36^ 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[8 June, 1908, 



merits of the case. The story is, however, too long a one to be gone 

 into here. 



The declining popularity of Sherry is probably due to a change in 

 fashion more than to anything else — a change which is difficult to under- 

 stand for no wine is cleaner, more delicate, or possessed of greater dis- 

 tinction than a really high-class Sherry. This change of fashion took 

 place prior to the outbreak of phylloxera. It is, together with affinity 

 difficulties in Afuera soils, responsible for the small area as yet recon- 

 stituted. 



CASA DE MACHARNUDO, A VINEYARD HOMESTEAD. 



The country around Jerez consists mainly of slightly undulating land 

 and, though some olive groves and also pine plantations are to be met 

 with here and there, tne whole country strikes one by its bare, bleak, low 

 hills and the general absence of timber. The slopes of these hills were 

 formerly covered with prosperous vineyards, but now are largely devoted" 

 to wheat-growing if the soil is sufficiently rich, and to grazing. They 

 are still dotted with the Casas de Lagares, or crushing houses, where the 

 wine was made in former days. The accompanying photograph of " El 

 Caribe," one of the properties of Don Pedro Gonzalez y Soto, may 

 be taken as typical of most of them. The fine Casa belonging to the 

 firm of Pedro Domecq — Casa de Macharnuda — is also illustrated. This 

 photograph shows the homestead at one of the finest reconstituted vine- 

 yards in the district. Another striking feature of the country is the high 

 prickly pear hedges to be met with every here and there which give a 

 picturesque appearance to much of the landscape. They make a quite 

 impenetrable fence and one which produces a large quantity of edible 

 fruit. The prickly pear or Chombo plays quite an important part in the 

 food supply of the poorer classes. One of our illustrations shows a vine- 

 yaru fence of this plant. These are now in many cases being cut down 



