liEPORT OF THE UePAKTMENT OE AGRIf'TJLTURE. 5()8 



Report No. XI. 



VITICULTURE. 



Gorermuent V iticidt mist : S. W. van Niekerk. 



1. Oenolof/icitl /nsfifufe. — Durino' tlie period iindei' review a 

 g'reater number O'f wines was analyzed and microscopically invest'g- 

 ated than in any previous year. Fermentation experiments with 

 imported as a^i'ainst Cape yeast were conducted, the results being- 

 published in tlie Jovrnal of November, 1921. A large number of 

 experiments in connection with moskonfyt boiling was also carried 

 out. These experiments proved that to obtain tbe best results it is 

 necessary, in the majority of must used for moskonfyt, to ueutialize 

 the must with calcium carbonate. Pure levures were again propa- 

 gated and distributed among farmers. 



2. SJiort Course in Wine-Mali n r/. — This course was again held 

 in January. Twenty-seven farmers attended. Dr. Perold and Mr. 

 Cuthbert, Assistant Chemist at Elsenburg, assisted. The course was 

 given in both official lang-uages, and several farmeis Avho attended 

 previously were ag^ain present. 



^!. Oiilsitic ^]'<,'l■k. — The (lovernment Viticulturist is still respon- 

 sible for the lectures at Elsenburg. The correspondence of the 

 Division is steadily increasing. The re(]uests to visit farms to give 

 practicol denuinstrations, advice on soil, etc., continue to increase 

 and very often ajiplicants must eitlier be refused or be kept waiting 

 for a long time. ()ver ninety farms, however, were visited and twenty 

 farmers' meetings attended. Two outside lectures on viticultural 

 matters were given. On account of the bad condition of the wine 

 trade, the making- of moskonfyt was taken up in earnest ; this branch 

 was previously only a small side-line and never studied scientifically. 

 Several meetings on this subject with those interested were held. At 

 Villiersdorp the first registered moskonfyt factoiy in South Africn 

 was established. 



There was an uuustnil number of in(|uiries regarding the nuvni- 

 pulation of wines and In. indies and even liqueurs. This indicates that 

 several farmers are considering the advisability of starting their own 

 retail business, as they cannot make both ends meet with the present 

 wholesale prices. 



In(|uiries regarding the best table grai)es and their treatment 

 were numerous. In nuniy instances practical demonstrations in the 

 trimming and thinning of grapes were requested and later in ihv 

 packing for export. The Division was also approached in connection 

 with the making of wines on forms, but as it was employed in this 

 direction at the time at the CTOvernment Institutions, the service 

 could not !)e undertaken. 



4. /^itirl V itinilfui-al Station. — A resume of the activities of this 

 Station was ]>ublished in the Marcdi, 1922. number of the Journal. 

 As a result many inquiries were received regarding certain grape 



