51 



IN SOUTHERN FRANCE. 



On September 22nd I left Paris for the south of France, stopping first for 

 a few days at Avignon, at one time the capital city of the exiled popes, now 

 fche centre of an important vine-growing district. To a lesser degree the 

 neighborhood is addicted to the growing of what the French know as 

 " primeurs " for the larger centres ; that is to say, early vegetables, fruit, 

 flowers, &c. In this direction, however, improved methods of oversea carriage 

 have served to render Algeria, with its warmer climate and cheaper labor, 

 a severe competitor. The growth of vines in this district is by no means 

 equal to that of well-grown South Australian plants. Vintage was over 

 at the time of my visit, and had proved practically a failure : too much rain 

 and a virulent outbreak of fungus diseases were the causes usually given in 

 explanation. 



The extent to which the Occidental plane tree has been adopted in these 

 districts as an avenue tree is very remarkable. Mile after mile of white dusty 

 road is pleasantly shaded by rows of these handsome, well-grown trees ; only 

 very occasionally are the latter replaced by the erect-growing cypress. White, 

 dusty roads, shaded by wire fences, are not unknown in South Australia, 

 and the thought occurred to me that many of our district councils might do 

 something towards improving the lot of the wayfarer in this direction. 



It is a common sight in the Provencal vineyards to find one of the principal 

 rules of the art completely set at nought ; vine and olive trees, occasionally 

 in rows, occasionally in irregular distribution, are to be seen struggling 

 together on the same plot of ground. It appears needless to add that such 

 an association ends much to the detriment of the vine. In past times, how- 

 ever, the olive has frequently proved the more reliable wage-earner. 



I noticed whilst in this district that the railway companies do not disdain 

 to load loose straw on their goods trucks a practice that would hardly be 

 admitted in Australia for hay. On the other hand, wherever I happened 

 to come across baled straw, I noticed that the bales had been secured with 

 five wires, and not with two or three, as is the invariable practice with us. 

 This unnecessarily generous use of wire must serve considerably to raise 

 expenses connected with the baling process. 



I now found myself in the south of France, where, as a matter of course 

 and of principles, what is known as vin ordinaire is always included in the 

 price of a meal. It should be stated straight away that the south of France, 

 which produces some excellent wines, owes no debt of gratitude to the hotel- 

 keepers who advertise their wines in so gratuitous a manner. With one 

 exception I found these vins ordinaires abominable : very frequently pricked, 

 always immature, often watered, and never drinkable. It is but natural 

 that the traveller should form his idea of the wine of the country from the 

 samples supplied him by otherwise excellent hotels ; and yet there is no doubt 

 but that the average south of France win is a long way ahead of anything 



