S June, 1908.] Viticulture in Europe. 357 



couple of feet without interfering with tlieir relative positions has always 

 been found the most satisfactory system. 



This marked difference is no doubt largely accounted for bv difference 

 in geological formation — primary soils, as well as those of more recent 

 age resulting from the decompositions of primary rocks, constitute the \"ast 

 majority of the soils of Victoria, and these are only rarelv to be met with 

 in Spain or in fact in Europe generally. Then again it must be remem- 

 bered that there is a great difference between our virgin soils which have 

 remained as nature left them, and the soils of Europe which have for 

 countless generations been handled and worked to a considerable depth; 

 for the need of subsoiling is not a new idea in Europe but one which has 

 been constantly advocated and practised since the times of the earliest agri- 

 cultural writers. 



The distance apart varies somewhat from vineyard to vinevard. I have 

 seen vines planted at 5 x 5, at 3 ft. 3 in. x 6 ft. 6 in., and at 4 x 4. 

 'i'his would mean from 1,700 to 2,700 vines per acre. In pre-phylloxera 

 times, vines Avere planted considerably closer — about double this number 

 per acre. That this distance should be so much closer than that found 

 most suitable in northern Victoria, under similar climatic conditions, sug- 

 gests the question whether, with the deeper preliminary cultivation we are 

 now adopting in Victoria, we may not find it advisable to plant our vines 

 somewhat closer than formerly. The question is an important one which 

 can only be properly answered by means of carefully conducted experi- 

 mental plots. 



Nursery struck rooted vines are, as has been said, almost in\-ariably 

 planted. These Barbados as they are called are never less than 18 inches 

 long and sometimes even more. They are grafted, as a rule, the year 

 following their plantation, but, if owing to the season having been an un- 

 favorable one, growth is not considered sufficient they are allowed to remain 

 ungrafted for another year. I have known cases where a vineyard was 

 established by planting American cuttings in February. These had made 

 sufficient growth to enable them to be grafted the following August. An 

 excellent result was obtained. This was in an exceptional season, how- 

 ever, and such favorable conditions do not usually prevail. Water is scarce 

 in Jerez and irrigation is not possible. Plantation with " Barbados " is 

 the general rule. 



Training and Pruning. 

 The vines of Jerez are formed with low crowns ; they are usually 

 pruned to one rod and one or two spurs, though strong vines may be 

 allowed two rods. In the Afuera soils one rod is the rule. The vines are 

 not staked or tied up in any wav during the summer nor are the rods tied 

 to wires. These are supported at their extremities by small wooden forks 

 named " horquillas " driven into the ground and in this way the fruit 

 is kept off the ground. In some vinevards the regular Guyot method of 

 pruning is applied, the vines being formed with two arms, each of which 

 bears a rod and a spur arranged in the usual well known way. This system 

 is a rather recent introduction and differs radically from the old method 

 of the district, the guiding principle of which was that the rod should 

 not be borne bv the same arm for two vears in succession. It is claimed 

 that in this wav the arm, on which the rod has been suppressed, is made 

 to throw out strong shoots which will be available to choose a rod from 

 the following year, and that exhaustion of the vine by long pruning is 

 thus avoided. The contention seems logical, but both methods of pruning 

 appear to give satisfactory results. 



