312 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



wages really have nothing to do in such years, and suffer in 

 consequence. 



The vines along the Rhine are planted on the sunny slopes 

 or southern aspects of the hills, where they are sheltered from 

 the cold winds. On the tops of these hills, overlooking the 

 river, are many old ruins of convents, the remains of Roman 

 walls and feudal castles. 



We passed by the far famed castle and vineyard of Johannis- 

 berg, often called the " Throne of Bacchus." This old castle 

 dates back some eight or ten centuries. In 1816 it was given 

 by the " allies " to Prince Metternich as an acknowledgment of 

 his great services as a statesman and diplomatist during the 

 wars of Napoleon. Just around the castle there are sixty-three 

 acres of vineyards, though only two or three of them, right 

 over the vaults of the castle, produce the very best wine, which 

 often brings two or three dollars a bottle. The Johannisberger 

 takes the lead of the Rhine wines, but the quantity of the 

 superior wine is not large. The whole district along here is 

 one great wine-garden, but the quality of the neighboring 

 vintages is not uniform." Near Johannisberg is the Strahlen- 

 berg, and not far off the Steinberg. 



Farther down this beautiful and almost classic stream we 

 came to Bacharach, another section noted for its superb wines, 

 and then the Drachenfels, or the Dragon's Rock, that Byron 

 speaks of : — 



" The castled crag of Drachenfels 



Frowns o'er the wide and winding Eliine, 

 Whose breast of waters broadly swells, 



Between the banks which bear the vine, 

 And hills all rich with blossom'd trees. 



And fields which promise corn and wine, 

 And scattered cities crowning these, 



Whose far white walls along them shine." 



I am obliged to omit very much that I had written upon this 

 section of the Rhine, on account of the already too great length 

 of this imperfect sketch. 



And here we are at Bonn, the birthj)lace of Beethoven. 

 Here too is the University where Nicbuhr and Schlcgol taught, 

 and the Cathedral founded by the mother of Constantino the 

 Great. Without stopping long at this interesting place, we 



