A RAMBLE IN THE HIGHER ALTITUDES 93 



the crop, whatever it happen to be, has always been 

 grown in the same way, however bad a way it may 

 be, by the present owner, his father and his grand- 

 father before him, and what was good enough for 

 them is good enough for him. 



There are more vines grown here than in any 

 other neighbourhood, though, in consequence of the 

 numerous attacks of disease two scourges having 

 several times threatened to completely destroy the 

 vineyards : the dreaded Phylloxera insect, which 

 attacks the roots of the vines, and also O'idium 

 Tuckeri, which settles on the leaves and fruit 

 together with the depression in the wine trade, 

 vines are far less grown than formerly. Being 

 trained over corridors or latadas, as they are called 

 in Madeira, pergolas, as they would be called in 

 Italy the effect is not only very pretty, but seems 

 practical, as, being at a sufficient height from the 

 ground, a labourer can work underneath them, and 

 it is not uncommon to see another crop, growing 

 between the vines, though this practice of over- 

 stocking the ground is no doubt responsible for 

 the failure of many a crop. The vines are pruned 

 in February, though not to any great extent, and 

 in April start into growth, and soon clothe the 

 corridors with fresh young leaves and long twining 



