8 Nov., 1907.] Viticulture in Europe. 695' 



3309, 1202', (S:c. I spent three days with M. Couderc, whose long 

 practical experience and scientific attainments gi\-e great weight to his 

 opinions. In addition to experimental plots and collections, he owns 

 vine\ards and makes wine on a commercial scale. He is an indefatigable 

 raiser of new varieties and h\i)rids, and has raised no less than 300,000 

 seedlings, some of which have i)roved of very great value. At Vaucluse 

 I visited M. Tacussel, a large grower of wine and table grapes, who'se 

 magnificient collection of the latter comprises 800 varieties. M. Tacussel 

 is a large shipper of table gra])es, especially to England and Germany ; 

 he also makes annually some 20,000 gallons of wine. Many of the 

 varieties he cultivates largeh are new to Australia ; several would be 

 distinct acquisitions, and should, I think, be introduced into Victoria. 



On the Rhone, T visited man\- vine\ards, breaking m\- journey at the 

 places alreadv mentioned. The Rhone valley is interesting tO' an Aus- 

 tralian for several reasons. Its soils, like those in many parts of Victoria, 

 are poor in lime. The (juestion O'f a(la})tati()n in calcareous soils, so 

 important near Montpellier, is no longer a vital one here. The chief 

 variety cultivated is the Syrah which is identical Avith our Red Hermitage 

 or Shiraz, so largely cultivated in Victoria, and which forms the basis of 

 our exiport wdnes. The Marsanne, the leading white variety, is the same as 

 our White Hermitage. The wines produced are more similar to our best 

 Australian than those of Southern France. The celebrated Hermitage, 

 Cornas, St. Peray, Condrieux, &c., both red and white, are of fuller 

 bodv and higher alcoholic strength than most French wines and remind one 

 of our best Victorian. 



Before proceeding further I must place on record the very cordial 

 manner in which I have been received bv those with whom the work of my 

 mission has brought me in contact, without a single exception. Noi thought 

 of commercial rivalrx or competition has e\er prevented those whom I ha\'e 

 had the good fortune to meet, officialh" or iprivately, from doing their 

 utmost to aid me in every way in their power. I ha\e been fortunate 

 in the way of letters of introduction, through my father and other friends, 

 but the generous aid I have received has exceeded m\ most sanguine 

 anticipations and greatly facilitated mv work. 



With regard to the late " Viticultural Crisis '" it will reassure our 

 growers to learn that it is chiefly the cheap " Vins ordinaires '' wdiich 

 have suffered. The glut in these wines has had a depressing effect on the 

 market generally, but the choicer French wines are still selling at payable 

 prices. 



Phylloxera. 

 Except in a few out of the way ])laces, phylloxera is now seldom 

 heard of in France. It is, of course, always there, but with practically 

 the whole country reconstituted it is powerless to injure an\- but vines 

 grafted on stocks'^ which are not sufficiently resistant. I have seen some 

 vineyards where phylloxera has been combated by other means than graft- 

 ing, viz., plantation in sand, by submersion, and by the cultivation of 

 direct producers. In isolated cases one or other of these may be of use 

 with us. I have collected full information. But the true solution of the 

 phylloxera problem is now and probabK always will be grafting on 

 resistant stocks. 



Grafting on Resistant Stocks. 

 The onl\- ix>ints discussed now-a-days, are in connexion with the choice 

 of stock, in view of conditions of soil,' climate, and scion. Resistance to 

 phylloxera is the first and most vital requirement. Many of the early stocks 

 we're wanting in this, and if not killed outright, they suffered from the 

 insect, at least when grafted, to such an extent as to render their use 



