Journal of Agriculture. 



[lo Sept., 1908. 



percfentage of the flowers is the rule. This renders artificial fecundation 

 necessary, and Almeria is one of the few localities I visited where arti- 

 ficial fecundation is one of the ordinary vineyard operationsi. A wild 

 Vinifera bearing male flowers known as Flor was largely grown in former 

 tinues to supplement the deficient pollen of the Ohanez. 



Another table variety known as Castiza, which produces red grapes, 

 was pointed out to me as being used for this purpose also. The flower- 

 bunches of the Ohanez are lightly touched with the bunch of the pollen- 

 bearing variety, which must of course be in full bloom. Sometimes the 

 pollen is collected and applied with a small feather duster. It would 

 appear that the pollen of the Ohanez itself is not so valueless as is some- 

 times stated, for very often fecmidation is insured by merely lightly 

 touching the bunch with a soft feather, or even with the hand when in 

 flower. The same result is sometimes obtained by violently shaking the 

 whole plant in order to distribute its own pollen more completely. 



TOP OF A PARRA SEEN FROM BELOW. 



Bees are scarce in the neighbourhood, owing to the absence of flower 

 bearing vegetation on the barren hills. No doubt if they were plentiful 

 they would greatly assist. In Victoria we may not have the same drfficultv 

 to overcome. This peculiarity of the Ohanez is nevertheless worthv of 

 serious consideration for artificial fecundation as practised in Southern 

 Spain would scarcely be possible with us, at any rate, on a large scale. 



Training and Pruning. 



The system of training the vines on high overhead trellises or parrales 

 (singular, parra) is most characteristic, and gives a great charm to the 

 vineyards. The vines are planted in squares at about 15 x 15 and trained 

 with a straight stem to a height of 7 feet or so. At the top of this stem 

 the crown branches out in all directions like a huge spider, the main 

 branches and annual rods being supported by a network of wires crossing 



