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In the most exposed situations the vines received the greatest 

 shock ; the circulation of the sap was evidently deranged, and their 

 fruit withered as soon as it appeared. In some neighbouring vine- 

 yards, less exposed, the grapes grew no larger than peas; they 

 were then suddenly covered with the blight (now designated the 

 Oidium), and in about three days became rotten. 



On the inclines of the mountains on either bank of the river 

 Douro, the waters had run off, and but little blight appeared. In 

 the low and heavy grounds, the most sheltered from the winds, 

 the waters remained stagnant ; yet the fruit grew to its full size, 

 and had come to maturity, when the new wood, leaves, and fruit 

 were all, to a greater or less degree, covered with the Oidium. The 

 blight sometimes attacked entire vineyards, and at other times only 

 partially affected one property, and then showed itself in others at a 

 distance intermediate estates being for the time wholly untouched. 



It was in July 1853 that the existence of the disease in the 

 vineyards of the Douro first attracted particular attention ; but 

 many vines betrayed no unhealthy symptoms until the fruit was 

 nearly ripe. The upper part of the branches was first attacked. In 

 some instances the woody part of the young branches was speckled 

 with the Oidium, while the bunches of fruit were apparently alto- 

 gether free from it. In other instances, the grapes became touched 

 with the disease immediately before the vintage, but the woody 

 part of the branches betrayed no such symptoms. In some vines, 

 which I supposed had altogether escaped the disease (and long 

 after the fruit was gathered and the leaves had fallen off), blotches 

 or stains, evidently the mycelium of the Oidium, appeared on the 

 wood. 



The usual number of seeds in a black grape is two or three ; but 

 in the year 1853, in all instances the grapes, which at first pro- 

 mised abundance of wine, were found each to contain from three to 

 five seeds. 



Twenty-one baskets of grapes usually produce one pipe of wine ; 

 but in the year 1853, a pipe of wine was rarely obtained even from 

 thirty baskets of grapes. From seven to nine pipes of ordinary wine 

 generally give a pipe of brandy, 20 per cent, above British proof ; 

 but in the year 1853, from ten to twelve pipes of ordinary wine 

 were required to give one pipe of brandy of that strength. 



