place there are plants in each stage 
 of the progress which they pass through. According 
 to the number of the voids to be filled, the branches of 
 the stock that is buried are from two to four or five. 
 On each of these branches, when pruned in the spring, 
 are left two buds ; these buds produce branches or 
 shoots, which bear fruit the first year. The next 
 spring three buds are left upon the higher, and two 
 upon the lower of the two shoots, and the spring fol- 
 lowing they are pruned to bear shoots corresponding 
 to the number of voids to be filled in their neighbour- 
 hood, for their turn to be buried has again arrived- 
 By this means, also, a supply of rooted plants is ob- 
 tained when they are required ; but when these root- 
 ed plants are cut off, and planted out, they never bear 
 fruit till the third year. The maitre vigneron said, 
 he believed the roots never die. They frequently 
 trace them to a very great length, but never disturb 
 them, always burying tho others above them. The 
 produce per arpent, he says, sometimes amounts to 
 15 pieces, (660 gallons per acre,) and the small pro- 
 prietors, who manure their vines more strongly, have 
 frequently 16. M. Ruinart himself told me, that he 
 knew instances of four arpents giving 100 pieces, 
 1,100 gallons per acre. The manure is always added 
 to the plants which have been buried ; a handful of 
 earth is first put over the plant, and the manure above. 
 They are, however, extremely cautious as to the 
 quality of the manure. In some places I observed 
 dung from the farm yard mixed with the soil, but in 
 general it was only strong soil from the valley below, 
 mixed with ashes, and other amendments of a mild 
 description. 
 
 I here closed my examination of the vineyards of
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 127 
 
 France, there being no point unexplained of sufficient 
 importance to induce me to wait another day for the 
 purpose of seeing M. Ruinart's steward. Next morn- 
 ing the maitre vigneron brought me three small bun- 
 dles of plants, which, he said, were the only varieties 
 cultivated in the vineyards which produce good wine. 
 The black and white Pineau, according to M. Rui- 
 nart's statement, and as is generally understood, are 
 the varieties of vines cultivated in Champagne, as 
 well as in Burgundy. The vigneron brought me tw r o 
 black varieties, which he called the plant vert, and 
 plant dore, and one white. The plant dore, he said, 
 was introduced into the vineyards of M. Ruinart only 
 a few years ago, and was not common in the coun- 
 try. It is much more productive than the other two 
 varieties. These plants were all rooted, having been 
 cut from stocks that had been buried the preceding 
 season ; they had each two branches, and are sold in 
 the country at the rate of a halfpenny each. These 
 plants were very abundant this season, for a vast 
 number had been destroyed by the severity of the 
 winter 1829-30, audit was necessary to provide plants 
 to replace them. To such an extent were the vine- 
 yards injured during that season, that in some places 
 the quantity of wine produced did not exceed from 2 
 to 3 pieces per arpent. With such difficulties to over- 
 come, the vineyards of Champagne and Burgundy 
 are striking examples of the effects of industry and 
 skill. Nothing can contrast more strongly than the 
 small and puny shoots of the vines of Champagne and 
 Burgundy, compared with the strong and vigorous 
 branches of the vines of Spain ; yet have the care and 
 skill of the cultivators produced, in the former countries, 
 a wine equal in value to the best of those produced 
 in the most favoured climates, and, notwithstanding 
 ail their losses, much more abundant in quantity. 
 
 Having recorded with so much minuteness my ob- 
 servations on every vineyard and district through 
 which I passed, I will avoid adding to the length of 
 this journal by offering many general remarks. I
 
 128 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 cannot, however, refrain from observing, that from 
 the albarizas of Xeres, the most southern vineyards 
 of any reputation in Europe, to those of the chalky 
 hills of Champagne, amongst the most northern, I 
 met with no vineyard producing dry wines of repu- 
 tation, which was not, more or less, calcareous. Al- 
 though it is acknowledged that two thirds of the vine- 
 yards of France are situated upon soil more or less 
 calcareous, by Chaptal, and other writers upon tho 
 subject, they have stated, that provided the soil is 
 porous, free, and light, its component parts are of 
 little consequence ; and they enumerate granitic, 
 schistose, argillaceous, flinty, sandy, and calcareous 
 soils, as equally well qualified to produce, and as act- 
 ually producing, in different parts of France, wines 
 of the finest quality. It appears evident to me, how- 
 ever, that these writers have, in many instances, been 
 misled by the representations which have been trans- 
 mitted to them ; as, for instance, when Chaptal and 
 Cavoleau* cite the wine of Hermitage as an instance 
 of the excellence of wines produced upon the debris 
 of granite ; while the fact is, that the wine of the hill 
 of Hermitage owes its superiority over the wines of 
 the other hills in its neighbourhood only to the cir- 
 cumstance of the granitic soil of a part of that hill 
 being mixed with calcareous matter ; and but for this 
 circumstance, I am satisfied that the wine of Hermit- 
 age would never have been heard of be) r ond the 
 neighbourhood where it grows. I am therefore of 
 opinion, that the finest dry wines owe their superiority 
 chiefly to the quality of the soil ; and I am much mis- 
 taken if it be not found that the soils of all vineyards 
 producing dry wines of superior excellence are strong- 
 ly calcareous. All my observations have led me to 
 this conclusion, and I know of no instance to the con- 
 trary. It will be observed, that I here only speak of 
 dry wines, for sweet wines of great excellence are 
 produced in a variety of soils, and, in fact, owe their 
 
 * (Enologie Francaise,ou Stotistiqne de Tous les Vignobles de France. 
 Parit, 18-J7.
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 129 
 
 qualities more to the variety of the grape, and the 
 manner in which it is treated, than to the soil. The 
 sweet Muscat and Old Mountain wines of Malaga 
 are celebrated all over the world ; but though they 
 have the same varieties of vines at Malaga as at 
 Xeres de la Frontera, and pursue a similar practice 
 in making the wine, the best of their dry wines, pro- 
 duced on a soil consisting of decomposed slaty schist, 
 are insipid and flavourless when compared with the 
 Sherries which are produced on the chalky hills of 
 Xeres. The sweet wine of Rivesaltes, the most cele- 
 brated in France, is produced on a granitic soil cover- 
 ed with pebbles ; and the sweet wines of Cosperon 
 and Collioure, in the same department, are produced 
 on hills; of schist, as nearly as possible resembling 
 those of Malaga. But though the dry wines of both 
 these soils are well known, they are not distinguished 
 for their fineness or flavour. Their excellencies are 
 their strength and rich colour, which make them valua- 
 ble for mixing with the weak and light coloured 
 wines of the ordinary growths of Burgundy and Ma- 
 on, which supply the chief consumption of Paris. 
 
 The limited extent of the first-rate vineyards is pro- 
 verbial ; and writers upon the subject have almost uni- 
 versally concluded that it is in vain to attempt account- 
 ing for the amazing differences which are frequently 
 observed in the produce of vineyards similar in soil, and 
 in every other respect, and separated from each other 
 only by a fence or a footpath. My own observations 
 have led me to believe, that there is more of quackery 
 than of truth in this. In all those districts which pro- 
 duce wines of high reputation, some few individuals 
 have seen the advantage of selecting a particular varie- 
 ty of grape, and of managing its culture so as to bring 
 it to the highest state of perfection of which it is capa- 
 ble. The same care has been extended to the making, 
 and subsequent management of their wine, by seizing 
 the most favourable moment for the vintage, by the 
 rapidity with which the grapes are gathered and 
 pressed, so that the whole contents of each vat may 
 be exactly in the same state, and a simultaneous and
 
 130 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 equal fermentation be secured throughout ; by exer- 
 cising equal discrimination and care in the time and 
 manner of drawing off the wine, and in its subsequent 
 treatment in the vats or casks where it is kept ; and 
 lastly, by not selling the wine till it should have 
 acquired all the perfection which it could acquire 
 from age ; and by selling, as the produce of their own 
 vineyards, only such vintages as were calculated to 
 acquire or maintain its celebrity. By these means 
 have the vineyards of a few individuals acquired a 
 reputation which has enabled the proprietors to com- 
 mand almost their own prices for their wines ; and it 
 was evidently the interest of such persons that the ex- 
 cellence of their wines should be imputed to the pe- 
 culiarity in the soil, rather than to a system of manage- 
 ment which others might imitate. It is evident, how- 
 ever, that for all this a command of capital is required, 
 which is not often found among proprietors of vine- 
 yards ; and to this cause, more than to any other, it 
 is undoubtedly to be traced, that a few celebrated 
 properties have acquired, and maintained, almost a 
 monopoly in the production of fine wines. 
 
 On my arrival at Paris, I waited upon the director 
 of the Royal Nursery of the Luxembourg, and in- 
 quired whether I could get the deficiencies supplied 
 in my list of vines procured at Montpelier. He 
 replied, certainly ; there would be no difficulty in 
 the matter, for any plant could be procured from 
 the nursery at a regulated price. That for vine 
 cuttings was two francs and a half per hundred. 
 I therefore delivered him my list, with the deficien- 
 cies marked, to the number of 133, and of these 
 110 were supplied, two plants each. I here also 
 procured six cuttings each, of sixteen of the most va- 
 lued varieties of vines which are cultivated in those 
 provinces which I did not myself visit; and after 
 very considerable difficulty, I obtained a copy of the 
 printed catalogue of the Royal Nursery of the Luxem- 
 bourg, including a list of the collection of vines. 
 
 END OF TUE JOURNAL.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ON my arrival in London, having heard that seve- 
 ral convict ships were on the point of sailing, I lost 
 no time in addressing to the principal Secretary of 
 State for the Colonies, the following letter : 
 
 (COPY.) 
 
 " London, 6rA January, 1832. 
 "My LORD, 
 
 " Having occupied myself a good deal during my residence in 
 New South Wales, in endeavouring to promote the plantation of 
 vineyards, and the making of vvirie in that Colony, I could not 
 allow the opportunity afforded by my visit to Europe to pass, with, 
 out attempting to ascertain to what peculiarities of climate, soil,, 
 or culture, the most celebrated wine provinces are indebted for the 
 excellence of their respective products ; and to make a collection 
 of the different varieties of vines cultivated in each. I have just 
 returned to England, after an absence of four months spent in pur- 
 suit of these objects in France and Spain, and the results of my 
 journey have fully satisfied me that the opinion I have always en- 
 tertained of their great importance was not exaggerated. 
 
 " My reason for troubling your Lordship on this subject, how- 
 ever, is the following : 
 
 " I had the good fortune to find, in the Botanic Garden at Mont- 
 pelier, a collection of most of the varieties of vines cultivated in 
 France, and in some other parts of Europe, to the number of 437 ; 
 and, on application to the Professor of Botany, he (with the "great- 
 est liberality) permitted me to take cuttings from the whole. I 
 afterwards added to this collection 133 from the Royal Nursery of 
 the Luxembourg at Paris, making in the whole 570 varieties of 
 vines, of all of which, with two or three exceptions, I obtained 
 two cuttings.* 
 
 " It is my wish to place this collection of vines at the disposal 
 of His Majesty's Government, for the purpose, should it be deemed 
 expedient, of forming an experimental Garden at Sydney, to prove 
 their different qualities, and propagate, for general distribution, 
 those which may appear most, suitable to the climate. 
 
 * There was an error in this, as will be seen from page 134. The Di- 
 rector of the garden did not tell me that he had not been able to supply the 
 whole deficiency, and it was not dist-overed, till after they were unpacked 
 at Kew, that only 110 had been supplied.
 
 132 APPENDIX. 
 
 " As, independently of the above, I have secured a competent 
 quantity of all the most valuable varieties which I found cultivated 
 in the best wine districts of France and Spain, both for wine and 
 raisins, it might at first sight appear superfluous to bestow atten- 
 tion on a collection which must include many of a very inferior 
 description ; but it is, perhaps, the most remarkable fact connected 
 with the culture of the vine, that even a slight change of climate 
 or soil produces a most material change in the qualities of its pro- 
 duce ; and for this reason the best varieties of France and Spain 
 may prove (as several of them have already proved) of no value in 
 New South Wales, while, on the other hand, the most indifferent 
 kinds may produce in that climate the most valuable wines. 
 
 " For this reason I am of opinion that the establishment of an 
 Experimental Garden at Sydney could not fail to be of the highest 
 value to the Colonies of New South Wales and Van Diemen's 
 Land, and subsequently to that of the Cape of Good Hope also ; 
 while at the same time, being placed under the care of the superin- 
 tendent of the Government Garden, adjoining which there is abun- 
 dance of vacant ground, it would add little to the present expense 
 of that establishment. 
 
 " It is my intention, also, to place a part of the collection I have 
 made in the different parts of France and Spain which I have 
 visited, in the Public Garden, to be propagated for general distribu- 
 tion. I trust I may, therefore, be excused for requesting that your 
 Lordship will give orders that the cases containing these plants 
 (those from France being now in London, and those from Spain 
 being expected by the first arrivals from Cadiz and Malaga) may 
 be received on board any of the convict ships about to sail, in order 
 to secure their early and safe arrival in the Colony. 
 " I have the honour to be, 
 
 "Mr LORD, 
 "Your Lordship's most obedient hnniblo Servant, 
 
 "JAMES BUSBY." 
 
 " The Right Honourable Lord Goderich, i 
 His Majesty's principal Secretary 
 of State for the Colonies, <c. <J-c. <c." ) 
 
 The accommodation I requested having been im- 
 mediately ordered, I set about having the plants trans- 
 ferred to more substantial packages, and packed in 
 sand and earth, in order to enable them to sustain the 
 vegetation which would result from the hot weather 
 in passing the tropics.* By the invitation of Mr. 
 
 * I beg here to mention, that I communicated to several of the most emi- 
 nent Horticulturists and Botanists, in London and Edinburgh, Messrs. Au- 
 dibert'a plan of packing plants in cases lined with oiled paper, (see page 
 93,) to all of whom the plun was entirely new, and all of whom acknow- 
 ledged k to be a valuable communication. The success which attended it 
 in the case of these vine cuttings is decisive in its favour.
 
 APPENDIX. 133 
 
 Kichard Cunningham, then of the Royal Gardens of 
 Kew, and since, fortunately for the Colony, appointed 
 Colonial Botanist of New South Wales, I transferred 
 the cases to Kew, where Mr. Cunningham himself 
 superintended their packing, and I feel persuaded that 
 to his care I am, in a great measure, indebted for the 
 excellent condition in which they arrived at Sydney. 
 Mr. Cunningham also found the cuttings sufficiently 
 long to afford a short cutting from each. These he 
 took the trouble to plant out in open boxes, and be- 
 fore leaving England he had shipped them on board 
 the Camden convict ship for Sydney, in such excel- 
 lent condition, that he expresses himself as having no 
 doubt of their safe arrival ; and he is also confident 
 that the deficiencies in the first importation may be 
 made good from them. Should Mr. Cunningham's 
 anticipations in this respect be realized, I will have 
 the satisfaction of having transferred to the Colony, 
 without any expense to the public, and almost in a 
 complete state, a national collection of vines, which 
 it was for three quarters of a century the favourite 
 project of writers on Agriculture, and Agricultural 
 Societies in France, to collect, and which was at 
 length accomplished at a very considerable expense 
 to the country, by the Count de Chaptal, when Minis- 
 ter of the Interior under Buonaparte. 
 
 My worthy friends in Malaga and Xeres de la 
 Frontera, did not neglect the commissions they had 
 undertaken, and I received in London three cases of 
 vines from Malaga, and one case from Xeres de la 
 Frontera ; but these arrived at too late a period to 
 be sent to the Colony in close cases, and it therefore 
 became necessary to establish them in open boxes. 
 Mr. Cunningham undertook this labour also, and a 
 portion of each variety of the Spanish vines are now 
 also on their way to the Colony with the others on 
 board the Camden. 
 
 Of the following catalogue of vines, amounting to 
 75 varieties, 52 were actually collected from the 
 vineyards I myself visited in the various provinces ot 
 12
 
 134 Al'PEMHX. 
 
 France through which my route lay. Of each of these 
 I procured from 10 to 20 cuttings, and I am happy 
 to say that not one of the varieties is lost. Of the five 
 varieties procured in the more northern climates of 
 Burgundy and Champagne, as well as of the 15 varie- 
 ties procured at Paris, many of the cuttings are dead, 
 and one of the latter varieties is entirely lost. But of 
 the 47 varieties procured from the warmer climates 
 of the south, not 10 cuttings out of from 500 to -600, 
 have failed. The rest, with few exceptions, are at 
 this date (22d January, 1833) in the highest state of 
 health and vigour ; and it is but justice to Mr." M'Lean, 
 of the Botanic Garden, under whose care they have 
 remained since their arrival, to acknowledge the zeal 
 and attention with which he has acquitted himself of 
 the charge.
 
 VIXES OF UOUSILLON. 135 
 
 CATALOGUE FIRST. 
 
 [The vines in this Catalogue are arranged in the order in which 
 they were received by Mr. Busby, and described to him, with 
 the exception of eight varieties of rooted plants at the end of 
 the list.] 
 
 Vines of Rousillon, from the Vineyards of M. Durand, 
 of Perpignan. 
 
 No. 1. CARIGNAN Crignane, Cavoleau black, with 
 a thick skin, deeply coloured, yields largely. 
 ' This grape by itself would produce a dry wine. 
 Cavoleau says of this grape, that it is rich in sac- 
 charine matter, although harsh to the taste, and 
 very mucilaginous. 
 
 2. GRENACHE black, skin very thick, but yield- 
 
 ing less colour than that of the preceding. This 
 grape by itself would yield a sweet wine. Ca- 
 voleau adds of this grape, that it is rich in sac- 
 charine matter, and strongly impregnated with 
 aroma. 
 
 3. MATARO black, skin less thick, but yielding 
 
 a good deal of colour. This grape yields the 
 most abundantly, and of itself would give a dry 
 wine. Cavoleau observes, that this is the only 
 vine of the province that yields annual, and al- 
 most equal, vintages ; the other varieties some- 
 times yield abundantly, but their produce is 
 uncertain. 
 
 NOTE The above three varieties are, in general, equally distribu- 
 ted in the vineyards of the department of the Pyrenees Orientales, 
 and furnish the wine of exportation known by the name of Vin 
 de Routillon.
 
 136 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. 4. MOURASTELL black. This variety differs verf 
 little from the Mataro, but the grapes are ra- 
 ther smaller. 
 
 5. ST. ANTOINE black ; the grape very large. It 
 is a very good eating grape, although the skin 
 is rather strong. The wine made from this 
 grape by itself has a very agreeable flavour, 
 but it yields very little. 
 
 6. BLANQUETTE white, thin-skinned, of a very 
 
 good flavour, yielding a heady white wine, 
 which is employed in giving strength to the 
 light white wines of Languedoc. 
 
 7. MUSCAT, a strongly flavoured white grape 
 
 excellent for eating yields little, and arrives 
 early at maturity. 
 
 S. PIQUE- POULLE, a pink-coloured grape very 
 
 fine skinned, and excellent for eating. It yields 
 a light-coloured wine (clairet) of agreeable fla- 
 vour. Cavoleau says, that the wine of this 
 grape is distinguished for its agreeable bou- 
 quet. 
 
 9. HERMITAGE. This variety was brought to 
 
 Rousillon some years ago by M. Durand, from 
 the celebrated vineyards of Hermitage, on the 
 banks of the Rhone It yields little, but the 
 flavour of its produce is excellent. The wine 
 made from this grape in Rousillon, has less 
 "finesse? but more strength than in its ori- 
 ginal soil. 
 
 - 10. The vines in this bundle were obtained at Col- 
 lioure, about 30 miles south-east of Perpignan, 
 and the bundle originally contained four va- 
 rieties: viz. PANSE, 10 cuttings; PAMPA- 
 NELLE, 6 cuttings ; PIQUE POULLE NOIR, 5 cut- 
 tings ; GRENACHE BLANCHE, 3 cuttings. But 
 these descriptions were unfortunately mixed, 
 and the bundle reduced to 12 in all. The de- 
 scriptions given of the different varieties at 
 Collioure were as follows :.
 
 VINES OF RIVES AI/TES. 137 
 
 No. 10-1. PANSE white the bunches very large and 
 long the berries also large and long produ- 
 ces plentifully the flavour resembles the Mus- 
 cat. It is good both for wine, and for eating 
 ripens rather early, and is a scarce variety 
 in that district. 
 
 10-2. PAMPAJVELLE black, a very delicious grape, 
 
 but very tender. It produces abundantly, but 
 is destroyed in such quantities by the bees, 
 that there is seldom much fruit gathered. It 
 also decays easily after rain. 
 
 10-3. PIQUE POULLE NOIR black. This variety 
 
 of the pique poulle does not produce much, 
 excepting in very favourable seasons. It 
 yields a light wine, which is very early fit for 
 use. 
 
 10-4. GRENACHE BLANCHE white. This variety 
 
 of the grenache is only used in the district of 
 Collioure to hang up for winter provision of 
 grapes. It produces plentifully the bunches 
 large the skin very tough, and it has always 
 a bitter taste. 
 
 The four following varieties are from Rivesaltes, famous for the 
 sweet wine produced there, which bears the highest reputation 
 of any Fin deLiqueur in France. 
 
 No. 11. MAUABEO white. This variety of itself 
 yields a sweet wine, almost equal to the Mus- 
 cat. The bunches are large, and keep well 
 when suspended for winter provision. Cavo- 
 leau observes, that small quantities of Maca- 
 beo wine are made by private families for do- 
 mestic consumption, but it is never found in 
 commerce. 
 
 . 12. MUSCAT. This is the grape which is chiefly 
 employed in making the celebrated sweet wine 
 of Rivesaltes. According to the statement 
 made by the vigneron, from whom the cuttings 
 were procured, 500 stocks yield 200 bottles of 
 wine. Cavoleau observes, that there are three 
 12*
 
 138 APPENDIX. 
 
 varieties of the Muscat employed in making 
 the wine of Rivesaltes ; viz. " The Muscat 
 of Alexandria the round white Muscat, and 
 particularly the St. Jacques." It is not ascer- 
 tained to which of these descriptions this vari- 
 ety belongs. 
 
 f GRENACHE BLANCHE. This variety is de- 
 ^r 10 ) scribed under No. 10. 
 
 '' j PIQUE POULLE Norn. This variety is also 
 
 * described under No. 10. 
 
 One of these two varieties was joined with the bundle of Collioure 
 vines, (No. 10,) but I find I have not noted which of the two. 
 
 The following 25 varieties (from 14 to 38, inclusive) are from the 
 vineyards in the neighbourhood of Montpelier, in the department 
 of Herault, formerly Languedoc. 
 
 Cavoleau does not notice the varieties of vines cultivated in this 
 department, which is not celebrated for the qualities of its wine 
 in general, although it produces the famous Muscat wines of 
 Frontignan and Lunel. Of 45,000,000 gallons of wine annually 
 produced in the deparment of Herault, 28,100,000 are converted 
 into brandy or spirits of wine. 
 
 No, 14. AYADE white yields well, and is good both 
 for eating and for wine. 
 
 15. MOURASTELL black. A very good grape, 
 
 came originally from Perpignan. See No. 4. 
 
 16. AYADE NOIR black. Produces plentifully, 
 
 and is good for making brandy. 
 
 17. CALIGNAN black. This is the best variety 
 
 for making brandy ; it yields well. 
 
 18 RAMONEN black. Yields largely, and is also 
 
 suitable for distillation. 
 
 19. TERRET black. Yields well, and is also suit- 
 
 able for brandy. 
 
 20. FONTAINBLEAU. An excellent eating grape, and 
 
 ripens very early. 
 
 21. ESPAR white. This variety is good for bran- 
 
 dy,. but does not yield much. 
 
 22. CHASSELAS white. This is an eating grape. 
 
 but also yields a good white wine.
 
 VINES OF HERAULT. 139 
 
 No. 23. UONE white. Makes a good white wine 
 ripens early. 
 
 24. MUSCAT black. Yields well, and is good for 
 
 brandy. 
 
 25. MADELEINE white. Ripens very early, but is 
 
 not good, either for wine or brandy. 
 
 26. CORINTH black. Is excellent both for wine 
 
 and brandy, and yields well. 
 
 27. TERRET BOURRET. Yields very well, and is 
 
 excellent for distillation. 
 
 28. ASPIRANT VERDAL. Produces largely, and 
 
 yields a fine wine. 
 
 29. OLIVETTE. A very large white grape, good 
 
 both for wine and brandy. It is also put into 
 brandy to give it a flavour it yields well. 
 
 30. CLAIRETTE DE LIMOUSIN. Produces abund- 
 
 antly, and yields a peculiar and excellent 
 white wine. 
 
 31. MERVEILLE black. Yields well, and is good 
 
 for brandy. 
 
 32. ASPIRANT black. Yields largely is excel- 
 
 lent for eating, and makes good wine, but is 
 worth nothing for brandy. 
 
 33. ESPAR NOIR black. Yields well, and is good 
 
 for making brandy. 
 
 34. PIQUE POULLE GRIS grey. Is good for wine 
 
 and brandy. 
 
 36. MUSCAT white. Is good for eating, for wine, 
 
 and for brandy. 
 
 36. BOIS-DUR black. Yields well, is good for 
 
 brandy. 
 
 37. CINQUE SAUT. Yields well produces excel- 
 
 lent wine, and is also good for eating, and for 
 brandy. 
 
 38. ARAMON black. Yields well, is good for 
 
 brandy, but not for wine. 
 
 The following 6 varieties are from Roquevaire, the district in which 
 most of the raisins and other dried fruits of Provence are pre- 
 pared. Roquevaire is about 12 or 14' miles east from Marseilles. 
 Cavoleau does not notice the qualities of the vines of this de- 
 partment.
 
 140 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. 39. PANSE or PASSE white. This is the grape 
 with which the best raisins of Provence are 
 made. The bunches are large, the skin of the 
 berry is tender. M. Negrel Ferand* says, 
 that " this is a very strong and vigorous vine, 
 which requires a rich soil to give it all the de- 
 velopement of which it is capable. Placed in 
 these circumstances, it produces abundance of 
 grapes of an extraordinary largeness, which 
 are excellent both for eating and to preserve 
 for the winter. It vegetates very early, re- 
 quires to be pruned rather long, and succeeds 
 perfectly in the trellis." 
 
 40. ARIGNAN white. This grape is also dried 
 
 for raisins, but being much smaller than the 
 Pause, the raisins bring a third less in the 
 markjet. According to Negrel Ferand^t is an 
 ancient vine, and yields a very sugary grape 
 when cultivated on light dry soils. It is 
 mixed in the proportion of a tenth with the 
 Muscat grape to make the Muscat wine, and 
 when employed alone, it yields a wine which, 
 if properly treated, froths very well. 
 
 41. PASCAL white: This grape is used in making 
 
 white wine. According to Negrel Ferand, it 
 is cultivated to a great extent in consequence 
 of its abundant produce, and is good both for 
 eating, and for white wine. 
 
 42. PANSE MUSQUEE. This variety is said to be 
 
 the same as the Muscat of Alexandria. It is 
 seldom preserved for raisins in Provence, as 
 they find it difficult to dry owing to the thick- 
 ness of its skin. Negrel Ferand says, that 
 though less cultivated than the common Panse, 
 it is more worthy of attention, only that it fre- 
 quently blights in flowering. The remedy 
 which he suggests for this is to prune it long. 
 He adds, that if cultivated with care, its rai- 
 
 * STATISTIQUE DF.S BOUCHES uu RHONE. Marseilles, 1831-2.
 
 VINES Of HERMITAGE. 
 
 sins would rival the best raisins of Malaga : 
 but it is questionable, whether the degree of 
 heat at Roquevaire is sufficient to dry it per- 
 fectly. 
 
 No. 43. BOUTEILLANT black. This variety yields 
 very largely, and is considered the most ad- 
 vantageous for making wine in the district, as far 
 as quantity is considered. According to Negrel 
 Ferand, it is a strong and vigorous vine, which 
 yields abundance of large bunches of large 
 grapes, but the wine, though abundant, is weak r 
 and has little colour. 
 
 . 44. BRUNFOURCAT. This grape yields the best 
 wine of the district, but in less quantity than 
 the above. According to Negrel Ferand, it 
 came originally from Bourdeaux, and yields an 
 excellent wine when cultivated in a light soil, 
 on the slope of a hill. 
 
 The following three varieties are from the Hill of Hermitage, and 
 are the varieties exclusively cultivated in the best vineyards. 
 
 No. 45. CIRAS Cavoleau, SCYRAS. This variety is 
 alone used in making the best red wines of 
 Hermitage. Cavoleau mentions a tradition 
 which exists in the neighbourhood, that this 
 variety was originally brought from Shiraz, in 
 Persia, by one of the Hermits, who resided in 
 the Hermitage, of which the ruins still exist 
 on the Hill where the celebrated wine of that 
 name is produced. 
 
 46. ROUSSETTE Cavoleau, ROUSSANNE. This va- 
 riety yields by itself a dry spirituous wine, and 
 is not very productive. 
 
 47. MARSAN white. This variety by itself yields 
 a sweet wine ; mixed with the Roussette, it 
 produces the best white wines of Hermitage..
 
 142 APPENDIX. 
 
 The two following varieties are vines of Burgundy, from the Cloi 
 Vougeot. 
 
 No. 48. PINEAU BLANC, or CHAUDENY white. Produ- 
 ces indifferently ; is the only variety of white 
 grape cultivated in the best vineyards. 
 
 49. PINEAU NOIR black. Produces rather more 
 plentifully than the preceding, but still indiffer- 
 ently. This and the above are the only varie- 
 ties cultivated in the Clos Vougeot, and other 
 vineyards of celebrity, and this is alone used 
 in making the best red wine of Burgundy. 
 
 The tliree following are vines f Champagne from the Hill of Ay. 
 
 No. 50. PINEAU DORE black. This variety was intro- 
 duced into his vineyards at Ay, by M. Ruinart, 
 of Rheims, some years ago, and is still confined 
 to some of the best vineyards. It is much 
 more productive than the other varieties of 
 the Pineau. 
 
 51. PINEAU VERT black. The variety most com- 
 
 monly cultivated in Champagne. 
 
 52. PLANT BLANC, or WHITE PINEAU. This variety 
 
 and the two preceding are exclusively culti- 
 vated in the vineyards which produce the 
 wines of Champagne of the first quality. 
 
 The above complete the collection made in the districts I myself 
 visited. The following 14 varieties (from 53 to 66 inclusive) 
 were procured (six of each) from the Nursery of the Luxem- 
 bourg at Paris. They are particularized by Cavoleau, as the 
 most valuable in their respective districts, and the following ac- 
 count of them is taken entirely from his work. 
 
 No. 53. COULANGES DE L'YoNNE black. This is a 
 variety of the Pineau, of which Bosc has 
 enumerated 22 varieties. The two varieties 
 which people the best vineyards of Burgundy
 
 VINES OF FUAXCE. 
 
 143 
 
 and Champagne, are well known. I his va- 
 riety and the following, which is also a Pi- 
 neau, are pointed out by Cavoleau as par- 
 ticularly worthy of notice from being very 
 productive. The Coulanges yields a very 
 good wine in the department of L'Yonne, 
 and produces double the quantity of the Pi- 
 neau of Burgundy and Champagne. 
 No. 54. LIVERDUN DE LA MEURTHE black. This 
 variety has been lately propagated to a great 
 extent in the department of La Meurthe. It 
 yields a wine which will keep 10 years in 
 the cask, and is so prodigiously fertile that 
 in the worst years it yields more than double 
 the average produce of other vines, and in 
 abundant seasons the produce sometimes 
 amounts to 200 hectolitres per hectare ; 
 about 2,500 gallons an acre. 
 
 55. CARBENET, or CARMENET A PETITS GRAINS 
 
 DE LA GIRONDE black. This variety, and 
 the three following, are almost exclusively 
 cultivated in the vineyards of Medoc, and 
 the Carbenet a petit grains, and Carbenet Sau- 
 vignen, are alone to be found in those of 
 highest reputation. 
 
 56. CARBENET SAUVIGNEN black. See 55. 
 
 57. MALBEK black. See 55. 
 
 58. VERDOT black. See 55. 
 
 59. SAUVIGNEN white. De la Gironde. This 
 
 and the six following varieties are cultivated 
 / in the vineyards, which yield the best white 
 wines of this department, including Vin de 
 Grave, Barsac, and Sauterne. 
 
 60. SEMIHON white It is recommended that 
 
 this variety should occupy a proportion of 
 two thirds of the vineyards in which the 
 other five varieties are cultivated. 
 
 61. ROCHALIN white. See 59. 
 
 62. BLANC-DOUX white. See 59. 
 
 63. PRUNERAS white. See 59.
 
 144 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. 64. MUSCADE black. See 59. 
 
 65. VERDET white. See 59. This variety was 
 
 also called Grose Guillaume, by the gardeners 
 at the Luxembourg. 
 
 66. FOLLE BLANCHE DE LA CHARENTE. This is 
 
 the variety of vine which yields the brandies 
 of Cognac. There are three varieties called 
 Folk, the white, the yellow and the green ; 
 the two former are superior to the third. 
 
 The following were rooted plants from the nursery of Messrs. Au- 
 dibert Freres, of Tonelle, near Tarascon, in the department of 
 Bouches du Rhone. 
 
 No. 67. RAISIN MONSTREUX, of Decandolle. Quali- 
 ties not known. 
 
 68. MOUNESTIN round, black. Fine bunches, 
 
 yields well, is good both for eating and for 
 wine. 
 
 69. MUSCAT VIOLET. A good eating grape, and 
 also for Muscat wine. 
 
 70. RAISIN DE DAMES white. A most delicious 
 
 eating grape, and keeps well for winter pro- 
 vision. 
 
 71. ISABELLE, an American grape, black, with the 
 
 flavour of the raspberry. 
 
 72. MUSCAT NOIR black. Good for eating, and 
 
 for wine. 
 
 73 VINE OF UPPER EGYPT. A very deep colour- 
 
 ed grape, yielding a very dark purple juice. 
 
 74. CORNICHON. This variety was one of four, 
 
 procured in the garden of Montpelier, but not 
 belonging to the Luxembourg collection, the 
 other three are dead. This, I think, is a very 
 curious and beautifully variegated grape.
 
 VINES OF SPAIN. 145 
 
 CATALOGUE SECOND. 
 
 SPANISH VARIETIES. The first seven numbers are 
 those cultivated in the vineyards in the neighbour- 
 hood of Xeres de la Frontera, producing sherry 
 wines. Although the bundles of each variety were 
 tied up separately, unfortunately no tickets were at- 
 tached to identify them. It is hoped, however, that 
 the following very full descriptions, which are taken 
 for that purpose from the work of Simon Roxas Cle- 
 mente, will make this no difficult task, after they have 
 borne fruit; and they will serve, at the same time, as 
 specimens of a mode of description which may perhaps 
 be turned to future advantage.* 
 
 No. 1. PEDRO XIMENES. 
 
 DESCRIPTION. 
 
 STOCK, large ; bark, adhering loosely. 
 
 BRANCHES, rather numerous, of middling length, or 
 rather short ; thickness, middling. 
 
 Colour reddish gray, soft, the distance between the 
 knots, middling. 
 
 SECONDARY BRANCHES, abundant, with enough of 
 dwarf bunches, (Grapillons.) 
 
 BUDS, large, very pointed. 
 
 LEAVES, of middling size, sometimes rather small, 
 rather irregular, slightly lobed, downy on the un- 
 der side, smooth above, slightly attached, edges 
 indented, with rather short indentations, the foot 
 stalk is almost perpendicular to the leaf, and the 
 bases of the nerves are red. 
 
 * In the work of Simon Roxas Clemente, upon the varieties of 
 vines culivated in Andalusia, there are similar descriptions of 12fct 
 varieties. 
 
 13
 
 140 APPENDIX. 
 
 BUNCHES, pretty num;;r<>;is, of middling size, of a cy- 
 lindric and conic shape, with some small grapes, 
 which, however, all ripen ; stalks tender. 
 
 BERRIES, 5| lines (twelfth part of an inch) in length, 
 5 in thickness, very obtuse, the colour white, ra- 
 ther gilded, (dor,) rather transparent, easily se- 
 parate from the stalk, soft, not Heshy, extremely 
 sweet, skin very fine, ripen very early, the ring 
 round the insertion of the stalk simple, with 5, 
 and rarely 4 angles, bright gray. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 The specific gravity of the must of this grape was, 
 on the 15th September, at San Lucar, after two days 
 exposure to the sun before pressing, 12^ degrees of 
 the hydrometic of Baume, which is equal 1.092; and 
 at Paxarete, on the 2d of October, its must, after four 
 days exposure, weighed 16 degrees, or 1.121. 
 
 This grape rots more readily than any other va- 
 i oiy, as it is much attacked by bees and wasps, in 
 consequence of its extreme sweetness, and the fine- 
 ness of its skin. Its must is considered the most pre- 
 cious either for sweet or dry wines, and it enters 
 largely into the composition of all the most valuable 
 wines of the south of Spain. It is not esteemed for 
 brandy. 
 
 This variety is said to have been originally trans- 
 planted from Madeira and the Canaries to the banks 
 of the Rhine and the Moselle, and thence by Pedro 
 Ximenes to Malaga, about two centuries ago. At 
 Malaga and Grenada one half 'of the plants in the 
 vineyards consist of this variety ; at Xeres, one 
 eighth ; at Motril, four fifths ; at Paxarete, one fourth. 
 
 No. 2. MUSCATEL MENUDO BLANCO. (Small white.) 
 
 DESCRIPTION. 
 
 STOCK, small, buds very early. 
 
 B RANCHES, rather numerous, prostrate, very unequal 
 in length, weak, round, entirely naked, bright
 
 VINES OF SPAIN. 147 
 
 reddish gray, very soft, distance between the 
 knots rather long, very few small bunches, (Gra- 
 pillons,) tendrils opposite to the leaves, and 
 branchy. 
 
 LEAVES, rather small, rather irregular, entire, or 
 nearly so, shining, green, inclining to yellow, 
 but rather deep in the upper side, somewhat 
 downy, indentations rather short, stalk smooth, 
 and of a bright red, generally forming an acute 
 angle with the leaf. 
 
 BUNCHES, few, small, oval and cylindric, very com- 
 pact, ripens throughout, stalk rather woody. 
 
 BERRIES, small, almost equal, very obtuse, rather 
 hard, rather fleshy, of an insipid sweet taste, 
 ripen very early, easily rot, skin rather thick, 
 without any ring where the stalk is inserted. 
 
 No. 3. MANTUO CASTILLAN. 
 
 DESCRIPTION. 
 
 STOCK, trunk large, head large, bark rather thin. 
 
 BRANCHES, not so numerous as those of the prece- 
 ding, partly prostrate, and partly straight, long, 
 rather small, round, of a clear reddish gray co- 
 lour in the upper part, and the under part white, 
 spotted with red, distance between the knots, 
 long, very few dwarf bunches, buds rather 
 pointed. 
 
 LEAVES, middling size, the lower ones large, rather 
 irregular, almost entire, shrivelled, very cottony 
 on the under side, the cotton white, and adhering 
 strongly. Before the maturity of the fruit the 
 larger leaves take a yellow colour, the stalk a 
 clear red, and almost at right angles to the leaf. 
 
 BUNCHES, rather large, stalk flexible. 
 
 BERRIES, 9 lines long, and 8^ thick, fleshy, very sa- 
 voury, the veins apparent, the skin fine, the ring 
 circular, and decidedly marked of a clear gray, 
 and sometimes with 5 angles, and of a deep red-
 
 148 APPENDIX. 
 
 dish gray, commonly rather slender towards the 
 
 point. 
 
 The must of this grape marked at San Lucar on 
 the 15th of Sept. 9 degrees, and on the 19th of the 
 same month, 9| degrees of Baume's hydrometer, or 
 1.064 and 1.069. This grape bursts and rots, if ex- 
 posed to rain after it i& ripe. At Xeres it is chiefly 
 cultivated in the sand soils, and is more valued as 
 an eating grape than for wine. It is also hung up to 
 keep for winter provision. 
 
 No. 4. UVA DE KEY. (White.) 
 
 DESCRIPTION. 
 
 STOCK, large. 
 
 BRANCHES, few, horizontal, middling, or rather small, 
 round, reddish gray, rather bright, very few: 
 dwarf branches, few secondary branches. 
 
 LEAVES,- rather small, rather irregular, generally en- 
 tire, sometimes very slightly lobed, rather bright 
 on the upper side ; the other side entirely naked, 
 indentations rather short, stalk naked, rather a 
 bright red, almost at right angles with the leaf. 
 
 BUNCHES, large, irregular, composed of small com- 
 pound bunches, in the upper part of the bunch, 
 and simple bunches towards the end, very few 
 small berries, which all ripen, stalk long, mid- 
 dling thickness, tender, greenish. 
 
 BERRIES, white, rather hard, an inch long, by 10 lines 
 in thickness, very unequal, very obtuse, very 
 transparent, not fleshy, sweet, but rather harsh 
 or rough, skin very fine, ring strongly marked. 
 
 No. 5. MOLLAR. (Black.) 
 
 DESCRIPTION. 
 
 STOCK, middling, buds in the ordinary time. 
 BRANCHES, numerous, prostrate, long, rather slender, 
 round, of a deep reddish gray colour, distance-
 
 VINES OF SPAIN. 1 49 
 
 between the buds, middling, very few dw arf 
 bunches, 
 
 LEAVES, with extremely short indentations, rather 
 shriveled, reddish at their first developement, and 
 afterwards of a very yellowish green, and rather 
 shining ; they become reddish before their fall, 
 the under surface covered with a very adhesive 
 white cotton ; the stalk either naked or very 
 slightly downy, of a reddish colour, and at rather 
 an acute angle with the leaf. 
 
 BUNCHES, rather large, a little irregular, with com- 
 pound bunches in the upper part of the bunch, 
 and simple bunches near the end ; very few small 
 berries ; generally all the berries ripen equally, 
 but sometimes a part remain green, the stalk long, 
 slender and brittle. 
 
 BERRIES, eight lines in length, and 8^ in thickness, 
 rather unequal, very obtuse, not fleshy, the skin 
 fine, the ring scarcely observable, colour blackish 
 gray, ripen early. 
 
 Thetnust of this grape weighed at San Lucar, on 
 the 15th of September, 9 degrees of Baume, or 1.064 ; 
 on the 30th of the same month, at Paxarete, 12 de- 
 grees, or 1.089. 
 
 At Xeres, it is planted in the proportion of one third 
 in the vineyard s of the arenas. At Arcos , Espera, and 
 Paxarete, it occupies four fifths of the vineyards. 
 
 No. 6. MOSCATEL GORDO BLANCO. (Large White.) 
 
 DESCRIPTION. 
 
 This variety differs from the small Muscat, by the 
 great size of the stock ; by its branches, which are also 
 thicker, and of a yellow reed-like colour. By its ber- 
 ries, which are a little gilded, and of 1 1 lines in length, 
 by 9 in thickness. 
 
 The must of this grape at Chipiona, weighed on the 
 15th September, after three days exposure to the sun 
 12 degrees, or 1.089. At Palmosa, on the 26th of the 
 same month, it weighed 13 degrees, or 1.096. In Oc- 
 tober, 1808, it weighed 15 degrees, or 1.114. 
 13*
 
 150 APPENDIX. 
 
 This is the grape from which are made the best 
 Malaga raisins. 
 
 No. 7. MACHAR NUDO. 
 
 This variety was furnished to my friend at Xeres, by 
 Don Pedro Domecq, of Machar Nudo, as the most 
 valuable grape which enters into the composition of 
 sherry wine, but the former forgot its name. I have 
 called it Machar Nudo, till it can be identified. 
 
 VARIETIES FROM MALAGA. 
 
 No. 8. MUSCATEL. 
 The same I believe as No. 6. 
 
 No. 9. PEDRO XIMENES, 
 I believe the same as No. 1. 
 
 No. 10. LARGA. (White.) 
 
 This variety is also employed at Malaga, and its en- 
 virons, in making raisins. It is called Larga from its 
 long shape, the berries being 10 lines in length, and only 
 6^ in thickness. Its produce are called sun raisins. 
 It is a free bearer, and is said to make a good mixture 
 with the Pedro Ximenes, for wine. 
 
 No. 11. JAEN. (White.) 
 
 This variety is cultivated in almost every province 
 in Spain, although Roxas Clemente considers it doubt- 
 ful whether it is, in every place, the same variety which 
 goes by that name. It is generally esteemed for mak- 
 ing wine, and yields a large proportion of brandy. It 
 is also used for Lexia raisins. It is very late in ripen- 
 ing. 
 
 No. 12. MARBELLI. (White.) 
 
 This is chiefly consumed as an eating grape. This 
 name is not to be found in the collection of Roxas 
 Clemente.
 
 VINES OF MALAGA 151 
 
 No. 13. GABRIEL. (Black.) 
 
 This is also an eating grape. Roxas Clemente ob- 
 serves, that the only time he ever found the full number 
 of seeds assigned by botanists to the vine, (viz. five,) 
 was in a grape of this variety. 
 
 No. 14. DORADILLO. (White.) 
 
 This grape is used for wine and for Lexia raisins. 
 Roxas Clemente observes, that it bears a strong affinity 
 to the Jaen ; like it, it is late in bearing : it is mixed with 
 the Pedro Ximenes at Malaga, in making a particular 
 kind of wine. 
 
 No. 15. DON BUENO. (White.) 
 This variety is used only in making wine. 
 No. 16. TEMPRANA. (White.) 
 
 Roxas Clemente identifies this variety as the same 
 with the common Listan and the white Palomino of 
 Xeres. 
 
 The must of this grape weighed at San Lucar, on 
 the 15th September, from 10 to 11 degrees, or 1.070 
 to 1.075 ; but the must of grapes of the same variety 
 which had been three days exposed to the sun, weigh- 
 ed 15 degrees, or 1.114. 
 
 The same author says, it unites every desirable 
 .quality to furnish a good wine. At San Luear, it 
 occupies the proportion of nineteen twentieths of the 
 vineyards; it is also very extensively cultivated at 
 Xeres and Port St. Mary's, and enters largely into 
 the composition of the wines called Paxarete, Xime- 
 nes, Muscats, and Tintilla ; although it is not a large 
 grape it is also extensively cultivated for eating. 
 
 No. 17. LAYREN. (White.) 
 
 This is cultivated as an eating grape at Malaga. 
 If is classed by Roxas Clemente as one of the Mantuo 
 tribe.
 
 152 AFPEXDIX. 
 
 Besides the vines described in the foregoing Cata- 
 logues, and those which are enumerated in the subse- 
 quent one, I was indebted to Mr. Allan Cunningham 
 for procuring from the gardens of the Duke of Nor- 
 thumberland, at Sion House, 44 varieties of vines. 
 But unfortunately, less success has attended this, than 
 any of the other importations. The only varieties of 
 the 44 now alive being Warner's, Hambro', White 
 Muscadine, Grecian Brick-coloured, Burgundy, and 
 the Royal Muscadine. 
 
 CATALOGUE THIRD. 
 
 The following is the Catalogue of the National Col- 
 lection of Vines in the Garden of the Luxembourg at 
 Paris. They are arranged according to the colour of 
 the grape, and its form. Of the 570 varieties which 
 it comprises, 433 were obtained from the Botanic 
 Garden of Montpelier, and 110 from the Garden of 
 Luxembourg at Paris. After a careful examination, it 
 has been ascertained that at this date (Jan. 22, 1833) 
 362 varieties are alive, and, for the most part, healthy. 
 The rest are dead, but, as before stated, it is hoped 
 their places will be supplied by the duplicates now 
 on their way to the Colony. Of the 302 varieties, 
 both cuttings of 157 are alive, and only one cutting 
 of each of the remaining 205. 
 
 The Professor of Botany at Montpelier had been 
 able to identify, or class, many of those varieties which 
 are unnamed in the original Catalogue, and many of 
 fts voids are accordingly filled up in this. The varie- 
 ties thus ascertained are distinguished by being insert- 
 ed in italics.
 
 CATALOGUE OF VINES. 
 
 153 
 
 VIGNES. 
 
 FRUITS NOIRS OVALES. 
 
 (Black Oval-shaped Grapes.) 
 
 l.re* Piate-Bande. 
 
 1. Maroquin, de l'H6rault 
 
 2. 
 
 3. 
 
 4. Carignan, de 1'Herault 
 
 5. Merle d'Espagne, Landes 
 6. 
 
 7. 
 
 8. Pinneau de Coulanges, 
 
 Yonne 
 
 9. Olivette blanche, de I'Heraut 
 10. 
 
 11. 
 
 12. Pique poulle rouge, de VHe- 
 
 rault 
 
 13. Boudales, Hauls-Pyrenees 
 
 14. Merbregie, Dordogne 
 
 15. Alicant, de 1'Herault 
 16. 
 
 IT.^Bjistn noir, tres gros, muris- 
 
 vjpit tres tard 
 18. 
 
 19. Moutardier, Vaucluse 
 
 20. Malaga, Lot 
 21. 
 
 22. 
 S23. Bourdelas, Jura 
 
 24. Uliade rouge, de 1'Herault 
 
 25. Cinq taut, de I'H^ult 
 
 7. Clairette rouge, de 1'Herault 
 28. 
 
 29. Plant de Pougealle noir 
 30. 
 
 31. Loge Vienne 
 32. 
 
 33. Grain de raisin Maroquin 
 noir 
 
 34. Servant noir, de 1'Herault 
 
 35. Plant de Malin, Cote d'Or 
 
 36. Morostelle 
 37. 
 
 38. Grain de raisin llanc. Ovale, 
 de Divan. 
 
 39. 
 
 40. 
 41. 
 
 42. 
 43. 
 44. 
 45. 
 46. 
 47. 
 48. 
 49. 
 50. 
 51. 
 52. 
 53. 
 54. 
 55. 
 
 56. 
 57. 
 53. 
 59. 
 60. 
 61. 
 62. 
 63. 
 64. 
 65. 
 
 66. 
 
 2. e Plate-Bande. 
 
 Muscat d'Espagne de PHe- 
 
 rault 
 
 Barbera noir, P6 
 Chaliane, Dr6me 
 Cargue-bas, Lot-et-Garonne 
 
 Eaisin perle. Jura 
 
 Raisin Cornichon, Cazaliz 
 Raisin rouge, Drome 
 
 Perlosette, Dr6me 
 Rochelle noir, Seine-et- 
 
 Marne 
 Pineau fleuri, C6te d'Or 
 
 Meunier, Environs de Paris 
 
 Idem 
 
 Meillet blane, Environs de 
 
 Paris 
 Idem 
 
 * These numbers refer to their arrangement in the nursery of the Luxj 
 embourg
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 67. Aspirant, de I'Heranlt 
 
 90. Navarre, Landes 
 
 t)8. Bouteillant, Bouches-du- 
 
 91. Olivan 
 
 Rhone 
 
 92. Grenache 
 
 69. BruniJ, Maine-et-Loire 
 
 93. Liverdun bon vin, Vosges 
 
 70. Noirenu, Environs de Paris 
 
 94. Bourguignon noir, Seine. 
 
 71. 
 
 et-Marne 
 
 72. 
 
 95. Negron de Vaueluse 
 
 73. 
 
 96. Muscat noir, dn Jura 
 
 74. Pineau noir, Vienne 
 
 97. Terret Muurreau noir 
 
 75. Charge-mulet, de 1'HeVauK 
 
 98. Muscat rouge, Blanc pa- 
 
 76. Colonban, M. Audibert 
 
 nache 
 
 
 99. Maroquin 
 
 3. e Plate-Bande. 
 
 100. Pulsare, Haute-Saone 
 
 
 101. Melarot 
 
 77. Aspiran noir, le mai Audi- 
 
 102. Pique poulle noir 
 
 ben 
 
 103. Aliade 
 
 78. Ciotat raisin 
 
 104. Terre de Barry noir 
 
 79. Verjus (douteux) 
 
 105. Berardi, Vaueluse 
 
 80. Teinturier, Vaueluse 
 
 106. Liverdun bon vin, Vosges 
 
 81. Soule-bouvier, de I'Herault 
 
 107. Grenache 
 
 82. Aramon noir 
 
 108. Gale Blanc 
 
 83. Grognon noir 
 
 109. Moulon 
 
 84. Passadoule Bougie 
 
 110. Asctate-Saume, Pyrcnees- 
 
 85. Plant de la barre 
 
 orientales 
 
 86. Rouge Espagnol, Landes 
 
 111. Espagner. 
 
 87. Ugne blanche 
 
 112. Ncgre/te 
 
 88. Tokai de Hongrie 
 
 113. 
 
 89. Celital blanche 
 
 114. 
 
 FRUITS NOIRS RONDS. 
 
 (Black, round Grapes.) 
 
 
 127. 
 
 4.e Plate-Bande. 
 
 128. Sparse grosse, Vaucluso 
 
 
 129. menue, idem 
 
 115. Croc, Mayenne 
 
 130. Jacobin, Vienne 
 
 116. Blanc-Madame, Hautes- 
 
 131. Bourbon Longue, Vauclute 
 
 Pyrenees 
 
 132. Quenoise 
 
 117 Dolceto, P6 
 
 133. Bordelais, Mayenne 
 
 118. Balzamina, P6 
 
 134. Camarau rouge, Hautes- 
 
 119. Augiber blane 
 120. Negrun 
 
 Pyrdndes 
 135. Pique. poule noire, Landes 
 
 121. Trousseau. Jura 
 
 136. 
 
 122. Espagnins, Bouches-du- 
 
 137. Aleatioo, P6 
 
 Rh6ne 
 
 138. Rive d'Alte, Lot 
 
 123. 
 
 139. 
 
 124. 
 
 140. 
 
 125. Terret Vaueluse 
 
 141. 
 
 126. Grtnache, Vaucluie 
 
 142. Caular, Vauclute
 
 CATALOGUE OF VIXES. 
 
 155 
 
 143. Sanmoireau, Seine-et- 
 
 187. 
 
 Marne 
 
 
 144. Mauzac noir, Lot 
 145. Picardin, Vauctuse 
 
 188. 
 189. 
 
 146. Plant drnit, Vauduse 
 
 190. 
 
 147- Nerre, Haute-Marne 
 
 
 148. autre variute", idem 
 149. Melon, Jura 
 
 
 150. Teinturier, Vienne 
 151. Gre llanc, Vauduse 
 152. Clairette, Vauduse 
 
 191. 
 192. 
 
 
 193. 
 
 5.e Plate-Bande. 
 
 194. 
 
 153. 
 
 195. 
 
 154. 
 
 196. 
 
 155. Terret, Montpelier 
 156. 
 
 197. 
 198. 
 
 157. Terret, Herault 
 158. Tinto, Ardeche 
 
 199. 
 200. 
 
 159. Torzia, Vauduse 
 
 201. 
 
 160. Grignoli, Po 
 161. Sirodino, idem 
 162. 
 
 202. 
 203. 
 204. 
 
 163. 
 
 205. 
 
 164. 
 
 
 165. 
 
 206. 
 
 166. Rothe Hintsche, Bas-Rhin 
 
 207. 
 
 167. Fran9ois noir, Aube 
 168. Pique-poule Sorbier, Dor- 
 dogne 
 169. Pampigoet, Bernardy 
 170. Spar, Bernardy 
 171. .Brunfourca, Bouches-du- 
 Rh6ne 
 
 208. 
 209. 
 210. 
 211. 
 212. 
 213. 
 
 172. Gruselle, Dr6me 
 
 2J4. 
 
 173. Claverie rouge, Landes 
 174. 
 
 215. 
 
 175. Hauvage 
 176. Negret, Haute-Garonne 
 177. L'Houmeau, Charente 
 
 216. 
 217. 
 
 218. 
 
 178. Almandis, Gironde 
 
 219. 
 
 179. Guila noir, Dordogne 
 180. Pique-poule, Lot.et-Ga- 
 ronne 
 
 220. 
 221. 
 
 181 Pique-poule noir, Dordogne 
 182. Raisin noir, Dr6me 
 183. Baclan, Jura 
 
 222. 
 223. 
 
 184. 
 
 224. 
 
 185. Vacarise, Vauduse 
 186. Garnet noir, Haute-Saone 
 
 225. 
 
 187. Epicier grande espece, Vi- 
 
 enne 
 
 188. Raisin Suisse de 1'Aube 
 
 189. Coda di volpe, P6 
 
 190. Balavri, idem 
 
 6. e Plate-Bande. 
 
 Sparse Sarastante, Vau- 
 duse 
 
 Tokai, Haute- Pyrenees 
 
 Noirien, Aube 
 
 Folle noire, Charente-Infe"- 
 rieure 
 
 Ugni noire, Vaudute 
 
 Cortese nera, P6 
 Berardy, Vauduse 
 Verdan, Vauduse 
 Plant droit, Vauclme 
 Meunier, Bas-Rhin 
 Clairette rose, Bouches-du- 
 Rhone 
 
 Raisin panache, Thonelle, 
 
 Bouches-du-Rhone 
 Lignage, Maine-et-Loire 
 
 Morillon noir, Bas-Rhin 
 Gandie, Dordogne 
 Matinen, Bouches-du-Rhone 
 
 Crros Raisin noir de Pages, 
 idem 
 
 Pineau noir de 1'Yonne 
 
 Mansein noir, Landes 
 
 Biron, Lot 
 
 Amarot, Landes 
 
 Chasselas, Bouches-du- 
 Rhone 
 
 Epicier, petite ecpece, Vi- 
 enne 
 
 Madeleine noire, Seine 
 
 Olivette noir, Bouches-du- 
 Rhone 
 
 Cornet, Dr6me
 
 150 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 226. Courbu, Hautes-Pyrene'es 
 
 227. Corintht tans Pepin, Bou. 
 
 ches-du-Rhone 
 
 228. 
 229. 
 230. 
 231. 
 232. 
 233. 
 234. 
 235. 
 236. 
 237. 
 238. 
 239. 
 240. 
 241. 
 
 242. 
 243. 
 244. 
 245. 
 246. 
 247. 
 248. 
 
 249. 
 
 250. 
 251. 
 252. 
 
 253. 
 
 254. 
 255. 
 256. 
 257. 
 
 258. 
 259. 
 260. 
 261. 
 262. 
 263. 
 
 7. e Plate-Bande. 
 
 Aspirant, Bouches-dii-Rhone 
 
 Chailloche, Charente 
 Teinturier, Vienne 
 Madeleine blanche 
 Morillon noir, Jura 
 Arrouya, Hautes-Pyre'ne'es 
 Picardan gros, Vaucluse 
 
 Plant sauvage, Vaucluse 
 De"goutant, Charente 
 Clairette de Die, de 1'He". 
 rault 
 
 Pineau noir, C&te-d'Or 
 Maclon, Isere 
 
 Sain-Jcan rouge de 1'IIu- 
 rault 
 
 Raisin Turc, Bouches-du- 
 Rhone 
 Canut noir, Lot 
 
 Muscat blanc, Bouches-du- 
 
 Rhone 
 Pied de Perdrix noir, 
 
 Haute-Pyrdnces 
 Navarro, Dordogne 
 Lardau, Dr6me 
 
 Berardi, grande espece, Vau- 
 cluse 
 
 Espar, HeVault 
 Tripled, Alpes-maritimes 
 
 Tibaurin,Bouches-du.Rhdne 
 Gros-noir, Charente 
 Morillon noir, Douba 
 
 264. Lambru8quat,Hautes-Pyr- 
 
 ndes 
 
 265. Grosse Serine, Isfcre 
 
 266. Touzan, Lot-et-Garonne 
 
 267. Malvoisie rouge, P6 
 
 8. e Plate-Bande. 
 
 Pique-poule noir, Vaucluse 
 Pernan, C&te-d'Or 
 Rochelle noire, Seine-et- 
 Marne 
 
 268. 
 269. 
 270. 
 271. 
 
 272. 
 273. 
 
 274. 
 275. 
 276. 
 
 277. 
 278. 
 279. 
 280. 
 281. 
 282. 
 283. 
 284. 
 285. 
 286. 
 287. 
 
 288. 
 289. 
 
 290. 
 291. 
 292. 
 293. 
 
 294. 
 295. 
 296. 
 297. 
 298. 
 299. 
 300. 
 301. 
 302. 
 303. 
 304. 
 
 Chasselasnoir, Doubs 
 Marseillais, Vaucluse 
 Pineau franc, Haute-Saone 
 
 Raisin rouge, Cantal 
 Alicant, Lot 
 
 Estrang, Lot-et Garonne 
 Clairette blanche 
 Merveillat, Vaucluse 
 Olivette Bouches-du-Rhone 
 
 Ugne, Vaucluse 
 Parpeuri, P6 
 
 Muscat Rouge, Bouches-du- 
 Rhone 
 
 Cornichon, Bouches-du- 
 
 Rhonn 
 
 Alexandrie noir, Doubs 
 Muscat noir, P6 
 
 Barbaroux, Bouehes-du- 
 
 Rhone 
 Tres dur Bouches-du- Rhont 
 
 Pinnaut Blanc 
 
 Cornichon Rougt 
 Idem
 
 CATALOGUE OP VINES. 
 
 157 
 
 BLANCS, GRAINS OVALES. 
 
 (White, Oval-shapsd Grapes.) 
 
 9. e Plate-Bande. 
 
 04U. JH 
 
 341. I 
 342. C 
 
 305. Boutinoux, Dr6me 
 
 343. 
 
 306. Clairette blanche 
 
 
 307. Pinnaut blanc 
 
 
 308. Vicane, Charente-Infe'ri- 
 
 
 eure 
 
 344. 
 
 309. 
 
 345. 
 
 310. Picardin de I'He'rault 
 
 346. I 
 
 311. Olivette,Bouches-du-Rh6ne 
 
 347. 
 
 312 Chalosse, Lot-et-Garonne 
 
 348. ] 
 
 313. Bouboulenque, Vaucluse 
 
 
 314. Jacobin, Vienne 
 
 349. ( 
 
 315. Gamau, Dr&me 
 
 350. 1 
 
 316. Muscatelle, Lot 
 
 
 317. Grand blanc, Haute-Ga- 
 
 351. 4 
 
 ronne 
 
 352. 
 
 318. Amadon, Charente-Infe- 
 
 353. 
 
 rieure 
 
 354. " 
 
 319. Arbonne, Aube 
 
 355. ] 
 
 320. Weiss Klefelndu Haut Rhin 
 
 
 321. Clairette de Limoux, de 
 
 356. ] 
 
 1'Hc'rault 
 
 
 322. Aramond blanc, idem 
 
 357. 
 
 323. 
 
 358. 
 
 324. Folie blanche, Charente- 
 
 359. 
 
 Inferieure 
 
 360. 
 
 325. Sales Blanc, Bernardy 
 
 361. 
 
 326. 
 
 362. 
 
 327. Panse musque'e, Bouches- 
 
 
 du-Rh6ne 
 
 363. 
 
 328. Servinien de 1'Yonne 
 
 364. 
 
 329. Ealliade blanche, Bernardy 
 
 
 330. Pied said de la Mayenne 
 
 365. 
 
 331. Uliade de I'HSrault 
 
 366. 
 
 332. Qualitor, idem 
 
 367. 
 
 333. Pinnaut (ires acide) 
 
 368. 
 
 334. 
 
 369. 
 
 335. Grec rouge, Bernardy 
 
 370. 
 
 336. Raisin Perl6, Jura 
 
 371. 
 
 337. Sauvignon blanc, Hautes- 
 
 372. 
 
 Pyre'ne'es 
 
 373. 
 
 338. 
 
 374. 
 
 339. Doneinelle, Lot 
 
 375. 
 
 14 
 
 340. Rajoulen, Lot 
 
 341. Bourret, Dr6me 
 
 342. Claverie male, Landes 
 
 10- e Plate-Bande. 
 
 Bourgelas, Vosges 
 
 Plant Pascal, Bouches-du- 
 
 Rh6ne 
 
 Clairette de Vaucluse 
 Plant de Sales, Bouches-du- 
 
 Rh6ne 
 Chenein, Vienne 
 
 Plant vert de 1'Yonne 
 Pique-poule, Lot-et-Ga- 
 
 ronne 
 Pans commune, Bouehes- 
 
 du-Rh&ne 
 
 Muscat d'AIezandrie, de 
 
 1'Heiault 
 
 Cecan, de Haute-Garonne 
 Grosse perle, de Seine-et- 
 
 Marne 
 
 Piquant-Paul, Baases-Alpei 
 Verdat, Vaucluse 
 Joannen, idem 
 Olivette, idem 
 
 Olivette ronde, Bernardy 
 Caliter blanc, Bernardy 
 Malvoisia, P6 
 Bon-blanc, Doub 
 
 Assadoule
 
 158 
 
 APPENDIX, 
 
 376. Malvasie, Pyrenees-Orien- | 378. 
 
 377. 
 
 tales 
 
 BLANCS, GRAINS ROiNDS. 
 
 (White, round Grapes.) 
 
 381. 
 382. 
 383. 
 384. 
 385. 
 386. 
 387. 
 388. 
 389. 
 390. 
 391. 
 392. 
 393. 
 394. 
 395. 
 396. 
 397. 
 
 398. 
 
 399. 
 400. 
 401. 
 402. 
 403. 
 404. 
 405. 
 
 406. 
 407. 
 
 408. 
 409. 
 410. 
 411. 
 412. 
 413. 
 414. 
 
 415. 
 
 11. Plate-Bande. 
 
 Joli blanc, Charente 
 Raisin de crapaud, Lot 
 Nebiolo commun, P& 
 Paugnette, Bernardy 
 Pique-poule, Landes 
 Rougeasse, Lot 
 
 Me"lier blanc, Jura 
 Riscbling, Bas-Rhin 
 Doncinelle Bernardy 
 Manias Bernardy 
 Lourdaut, Drdme 
 Muscat blanc, Jura 
 
 Picardan blanc, Bernardy 
 
 Grosse vari^te" blanche, Bas- 
 Rhin 
 
 Chasselas doru, Seine-et- 
 Marne 
 
 Chasselas, Jura 
 
 Ciotat, Seine 
 
 Saint-Rabior blano, Cha- 
 
 rente 
 
 Dammery blanc, Yonne 
 Sauvignon blanc, Charente- 
 
 Inferieure 
 Grand Benadu, Bernardy 
 
 Fie" jaune, Vienna 
 
 Fi6 vert, idem 
 
 Maroc, Bernardy 
 
 Terret Bourret, Bernardy 
 
 Unie blanc, Bouches-du- 
 
 Rhone 
 Gouais petit, Jura 
 
 , 416. 
 
 1417. 
 [418. 
 
 419. 
 
 420. 
 421. 
 
 422. 
 
 423. 
 424. 
 425. 
 426. 
 427. 
 428. 
 429. 
 
 430. 
 431. 
 432. 
 433. 
 
 434. 
 435. 
 436. 
 437 
 438. 
 
 439. 
 4lil. 
 441. 
 442. 
 443. 
 444. 
 445. 
 446. 
 447. 
 448. 
 449. 
 
 Calce'dd, Landes 
 
 Blanc Corinthe de grain,- 
 
 Bernardy 
 Arranjan petit, Landet 
 
 12. e Plate-Bande. 
 
 Sauvignon, Jura 
 
 Printannier, Hautes-Pyr^n- 
 n6ea 
 
 Chasselas musque", Seine- 
 et-Marne 
 
 Cascarolo blanc, Po 
 
 Melon blanc, C6te-d'Or 
 
 Forte-queue, Deux-Sevres 
 
 Doucet, Lot-et-Garonne 
 
 Mauzac blanc, Lot 
 
 Herbasque.Alpes-Maritimes 
 
 Hennant blanc, Seine-et- 
 Marne 
 
 Calitor noir, Bernardy 
 
 Eragnon noir, idem 
 
 Muscat rouge, idem 
 
 Clairette de Lirnoux, I'Hu- 
 rault 
 
 Gros-blanc, Moselle 
 
 Burger, Bas-Rhin 
 
 Maraquin, Bernardy 
 
 Vergus, Bernardy 
 
 Saint-Pierre blanc, Cha- 
 rente 
 
 Petit Rilrier, Bernardy 
 
 Picardan, Bernardy 
 
 Marmot, Marne 
 
 Rivesalte, Charente 
 
 Claverie, Hautes-Pyre'ne'es 
 
 Arbois, Maine-et-Loire 
 
 Chopine, Aisne 
 
 Colombon, Bernardy 
 Gouais jaune, Vienne 
 Auvernat, Maine-et-Loire
 
 CATALOGUE OF VINES. 
 
 159 
 
 450. Pique poule, Bernardy | 483 Guillemot blanc de. Landes 
 
 451. ?runy<5ral, Lot. 484. 
 
 452. ServinierfcondredeVYonne 485 Bernardy 
 
 453. Pineau,blanc,C6te-d n Or |4J6. ^^ ^ ^^ 
 
 13. e Plate-Bande. 
 
 458. Rochelle blanche, Seine-et 
 
 Marne 
 
 459. Saint-Jaume, Landes 
 
 460. Blavette 
 
 461. Courtanet, Lot-et-Garonne 
 
 462. 
 463. 
 464. 
 
 465. 
 
 466. 
 
 467. 
 
 468. 
 
 469. 
 
 470. 
 
 471. 
 
 472. 
 
 473. 
 
 474. 
 
 475. 
 
 476. 
 
 477. 
 
 478. 
 
 479. 
 
 480. 
 
 JL, 481 
 
 482 
 
 Latrut, 
 
 Drouais, Bernardy 
 Raisin grec, Vaucluse 
 Fourment6, Aisne 
 Merle" blanc, Landes 
 
 Aligote', C6te-d'Or 
 Kniperl6, Bas-Rhin 
 Guilandoux, Lot-et-Ga- 
 ronne 
 
 Sauvignon du Jura 
 Mansein blanc des Landes 
 Semillon, Lot-et-Garonne 
 
 491. Maroquin, Bernardy 
 
 492. Plant de Demoiselle, Bou- 
 
 ches-du-Rh&ne 
 
 493. Martinen, Bernardy 
 
 { 494 Raisin vert, Bas-Rhin 
 
 14.e Plate-Bande. 
 495. Bourguignon blanc, Haute- 
 
 % JT . 
 
 497. 
 
 501. 
 502. 
 
 503. 
 504. 
 505. 
 506. 
 507. 
 508. 
 509. 
 510. 
 511. 
 
 513. 
 
 Clairette menue blancbe, 
 de Vaucluse 
 
 Bonne Vituepne, Bernardy 
 Tokai, ou Pinneaut Gris 
 
 Raisin de poche, Bernardy 
 
 Clairette, Bernardy 
 
 RAISINS GRIS OU VIOLETS; GRAINS OVALES. 
 
 (Grey or violet-coloured Grapes ; oval-shaped.) 
 
 514. Pique-poule gris, de l'H6- 
 
 rault 
 
 515. Feldlinger, Bas-Rhin 
 
 516. Raisin Turc, Bernardy 
 517. 
 
 518. Gentil brun, Bas-Rhm 
 
 519. Blanquette violette, 
 
 nees-Orientales 
 
 520. Mornin, c'est un chasselat, 
 
 Bernardy 
 521. 
 522.
 
 160 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 523. Daraas violet, de 1'Herault 
 524. Aramon, Bernardy 
 525. 
 
 528. Chatus Bernardy 
 529. Malvois,ie, Bernards 
 530. 
 
 526. 
 527. Muscat de Rome, Bernardy 
 
 531. Raisin Cornichon.San Pepin 
 532. 
 
 GRAINS RONDS. 
 
 (Round Grapes.) 
 
 
 549. 
 
 15. e Plate-Bande. 
 
 550. Tripion Gros, Raisin rond 
 551. Malvoisie violet 
 
 533. Miiller reben, Moselle 
 
 552. Caillaba noir Musqut 
 
 534. Musoat rouge, Loir-et-Cher 
 
 553. 
 
 535. Marvoisin, Loire 
 
 554. 
 
 536. Feldlinger, Bas-Rhin 
 
 555. Muscat rose 
 
 537. Braquet gris, Alpes-Mari- 
 timcs 
 
 556. 
 557. Elizabeth 
 
 538. 
 
 558. Papan, ou Cornichon blanc 
 
 539. 
 
 559. 
 
 540. Gromier violet, Cantal 
 
 560. Maroc noir 
 
 541. Muscat rouge, Seine-et- 
 
 561. 
 
 Marne 
 
 5G2. 
 
 542. Chasselas violet, P6 
 
 563. 
 
 543. 
 
 564. 
 
 544 
 
 565. 
 
 545. Grec rouge, Dr6me 
 
 566. 
 
 546. Pineau Gris, C6te-d'0r 
 
 567. 
 
 54T, Blangiiette rose (ovale) 
 
 568. 
 
 548. Muscat 'noir 
 
 569. 
 
 
 570.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Albariza, soil which produces the finest Sherry Wine so 
 
 called, 18. 
 
 Analysis of, ibid. 
 
 Agriculture, barbarous state of, in Andalusia, 20. 
 Agricultural Establishment, description of an extensive 
 
 near Perpignan, 71. 
 
 Aloe, much used for Fences in Andalusia, 20. 
 Almond, Jordan, cultivated in a limited district near 
 
 Malaga, 54. 
 
 value of, ibid. 
 
 Antequera, tract of country from Seville to, described, 45 
 Algiers, notice of the French Colony there, 121. 
 Arenas, description of soil in the neighbourhood of Xcres 
 so called, 21. 
 
 - produces inferior wine, 23. 
 
 Brandy, added to all Sherries except some of the finest, 15 
 
 Wmes of Languedoc, chiefly converted into, 87 
 Garden of Montpelier, description of, 88 ; Ecole 
 
 ction of vines there, 88 ; urbanity and libe- 
 
 rality of its Director, ibid. 
 Burgundy Wine, how made, 118; quality of, depends much 
 
 upon the season, ibid ; great value of, 119. 
 Heze, vineyard of, 116. 
 
 Champagne, wine of, treatment of. in bottles, 123, 
 
 - large produce per acre, 124. 
 Uimate of Malaga, notice of, 56. 
 Cashmere Goats at Perpignan, 86. 
 Japers, how preserved, 99 ; how cultivated, 100. 
 
 Or, department of, extremely fertile, 112 : soil of, 
 ly calcareous, 116 ; very thickly peopled, 115
 
 162 INDEX. 
 
 Clos Vougeot, description of, 119. 
 
 Collioure, wine of, seldom drank in a pure state, 79 ; . 
 
 Chambertin, vineyard of, 115. 
 
 Cosperon, wine of, how made, 80. 
 
 Diet of Labourers at Xeres, notice of, 21, 27. 
 
 Malaga, 45. 
 
 in the south-east of France, 77. 
 
 Farm Buildings in Andalusia, wretched state of, 36 ; a 
 contrast to the condition of wine cellars, and buildings- 
 in the vineyards, ibid. 
 
 Figs, dried, mode of preparing, 99 ; extent to which for- 
 merly produced in Provence, ibid. 
 
 Fruit, account of, exported from Malaga, 53. 
 
 Fruits, dried, of Provence, 97. 
 
 Gypsum, used in making Sherry Wine, 29. 
 
 Hermitage, wines of, greatest part of the first growths sent 
 to Bourdeaux to mix with Claret, 104 ; how made, 
 ibid ; probable cause of their superiority, 107. 
 
 vineyards of, very limited in extent, lOti. 
 
 Hierouomite Monks, a convent of, extensive farmers near 
 
 Seville, 38. 
 Horned Cattle of Andalusia, 20. 
 
 Rousillon, 75. 
 
 Horses, Royal dep6t of, at Perpignan, 84. 
 
 Insects, destructive to the stocks of vines at Xeres if ne- 
 glected, 26. 
 Irrigaticni of Gardens near Xeres, 23. 
 
 Orange Groves at Seville, 43. 
 
 to what extent carried in Rousillon, So. 
 
 Jose Maria, a famous brigand, notice of, 44. 
 Languedoc, wines of, chiefly converted into Brandy, 87. 
 
 Machar Nudo, description of a vineyard of that name near 
 
 Xeres, 24. 
 
 Malaga, exports from, 53. 
 wines of, chiefly exported to America, 58.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 163 
 
 Malaga, dry wines of, very inferior to Sherry, 58. 
 
 sweet wines, Mountain, ibid. 
 
 Muscat, ibid. 
 
 Manure, used in the vineyards of Xeres, 19, 22. 
 Manure never used in the vineyards of Malaga, 48. 
 not used in the best vineyards of Rousillon, 82. 
 
 used in large quantities in Languedoc, 87 ; also at 
 
 Hermitage, 109. 
 
 use of, very common in the ordinary vineyards of 
 
 Burgundy, but never used in vineyards of reputation, 
 114, 120. 
 
 used with great caution in Champagne, 126. 
 
 Manzinilla, a wine of the south of Spain, so called, 13 ; 
 
 preferred to all others by all classes where it is grown, 
 ibid. 
 Montillado, a very dry species of Sherry, 15. 
 
 Noria, a very simple engine for raising water, 24 ; descrip- 
 tion of, 31. 
 Nursery at Tarascon,very extensive and well conducted, 92. 
 
 Oil, Olive, the universal substitute for butter in Spain, and 
 the southern parts of France, 76. 
 
 more congenial to health in hot climates, ibid. 
 
 preferred by the peasantry of Spain when rancid, 42. 
 
 Olives, mode of preserving, 94. 
 
 Olive Trees, plantations of, near Xeres, 17. 
 
 remarkable instance of the facility with which 
 
 they take root, 23. 
 
 estimate of their produce at Xeres, 23. 
 
 Seville, 38. 
 
 Alcala, 41. 
 
 Perpignan, 70. '- 
 
 order of bearing, and mode of pruning, 95. 
 
 in Provence subject to great injuries from the 
 
 frost, ibid. 
 
 Orange Groves, near Seville, description of, 43. 
 regularly irrigated, ibid. 
 
 Plants, new mode of packing, 93. 
 
 Plough of Andalusia, of the rudest construction, 24. 
 
 Prickly Pear, admirable fences formed of, in Andalusia, 20.
 
 164 INDEX. 
 
 Prickly Pear, recommended to the attention of the Settlers of 
 
 New South Wales, 20. 
 Presses for extracting oil at Seville, 38, 41. 
 Props for supporting vines first observed at Hermitage in 
 
 coming from the South, 108. 
 Provence, wines of, not so well known as they deserve to 
 
 be, 101. 
 Provignage, described as practised at Hermitage, 108 ; at 
 
 Burgundy, 116 ; at Champagne, 126. 
 Pruning of Vines conducted with great care at Xeres, 
 
 25, 32. 
 
 much neglected at Malaga, 59. 
 
 Pruning of Vines, which produce the Muscatel raisins, pe- 
 culiar mode of, 48 ; how conducted in Rousillon, 72 ; 
 
 in Provence, 100 ; at Hermitage, 109. 
 
 Raisins, Muscatel, of Malaga, how prepared, 49 ; limited 
 extent of land producing, 47, 50 ; quantity produced 
 per acre, and value, 50. 
 
 Sun, or Bloom, 51. 
 
 Lexia, 51. 
 
 of Provence, preparation and value of, 97 ; quan- 
 tity produced, 98. 
 
 Rheims, chief scat of the trade in Champagne wines, 121. 
 
 Rivesaltes, vineyards of, produce the first sweet wines of 
 France, 81 ; wine of, how made, 82. 
 
 Roquevaire, principal seat of the preparation of dried fruits 
 in Provence, 96. 
 
 Rousillon, wine of, how made, 74; chiefly exported to 
 Paris, 74. 
 
 Sainfoin, sown in Burgundy as a preparation of the soil for 
 , vines, 113. 
 
 Seville, exports from, 43. 
 
 Sherry, not a natural wine, 15 ; how prepared for the 
 market, ibid ; how it is made, 27 et seq. ; often made 
 from grapes much decayed, 30 ; sometimes turns sour, 
 35 ; stock of, equal to many years' consumption, ibid ; 
 general observations on, 63 et seq. 
 
 Sheep of Andalusia, 19. 
 
 Rousillon, 76. 
 
 i the Bergerie Royale, near Perpignan, 85.
 
 INDEX. 165 
 
 Scuddiness, or Motheriness, in Sherry wines, probable cause 
 
 SolerSc 2 a 8 sk 6 s 4 ii which Sherry wines are ripened so called 
 14 ; are said to contain sometimes wine 50 years 
 
 Silk Worms, rearing of, very profitable, 103. 
 
 Soil, general remarks relative to its influence upon the 
 
 quality of the wine produced upon it, 128. 
 Sugar, cultivated at Almunecar, in the south of Spam, 5, 
 
 Trenching the Soil, customary before plant ing v mes in the 
 vineyards of Xeres, 27 ; only partial at Malaga, 47 
 not customary in Rousillon, 72 ; very deep at t 
 
 TravSngT danger of, through the south of Spain, 37. 
 
 Vines, number of varieties cultivated at Xeres, 24. 
 
 varieties of, which yield the finest Sherries, scarce, 21 
 
 number of varieties, cultivated at Ma aga, 58._ 
 
 variety of, which yields the finest Malaga raisin, only 
 
 grows in a limited district, 47. 
 
 of Rousillon, notice of, 71. 
 
 National Collection of, in the Botanic Garden of Mont- 
 
 Closeness and feebleness of those of Burgundy, 120. 
 
 extreme closeness and feebleness of those of Cham- 
 
 VrneyST of Xeres, descriptions of, 17, 21, 24 32 ; esti. 
 mate of their extent, produce, and value, ibid. 
 
 Malaga, description of, 46 ; value of, 57. 
 
 Rousillon, description of, 71 et seq. ; quantity 
 
 and value of their produce, 73. 
 
 Rivesaltes, exceedingly stony, 81. 
 
 Collioure and Port Vendre, terraced, 78. 
 
 Hermitage, 107. 
 
 Burgundy, 115. 
 
 Champagne, 124 ; great importance of a south- 
 
 1 C\ B? 
 
 era exposure, 125. . . 
 Burgundy and Champagne, much injured by tn< 
 
 winter of 1829, 127 ; striking examples of the eff< 
 
 of industry and skill, 127. 
 celebrity, limited extent of, proverbial, 129 ; t< 
 
 what attributable, ibid.
 
 1G6 APPENDIX. 
 
 Weevil, scarcely known in the south of Spain, 39. 
 Wines, not allowed by law to be sold for consumption in 
 
 the south of Spain till twelve months old, 35. 
 dry, of reputation, believed to be always produced 
 
 in calcareous soils, 128 ; striking illustration of this 
 
 at Hermitage, ibid. 
 sweet, qualities of, more owing to the kind of 
 
 grape, and the mode of making, than to the soil, 129. 
 boiled, what it is, 15 ; used to give body and 
 
 colour to thin and light coloured wines at Xeres, ibid ; 
 gives the brown colour to Mountain Malaga, 58. 
 
 Wine Cellars of Xeres, very extensive, 14. 
 
 very remarkable subterranean, at Rheims. 
 
 122. 
 
 Wine Presses, Spanish, of very rude construction, 19 ; de- 
 scription of a very complete one at Tournon, 104. 
 
 Wool, curious fact relative to the export of, from Spain. 43. 
 
 Xeres de la Frontera, one of the richest towns of Spain, 
 14; owes its wealth to the excellence of the wine 
 grown in its vicinity, 10. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Catalogue First Description of the Vines of Rousillon ; 
 of Rivesaltes ; of Herault, formerly Languedoc ; of 
 Roquevaire ; of Hermitage; of Burgundy; of Cham- 
 pagne ; Varieties from the Nursery of the Luxem- 
 bourg; of Tonrielle ; 135 144. 
 
 Catalogue Second Description of Spanish Vines ; 145 
 152. 
 
 Catalogue Third The National Collection of Vines in the 
 Garden of the Luxembourg at Paris, 152. 
 
 THE
 
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