lo May, 1910.] The Wine Industry m Southern France. 



319 



Spring frosts are far more dangerous. Frosts with a temperature as 

 low as - 6° C. (21.2° F.) may damage the vineyards at the end of 

 March or during the first days of April. Less severe frosts may occur 

 until the end of May. 



A good many spring frosts are caused by excessive nocturnal radia- 

 tion in air already cooled by the north winds passing over the Southern 

 Cevennes Mountains. An observatory at I'Aigoual in these mountains, 

 now telegraphs particulars to Montpelliei', as to probable occurrence of 

 such frosts, in order that precautions in the way of smudge fires, &c. , 

 may be taken in due time. 



Summer shade maximum may in the vineyards reach as high as 40° C. 

 (104" F.). During the three months of July, August, and September, 

 the maxima may oscillate, almost without interruption, between 30° and 

 35° C. (86° and 95" F.). In 1899, a dry, warm year, on 23 days out 

 of 30 in July, and on 30 days out of 31 in August, the daily maxima 

 exceeded 30" C. (86° F.). They exceeded 35° C. (95° F.) eight times 

 in July aiid eight times in August, reaching 37.9" C. (100.3° F.) in the 

 last days of July. 



SunligJit. — Out of 4,330 hours during which the sun is above the 

 horizon, it is obscured by clouds during 2,100 hours, so that the district 

 obtains 50 per cent, of the possible direct stmlight. This proportion 

 falls to T,T, per cent, at the extreme limit of the vine zone (Lorraine) — at 

 London it is 23 per cent. 



Winds. — Strong winds are frequent in the region. During the winter 

 the cold north-west wind, known as Mistral, or if it comes from, the north, 

 as Tramontane, prevails. Whereas, in spring and summer, sea breezes 

 from the south and south-east are the general rule. These winds plav 

 a most important part in determining the climate of the region ; it is the 

 Mistral which brings from the north, spells of cold weather sufficiently 

 intense to cut down Eticalypts and Pepper trees. There is a vast dif- 

 ference between the situation of Victoria and southern France, which 

 must be borne in mind when comparing the climates of the two countries. 

 The jNlidi is the warm side of a cold continent, whilst we are the cool 

 side of a warm continent. Our cold, winds are tempered by the Southern 

 Ocean by which they are charged with moisture, and thus prevented from 

 causing excessive evaporation, with consequent lowering of temperature. 

 Hence, it is that cold spells, common in Montpellier, are unknown to us 

 in Victoria. Even in our alpine regions, w^here snow often falls, 



