586 Journal of Agriculture. [10 Oct., 1908, 



white wine, a far larger quantity of which is turned out than of red. If 

 red wine is to be made the grapes go from the crushers to a stemmer, and 

 thence to the fermenting vats. The red wine, which has a strength of 

 about 25 per cent, proof, is fermented in small wooden vats, capable of 

 yielding 300 or 400 gallons of wine each. The marc is well rummaged 

 twice a day, but no special means are employed to control temperatures. 

 The wine usually remains a week in the fermenting vat. 



A large and splendidly-equipped distillery is one of the features of the 

 establishment. Both brandy and fortifying spirit are distilled. The marc 

 is distilled in a special still with three tipping boilers which work 

 in rotation, and in which it is depri\'ed of its spirit by steam 

 being rapidly blown through it. Each boilex can take a charge? 

 of 2 cwt. of marc. It takes fifteen minutes for the extraction 

 of the alcohol. Brandy is distilled in pot stills. Water being scarce in 

 La Mancha, the refrigeration of the warm water from the condensers is 

 necessary. This is carried out in a simple cooler of large dimensions, as 

 shown in the photograph. It is made of vine cuttings fixed in a large 

 iron frame. The water trickling slowly over these is rapidly cooled ; one 

 passage over this appliance reducing the temperature from 176 deg. to 

 59 deg. F. Nothing is wasted in this winery ; the lees are pressed, dried 

 and sold for the extraction of cre^m of tartar. Even the marc is, after 

 distillation, dried and converted into what is termed Orujo Tostado to 

 serve as fodder for farm animals. 



All machinery is driven by a couple of engines, one of 14 and the other 

 of 20 horse-power. 



Electric light generated on the premises is laid on everywhere sO' that 

 work may be continued night and day. Such is a very summary descrip- 

 tion of this fine winery, one of the largest of its kind in this part of Spain. 



The price paid to farmers for their grapes varies a good deal ; last 

 season from .70 to 1.50 pesetas per arroba was given for white and up to 

 3 pesetas for red grapes, which were scarce. This would be equivalent to 

 £^2 to ;^5 per ton for white and up to ;^io per ton for red. 



The vineyards are laid out on the square system, the vines being 6 or 

 7 feet apart in each direction. Ploughing by animal traction is now the rule 

 in La Mancha. The vines are trained with low crowns, and are pruned 

 very short. They axe not tied up or staked in anv wav. 



Invasion by Phylloxera Inevitable. 



So far as reconstitution is concerned there was nothing to be learnt in 

 this region, for it is as yet free from phylloxera. It constitutes a clean 

 island surrounded by infested districts. Here, as in so many other places,, 

 where growers have not yet had experience of the pest, one is told 

 that in the special soil nf the district phylloxera will not be able to injure 

 the vines. As the soil is not of a sandy nature, it is diflficult to find anv 

 justification for such hopes. 



Ph\ lloxera is even now on the borders of La Mancha, and it is highly 

 probable that within a very few years it will be right through the district. 

 The inevitable destruction of such a large area of vineyards, which will 

 in all probability be only slowly reconstituted, owing to the low prices now 

 ruling for cheap wines, will probably have a beneficial pecuniary effect on 

 the Spanish wine market generally. 



Other important regions in Northern and North- Eastern Spain are only ' 

 now beginning to feel the effects of phylloxera, and it is very probable 

 that within a few years the wine production of tlie whole country will 

 show a considerable decrease. 



