S3° Journal of Agriculture. [lo May, 1909. 



The wines produced near Figueras are chiefly full bodied dr\ reds 

 with much colour, such as used to be shipped to France during the 

 phylloxera wine famine. These wines are chiefly made from Carigneha 

 grafted on Rupestris du Lot, A.R.G.i.. i^o:;. 3309? &c. No. 1202 is 

 said to do well in clay soils which are very prevalent. 



Space will not j)ermit a full description of the viticultural station, 

 in which 1 was much interested. Among other experimental work, direct 

 producers are receiving much attention ; the most promising of these 

 were Nos. 251-150, 199-88, 89-23 and 81-115 of Couderc, 48-156, 209- 

 1028 and 1077 of Siebel, and Gaillerd-Girerd's No. 157. .Some of the 

 wines made from these were interesting; in particular, 251-150 Couderc. 

 with rather a sherxy character, and 48- [56 vSiebel, which was distinctly 

 Rancio. 



{T'O he coiitnnied.) 



ORCHARD NOTES. 



/. Croiiin, PrnicipaL Scliool of Hortieidiure, Diiniley. 



The i)roper means of adding to or maintaining the fertility of orchard 

 land is an important problem to fruit-growers generally and especially to 

 those new to the business. The conditions under which fruit trees are 

 grown in various parts of Victoria are widely difi'erent and the means that 

 would be most reasonable at Bendigo for fertilizing an apple orchard, 

 would not be at all suitable at Portland and other cool and moist districts. 



The advice to plough into the soil large quantities of stable manure 

 annually, or to grow winter crops of peas for ploughing under in spring, 

 irrespective of condition of soil and climate, and age and productivity of 

 trees, is likely in many instances to entirely mislead the beginner who is 

 unable to distinguish, by the condition of his trees, between a fair and 

 rational supply of plant food in his soil and gross over-feeding. It may 

 be generally accepted that no manure whatever, and a minimum amount of 

 cultivation are required where the trees are young and \igorous, producing 

 no fruit, or fruit of abnormally large and gross character. On the other 

 hand, where the trees are bearing heavy crops of fruit, and the growth is 

 meagre, a great amount of cultivation and an abundant supply of plant 

 food material are absolutely necessary. The line of demarcation between a 

 sufficient supply of moisture and food and a deficient supply is often very 

 fine, and the cultivator is wise who decides to err on the side of abundance 

 when his trees are bearing well and the conditions are generally unfavorable 

 to excessive growth. 



Farmvard manure is undoubtedly the most beneficial material available 

 for fertilizing i)0or and hot soils, while in cool districts — where it is 

 generally to be obtained in fairly large quantities — the efl^ect produced by 

 its liberal use is frequently a gross amount of growth, and a sample of 

 fruit particularly liable to " bitter pit " and other maladies. The keeping 

 of pigs, cows, and horses above the re(|uirements of the orchardist for the 

 sake of a supply of manure is positively bad practice, and this view is 



