68 Royal Society. 



The Port-wine District extends eight leagues west and east from 

 the Serra do Mania (an elevation of 4400 feet* from the level of the 

 sea) to the Quinta do Baleira, near Sam Joao da Pesqueira, and 

 four leagues north and south, between Villa Real and the city of 

 Lamegoj. 



The winter streams, tributaries to the Douro, on the right bank, are 

 the Sermenha, Corgo, Ceira, Pinhao, and Tua ; and, on the left, the 

 Varoza, Temilobos, Tedo, Tavora, and Torto. 



At Baleira, the Douro runs at an elevation of not more than 250 

 feet ; whence some opinion may be formed of the nature and inequality 

 of the country, and of the numerous abrupt mountain ridges, on the 

 inclines of which the vines are grown. The Wine-Districts of the 

 Alto-Douro form a long irregular basin, girt by the granite chains 

 of the Tras-os-Montes and Beira ; and this being for the most part 

 of schist formation, and protected from the bleak winds, is parti- 

 cularly adapted for the cultivation of the vine. The strata of the 

 margins of the Douro differ from the higher and middle grounds 

 in character, *' being composed of strong clays, more or less 

 micaceous." 



The extreme northern and southern boundaries — from the Serra 

 do Marao to Favaios, and from the Serra do Monte Muro (near 

 Lamego) to Sam Joao da Pesqueira — are undulating mountain 

 plains of still heavier soil, and more suitable for the growth of firs 

 than vines. In former years, this fact was clearly defined by the 

 Royal Wine Company, who divided the districts into two, one 

 being termed Feitoria (where the most superior wines were produced 

 and classified for exportation), the other Ramo, where only very 

 inferior wines, for the consumption of the country and for distilla- 

 tion, were produced to a small extent. Now, the two districts have 

 become one ; the plantations of pines on the heights and the corn- 

 producing valleys having alike been converted into vineyards ; the 

 quantity, and not the quality, of the produce being the results sought 

 by the wine-grower within this privileged demarcation. 



One thousand vines generally produce a pipe of wine, and the 

 total number of vines in the Port- wine Districts above described 

 may be estimated at 90,000,000. 



In the summer time, there is great scarcity of water throughout 

 the district. The vineyards are for the most part situated on abrupt 

 mountain slopes, the vines being planted on terraces, which are not 

 appropriate for the cultivation of anything else. The vines are 

 grown not higher than three feet from the ground, and are planted 

 about six feet apart, supported with canes or stakes. The labour 

 in the vineyards is performed by the natives of Gallicia, -who visit 

 the district three or four times a year in search of employment. 



In July ISoO, I first observed a blight on three or four vines, at 

 a considerable distance from each other, in the Wine Districts. The 



* " Consideracoes pcraes sobre a Constituicuo Gcnlogicao do Allo-Douro." Bv 

 Dr. J. P. Rebello. Torto, 1848. 



t See map of the ^Vine-Districts of the Alto-Uouro. By J. J. Forrester, 



