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they have been with us ; and a good dressing of farmyard manure once in 

 three years is very generally recommended. 



, Until very recently Tunisia stood amongst the few vine-growing countries 

 as yet free from the phylloxera ; but the neighboring vineyards of Algeria have 

 been affected by the pest for many years past. A few years ago, however, 

 a phylloxera patch was detected in a vineyard in the neighborhood of Souk- 

 el-Khemis. Prompt steps were taken towards uprooting the affected vines 

 and treating the soil with carbon bisulphide, and no further spread of the 

 disease has been detected, although all the vineyard area of the Regency 

 is subject to regular systematic inspection. Downy mildew (Plasmopara 





J//77 



Tunisian Plough (after Ringtlmatf). 



viticola), a disease from which we are fortunately free, is also con mon in 

 Tunisian vineyards, particularly in years that are abnormally wet in the 

 spring time. The presence of this disease has the effect of raising the cost 

 of production, in view of the special preventive treatments which it throws 

 upon growers. No recourse has yet been had to American vines, nor is there 

 likely to be for many vears to come, in view of the scattered condition of 

 Tunisian vineyards, and the improbability of the phylloxera spreading very 

 rapidly, even if it did ever get out of hand. 



Individual Tunisian vineyards are, as a rule, very large, and in the hands 

 of companies or wealthy proprietors. The average area would probably 

 vary between 250 and 1,000 acres. The practice of selling grapes to wine- 

 makers is practically unknown in the Regency ; hence, every vineyard owner 



