52 THE VINE AND CIVILISATION. 
is not more than a pipe an acre. The wine of the first quality, 
which is called pinzo, arises from the treading only in the 
trough or vat by bare-legged peasants; the after-pressing is 
done by a lever —this is called mosto. The vintage is in Sep- 
tember, and the fruit is sorted. The southern part of the 
island produces the first class Madeira wine. The produce 
was formerly reported at about 25,000 pipes of 120 gallons 
each. To attain its utmost excellence it is sent on a voyage to 
the East or West Indies, and bears age remarkably well — its 
flavor and aroma perfect themselves by years. It is in per- 
fection at twenty years old, and does well in extremes of heat 
and cold, in India and Canada. The Azores produce about 
5,000 pipes of wine, a Malmsey and vino seco, or dry wine, 
and are classed as inferior to the wines of Madeira. 
**Canary Wines. The Canaries is a group of islands be- 
longing to Spain, the chief of which are Canary and Teneriffe, 
and export.about 25,000 pipes of wine per annum. Canary 
was formerly much drank in England. In the early voyages 
to these islands, published 1598, by Hackluyt, there is a pas- 
sage about sack, from which it would seem the term sack was 
applied to the sweet and dry wines of Canary, Xeres and 
Malaga. 
** Italy. The vine in Italy is trained generally in the high 
method ; in some places they are conducted from elm tree to 
elm tree, and even when the vine is raised on trellis work, it 
is rarely pruned or trained. The grapes when trodden are 
thrown together in the most careless way, ripe and unripe, 
sound and unsound are commonly intermingled. The process 
of fermentation is often conducted in the same slovenly man- 
ner. Still there is excellent wine drank in Italy, in particular 
places; and if the vintage were as well conducted, and the 
