458 [ THE VINE. 



use as fresh fruit for the table, and the manufacture of 

 wine ceased altogether, the Island becoming entirely 

 dependent for this supply on the produce of Sicily and 

 Greece. 



Towards 1870 the planting of vines was resumed in 

 both Islands, and twenty years later there were already 

 considerable vineyards at Xaghra, Nadur, Kala, Zebbug 

 and other places in Gozo, as well as in the districts of 

 Notabile, Dingli, Fidclien, Ghemieri, Gneina, Bahria, 

 Melleha, etc. and our viticulture entered into a new 

 period of prosperity. During the last ten years the 

 extension of vineyards has proceeded with great activity 

 everywhere in both Islands as well as in the islet of 

 Comino where there are already very productive vine- 

 yards originally started by Government. Good table 

 wines as well as dessert wines of excellent quality are 

 being made which compare favourably with the imported 

 article, and although the consumption of wine by the 

 present teeming population is rather large, we are well on 

 the way to do without the imported produce altogether. 

 Even the local production of so called artificial wine at 

 present carried out in one or two centres seems con- 

 demned to extinction at no distant date. However the 

 bulk of the produce is still of inferior quality owing to 

 improper or unscientific manipulation, and there is an 

 absolute absence of uniformity of type even in the cellars 

 of the same producer. 



The regulations prohibiting or restricting the im- 

 portation of vines, grapes and living parts of the vine 

 have long saved our vineyards from an invasion of 

 Phylloxera, and therefore the planting of vines and 

 the revival of the wine industry could proceed without 

 difficulties. In 1919 and in 1920, the Vine- Phylloxera 

 was finally detected over considerable areas in Gozo as 

 well as in Malta, but immediate steps have been taken 

 to establish American vine-nurseries, and the reconstitu- 



