The Grape- Vine 



251 



To-day the cultivation of the vine at the Cape is carried on almost exclusively in the western 

 part of the colony, where the climate is probably more favourable to the grape than that of any 

 other part of the world. During the spring there is, in these districts, a sufficiency of brilliant 

 sunshine and rain as will cause a vigorous development of the shoots, and towards the summer, 

 although the sun is in its power, the humidity of the atmosphere is sufficient to allow of the 

 further growth of the bunches which in January and February mature under ideal conditions. 

 By far the most important wine-producing districts of the Cape are Paarl and Stellenbosch, 

 and these are followed in order of their importance by Cape, Malmesbury, Caledon, Robertson, 

 Oudtshoorn, Clanwilliam, Swellendam, Prince Albert, Willowmore, and Uitenhage. 



The viticultural districts of the Western Province may be divided into coast and inland 

 districts, differing from one another in the nature of the soil and climate, and hence also in 

 the method of cultivating the vineyards. The soil in the hilly country of the coast districts 

 is derived from the disintegration of granite, sandstone, clay, and slate, and is so retentive of 



AN UNDERGROUND WINE CELLAR 



