72 Journal oj Agriculture. [lo Feb., 1909. 



Cataluiia, in the North- East, produces more wine. The three regions 

 of Levante, La Alancha and Cataluna pvossess between them 1,879,495 

 acres or more than half the area under vines in Spain (in 1906). 



Phylloxera has appeared in each of the four provinces which were 

 officially declared to be phylloxerated in the following order: — Murcia 

 in 1874, Alicante \x\ 1900, Castellon in 1901, and Valencia in 1905. 

 Large areas are as yet free frorr. the insect (^Denia and the raisin districts 

 for example). The distribution of the vine lands, running as they do 

 up valleys, separated from one another by large extents of barren rocky 

 hills, or by areas of rich irrigated land in which vines are not grown, 

 retards to some extent the free spread of the invasion. Nevertheless, 

 there are several important outbreaks in the province of Valencia, the one 

 I was able to see most of, and the spread of the pest to all vineyards 

 is merely a question of time. Though the most recently attacked of the 

 four provinces, it is Valencia that is taking the most active steps to 

 combat it and to aid growers in the work of reconstitution. Viticultural 

 work in this region is in the hands of Don Rafael Janini y Janini, an- 

 other charming and highly trained Spaniard — a man of the same type 

 as Don Nicholas de los Salmones and Don Victor M. de Zuniga who 

 are doing such good work for their Government in connexion, with the 

 reconstitution in Navarra and La Rioja. Don Rafael is, in addition, en- 

 trusted with the management of the Royal vineyards, the private property 

 of the King. On 12th January I arrived in Valencia from Barcelona. 

 Don Rafael being absent, I went on to Denia, a description of which 

 place and its raisin industry, appeared in last month's Journal. I got back 

 to Valencia on 17th January and was pleased to find that Don Rafael had 

 also returned. He received me most cordially and gave me much valuable 

 information concerning viticulture in this most important region of Spain. 



Unfortunately, the few days I was able to spend in Valencia were 

 marred by continual rain, which rendered it very difficult to get about ; 

 I was frequently able, however, to call on Don Rafael and from him to 

 collect information as to the work the Government is doing in connexion 

 with reconstitution. He does not share the views of Don Nicholas 

 de los Salmones as to the propagation of grafted rootlings being outside 

 the province of the state. He is taking active steps to meet the demand 

 for grafted vines which he is propagating on a large scale and supplying 

 to growers at £,^ per 1,000. During the 1907 season 300,000 grafted 

 rootlings were raised, and at the time of my visit arrangements were 

 being made for the grafting, callusing, and striking of over half a million 

 cuttings. 



Operations on such a scale have necessitated the raising of considerable 

 quantities of resistant wood. In order to obtain these cheaply and with 

 the least possible loss of time, grafting on old viniferas, not as yet suffering 

 from phylloxera, has been largely resorted to. Fears were at first held 

 in some quarters lest cuttings from such grafted vines might not suffer some 

 change, especially in the direction of loss of phylloxera resistance. Don 

 Rafael is altogether reassuring on this point in a recent report wherein he 

 states — 



As the well-known French vine authority, M. L. Ravaz, said to me a few months 

 back — "You may feel perfectly secure. Tlie scion is in no wise moditied by the stock, 

 and American vines grafted on viniferas are as resistant as those taken from American 

 stocks " (on their own roots).* 



* This example has been followed in Victoria The Agricultural Department has leased an area of old 

 viniferas at Chateau Tahbilk, which, grafted this season, are rapidly producing a large quantity of 

 resistant cuttings. 



