Journal of AgncKltitrc. [lo June, 1909. 



are not continuous, as they are lower down. Blocks of \ines, of a few 

 acres in extent, are separated by varying areas of uncultivated land, covered 

 with scrub, in which we put up several flights of partridges. These birds, 

 abound in this wild hillv country, feeding largely on olives, when thev 

 are in season, and affording good shooting to local sportsmen. The 

 Spanish variety of partridge would be well w-orth acclimatizing in Aus- 

 tralia. They are said to multiply rapidly and would find, in the scrubby 

 hillsides of many of our ranges, conditions almost identical to those pre- 

 vailing in the land of their origin. 



No buildings are to be found in these elevated vineyards. The grapes 

 are all conveyed to the cellars and crushing houses situated lower down, 

 usually on pack mules with two baskets balanced, one on either side. 

 Where too steep for mules, the grapes are carried on men's backs, 

 but it is astonishing where these sure-footed animals can carry their loads. 

 The only roads are the stormwater channels already referred to — walled 

 in on either side and with the solid rock for bottom. ' These are torrents 

 wdien it rains and roads only when it is fine ; that is. if the uneven bed of 

 a torrent can be dignified bv the name of n ad. 



TERRACED VINEVARl >S, LLANSA. 



The view from the highest point we reached was magnificent. In the 

 gap in the hills, between the railway line and the sea, one could see the 

 ancient castle of San Salvador which dates from the time of the Saracens. 

 Our photograi^h gives but a poor idea of the grandeur of the scene. 



Though the whole of the region our excursion took us through was in 

 the Pizarra (slate) formation, my guide informed me that a few vine- 

 vards are planted in granite. I was ratlier astonished to learn that these 

 also produced a superior wine, developing the Rancio taste. This is quite 

 contrary to the experience on the Douro (Portugal) where vineyards 

 situated on granite soils, even in the immediate neighbourhood of the cele- 

 brated Port wine vineyards, only produce " vin ordinaire " and not Port. 



I saw several vineyards in course of establishment in rocky situations. 

 Subsoiling was oi course out of the question. Plantation with the crow- 

 bar is the rule. A hole is made in the rock in which an ungrafted root- 

 ling is planted. Growth is poor and two or three years usually elapse 

 before the voung vine is strong enough to graft. These are truly strange 



