lo Aug., ipo^-] Viticulture in Europe. 473 



FOURTH PROGRESS REPORT ON VITICULTURE 

 m EUROPE. 



{Continued fruni page 430.) 

 F. de Castella, Government Vitienlturist. 



Reconstitutioii in Spain {continued). 

 The Malaga District {continued). 



Stocks used in the Malaga District. 

 When phylloxera was discovered near Malaga in 1878, reconstitution 

 in France had entered on what may be termed the " Riparia stage." 

 The stocks first used, such as Taylor, Yorks Madeira, Jacquez, &c., were 

 being superseded by selections from among the Wild Riparias imported 

 from America. Chief among these were Riparia Gloire de Montpellier 

 or Portal is and Riparia Grand Glabre, both of which are known to us 

 in Australia. These enjoyed an extraordinary popularity and served as 

 stocks for over 80 per cent, of the replantations then in progress. 

 Spanish growers, who turned to France for information and advice, fol- 

 lowed the French lead, and in their reconstitution adopted the Riparia 

 to the exclusion of all other stocks. So much so, that even at the present 

 day the word Riparia is generally employed in many parts of the south 

 of Spain to denote an American vine. 



Phylloxera first appeared in the wine producing region known as the 

 Monies de ^lalaga, and it was here that reconstitution was commenced. 

 Wine became scarce and its value increased. Led on by hopes of verv 

 remunerative returns, speculators bought up large areas of dead or dying 

 vineyards and hurriedly replanted them, using as stocks the Riparias 

 which were then the fashion in France. Most planters imported their 

 cuttings direct ; others, however, raised large quantities of seedlings — a 

 most injudicious course in view of the great variability always existing 

 among .seedling vines. 



The neglect of subsoiling has already been referred to. The 

 American stocks were planted in the same way that was the rule with old 

 viniferas in pre- phylloxera days. Results were most disappointing. 

 Under such circumstances even the most drought resistant American vines 

 could not have given profitable results. The use of Riparia as a stock 

 aggravated the trouble and contributed, perhaps, more than any of the 

 other factors mentioned to make reconstitution in the ^lontes de Malaga 

 a complete failure. Nor was failure immediately realized. At this 

 period the great dread of French growers was chlorosis, so common in 

 limestone soils. Malaga vignerons found consolation in the healthy 

 green colour of their vines in these stonv soils free from lime. They 

 hoped in vain that vigour would come with age, and continued to struggle 

 along wath deficient vegetation and miserable yields until repeated losses 

 compelled them to abandon the cultivation of their vinevards. 



This failure of the Riparia stock is an interesting object lesson and 

 one which should serve as a warning to growers in hot districts and dry 

 situations. It caused the extinction of a once prosperous wine industry, 

 the ruin of the pioneers long deterring others from risking a like fate so 

 that at the present time this region is mostly bare of vineyards. The 



