10 Nov., 190S.] \iticiilliirc in Europe. 693 



on so considerable a scale as that on which replantations are being made in 

 Navarra, and allowance must be made for the fact that a good deal of 

 the wood raised in that province finds its vyay into other parts of Spain. 

 It is, nevertheless, evident that a considerable quantity of American wood 

 will be required before we shall have accomplished the reconstitution of 

 anything like our present area. Want of time prevented my visiting more 

 than two of the numerous experimental stations and nurseries in the pro- 

 vince. These were Olaz-Chipi and Sartaguda, to both of which Don 

 Nicolas accompanied me. These two establishments differ widely in their 

 situations and functions. A summary description of them will givei some 

 idea of these and of other kindred institutions in the province. 



Olaz-Chipi Experimental Station. 



This is rather an experimental station than a nursery ; though it 

 possesses 20 acres planted with mother vines, the greater part of it is 

 occupied by collections. It may be looked upon as the head-quarters' 

 station being situated at about half-an-hour's drive from the gates of 

 Pamplona. It is here that the 1,000 Spanish varieties collected by 

 Don Nicolas are being ampelographically studied. In addition to this 

 important work several experiments are being conducted. One of a rather 

 curious nature, the results of which are in apparent contradiction to the 

 recognised laws governing agricultural methods, merits brief description. 



The experiment was instituted in order to test the need for cultivating 

 the soil. On several plots of vines the surface of the soil was completely 

 covered to a depth of 6 inches with clinker. In this layer, weeds do^ not 

 grow, nor is it cultivated or disturbed in any way. The vines were 4 years 

 old when covered with clinker, but before the original plantation, the 

 soil had, as is usual in the province, been trenched 2 feet deep. The 

 experiment has now been in progress five years, and though no cultivation 

 of any kind has been given during this time, each season the yield, both 

 of grapes and of canes removed at pruning, has been higher on these 

 clinkered plots than on the control plots alongside which are cultivated 

 in the ordinary way. Similar experiments have recently been conducted 

 in .several parts of France. The subject is important, and one which will 

 be referred to at length in a later report. It is as well to bear in mind 

 the difference between the cold, wet climate of .Pamplona, and that of 

 Northern Victoria. To see in the curious results of such experiments a 

 justification for neglect of cultivation in our dry, warm districts where the 

 roots must be kept in the lower layers of the soil would be, to say the 

 least, most injudicious. 



At Olaz-Chipi the question of direct hearers, the new hybrid vines 

 which may, it is hoped, enable grafting to be dispensed with, is receiving 

 considerable attention, and the most promising of the new creations are 

 being methodically studied. 



Though the wine made from these grapes is usually very inferior to 

 that yielded bv the old European varieties, I was considerably astonished 

 at that made from M. Couderc's h\ brid No. 3907, which was a nice light 

 drv red of claret type with much better bouquet that one usually finds in 

 the wine of these vines. This wine was 4 years old, and would therefore 

 appear to improve with age, a character not shared bv the majority of 

 direct bearer wines. Another vintage of the same grape (1906) was not 

 quite so good, though fuller bodied. If vintaged too ripe the difference 

 between these grapes and the old European varieties seems to be accen- 

 tuated. No. 3907 has resisted Phylloxera in a satisfactory manner at 



