8 May, 1908.] 



Farm Reports. 



307 



FARM REPORTS. 



Quarter Ended 31st March, 1908. 

 Butherglen Viticultural College. 



G. H. Adcock, F.L.S., Principal. 



Vineyard. 



During the quarter the work of disbudding the American resistant vines 

 was continued as long as it was necessary, and the usual thorough cultiva- 

 tion carried out. Only by keeping the surface soil loose can the moisture 

 be retained. This is a most important^ and in fact an essential opera- 

 tion in this district, and cannot too often be insisted upon. 



Wine was made during March from the varieties grafted on resistant 

 stocks. Only about 800 gallons were made as the plantation is but voung, 

 and the area is limited. Heavier losses were incurred this vear than ever 

 before by the depredations of birds, which have been a veritable scourge 

 this season throughout the district. The wine made though small in quan- 

 tity is of considerable promise. The grapes crushed were Shiraz, Malbec, 

 and a few Cabernet. Photographs were taken of some of these \ines just 

 before vintage, but do not do adequate justice to the crop, as much of the 

 fruit was on the side of the vine away from the camera. Two photo- 

 graphs, taken by my son, are reproduced in this report as illustrations. 

 The bunches and berries of Malbec were exceptionally fine, much superior 

 tc anything previously seen here, and probably unequalled elsewhere. 



MllkA/ CkAKIED ON HYBRID NO. ojOd. 



By reque.st of the Viticultural Society of Victoria, samples of our wines, 

 particularly that made from grafted vines, were sent to the Autumn Ex- 

 hibition to be held early in ^lay. 



Nursery. 

 Watering the young vines at Wahgunyah took up a considerable time, 

 and proved the salvation of those the locusts left. These pests did not 



