The Department of Agriculture during the War. 4(33 



THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DURING 



THE WAR. 



[This article, which commenced in the May, 1920, issue, briefly reviews the work carried out 

 by the various branches of the Department during the years of the war, and records 

 some achievements despite the many difficulties encountered through the abnormal 

 conditions then existing. — Acting Editor.] 



Viticulture. 



Tlie Division of Viticulture is charged with the duty of advising- 

 farmers in all matters relating to the culture of the vine_ and the 

 manufacture of wine, brandy, and vingear. As was experienced m 

 other divisions of the Department, the year 1914-15 saw a serious 

 interference in research and other work owing to staff shortage caused 

 by the war, and much that was contemplated, especially at the Oeno- 

 logical Institute, had to be curtailed. Eoutine work was satisfactorily 

 disposed of and lectures were given to short-course students and at 

 several farmers' meetings. Experiments in various districts as to the 

 most suitable American vines for different soils were continued, and 

 at the Paarl Experiment Station the experiments in regard to trellising, 

 manuring, varieties, etc., were carried on. There was a considerable 

 shortage in production of wine throughout the viticultural districts, 

 and owing to unfavourable weather conditions during tlie ripening 

 stage of the grapes the quantity of wine made at Groot Constantia 

 Wine Farm was the smallest for many years. In 1914 the production 

 reached 15,689 gallons, and in 1915 only 9,485 gallons. In 1915-16 

 the division was fully equipped, having the farm at Groot Constantia 

 and the Experiment Stations at Elsenburg and Paarl to conduct the 

 necessary research into the problems affecting the industry, but the 

 work was hampered by lack of a sufficient number of scientific officers, 

 who carried out, however, as much as was possible with useful results. 

 Lectures were given to short-course students and also at farmers' 

 meetings, many individual farmers were visited by the Government 

 Viticulturist, experiments were carried on at the Paarl Viticultural 

 Station with its collection of some 200 varieties of wine and table 

 grapes, and generally the interests of the industry were catered for. 

 A number of varieties of table grapes new to the tJnion were shipped 

 to England during the season and valuable information was obtained 

 as to their suitability to our country. Owing to the desire of the 

 Manager of Groot Constantia Wine Farm to retire at an early date, 

 an arrangement was made to initiate the incoming manager into the 

 methods of wine-making found successful on the farm and other 

 matters so as to ensure continuity in the successful management of 

 the estate. The farm vintage produced 9899 gallons in 1916. The 

 Union's vintage of 1916, although of good quality, was not large, and 

 the price obtained for it as a consequence was satisfactory to the 

 producers. While no marked progress was shown in the wine-making 

 industry, the area under vines increased owing to the planting out of 

 t^ble grape varieties, for which the demand oversea is good and prices 



