810 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



subject for many years, lias hired a young man from the agricultural 

 school who directs it. 



Five experimental fields have been established, in which about two 

 hundred and fifty new varieties of hybrides have been cultivated. At 

 the annual meeting I speak of, in February last, Professor Kivas made 

 an elaborate report to the committee of which I transmit a free trans- 

 lation. 



WILLIAM S. PKESTON, 



Consul. 

 UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Cognac, August 26, 1890. 



CULTURE OF THE VINE IN COGNAC. 



Report of Professor Rivas to the committee of viticulture of the arrondissement of Cognac. 

 [Translated by Consul Preston.] 



The old French vines, planted in the low-lands where the soil is clayey and moist, 

 continue to become more and more vigorous. This is due solely to the persistent 

 rains of the last two or three years. Retained in the low-lands at the surface of the 

 soil by a clay very compact they have almost drowned the phyloxera, as if making 

 a complete submersion, or at least placed them in such a condition that they can not 

 multiply themselves actively. A proof that it is really so is that the vines placed on 

 the hillsides where the water runs off continue to perish. This state of things is 

 maintained if the years are rainy, but not if they are dry. When the dryness 

 becomes more intense all the vines to-day more vigorous disappear anew. 



It would then be imprudent to make new plantations of French vines; inasmuch as 

 the young vines succumb rapidly to the attacks of the phyloxera. In the dry lands, 

 it goes without saying, the young vines last hardly three, four, or five years, which 

 is proved by numerous examples. It is not the same if these new plantations are 

 treated for the destruction of the insects. The sulphur of carbon and the sulphu- 

 rated carbonate of potash have been tried and proved. The sulphur of carbon in the 

 warrens, in the lands which drain well and even in clayey land when the soil is well 

 dried again : the sulpho- carbonate of potash in the lands of the open country. 



The high price of the vines indemnify largely for the expenses of the application 

 of these insect-destroyers. 



FIELDS OF DEMONSTRATION. 



The fields of demonstration which the committee of viticulture have created in this 

 arrondissement of Cognac are six. They are situated on the principal routes which 

 end at Cognac, Jarnac and Chateauneuf. 



The field of Chateauneuf is established in a flinty land, or in some places clayey, 

 reclish and sometimes poor. The plantation has been made in grafts on the Saint- 

 Einilion and of Balzac or Jacquez, York, Vialla. Some ranks have been planted in 

 roots, which will be grafted in the spring. 



The vegetation of these vines is very fine, save in one point, where the water has 

 remained during a long time, and their vigor has very favorably impressed the 

 numerous visitors. 



The two fields of demonstration of Jarnac are less fine. This comes from the bad 

 quality of the plants (the last year the plants grafted with leaves were rare, and 

 those which should have been employed wero defective), and above all from abundant 



