53 



Aude, and Pyrenees Orientales, taking them from east to west. The area 

 under vines in 1909 of these several Departments are shown below : 



Percentage of Area 



Total Area. Area under Vines. under Vines to 



Acres. Acres. Total Area. 



Card 1,499,312 .. 172,877 .. 11-5 



Herault 1,549,497 .. 440,755 .. 28-4 



Aude 1,578,310 .. 294,727 .. 18'7 



Pyrenees Orientales ... 1,030,527 .. 151,465 .. 14-7 



Four Languedoc Depts. 5,657,646 .. 1,059,824 .. 18-7 



France .. 4,064,072 .. 3-1 



South Australia . . 22,031 . . 0-009 



Commonwealth . . 59,450 . . 0-003 



Thus we see that nearly one-fifth of the total area of the four Languedoc 

 Departments were planted with vines in 1909, and that in the aggregate 

 they form more than a quarter of the whole of the French vineyards. How 

 small is our own interest in this direction is clearly shown in the comparative 

 figures given below those having special reference to France. 



When, on the other hand, we turn from areas to quantities of wine pro- 

 duced, the preponderating position of these four Departments as wine- 

 producers is still more remarkable. 



It has been calculated that over the past 10 years the yearly output of 

 wine from the various vineyards of the world has averaged 3,362,700,000galls. 

 Towards this enormous total France contributed l,223,200,000galls., or about 

 36 per cent. Over the same period the average total output from the four 

 Languedoc Departments has been represented by 484,660,000galls., or close 

 on 40 per cent, of the total French contribution and 14 per cent, to 15 per 

 cent, of the world's total output. Concurrently it should be noted that, 

 from the point of view of area, the four Languedoc Departments do not occupy 

 more than 26 per cent, of the total area under vines in France ; hence they form 

 an example not only probably of the largest aggregate area under vines in the 

 world, but they rank amongst the heaviest yields in the world. Th us in 1 909 

 The 172,877 acres of Gard yielded 528galls. per acre 



" 440,755 " Herault " 669galls. 



" 294,727 " Aude " 449galls. 



" 151,465 " Pyrenees Orientales " 484galls. 

 It should not be forgotten that these figures represent averages over 

 enormous areas, and that in individual cases these averages will be very 

 considerably exceeded. The total average yield of the four Departments 

 over the past 10 years is given as 490galls. to the acre. The explanation of 

 these very heavy average yields is to be found, first, in climate and soil 

 admirably suited to heavy production of fruit ; secondly, to the exclusive 

 cultivation of very heavy-bearing varieties ; and, thirdly, to exceedingly well- 

 conducted tillage and general cultivation operations. 



