90 Busby's Journal of a recent Visit 



plough, cavt, or liarrow in use throughout the whole of Scot- 

 land, and only two or three sorts in England, The cause of this 

 difference is easily accounted for ; the Americans are full of 

 intelligence, and the high price of labour obliges them to seek 

 aid in improved machinery. 



Art. V. Journal of a recent Visit to the principal Vineyards of 

 Spain and France ; tvith some Remarks on the very limited Quantity 

 of the f nest Wines produced throughout the World, and their con-' 

 sequent intrinsic Value; an Attempt to calcidate the Profits qfculti- 

 •vating the Vine ; a Catalogue of the different Varieties of Grape ; 

 and an Estimate of the Profits of Malaga Fruits ; together tvith 

 Observations relative to the Introduction of the Vine into New South 

 Wales. By James Busby, Esq. Small 8vo, 177 pages. London, 

 1834. 



In our third volume, p. 462., we noticed a Treatise o?i the 

 Culture of the Vine^ and the Art ofmalcing Wine, by James Busby, 

 printed and published in the autumn of 1825. The work before 

 us is not a reprint of any part of Mr. Busby's former production, 

 but the journal of a tour made in the wine districts of France 

 and Spain, from September 26. to December 22., in 1831. 

 The work was originally printed at Sydney, and is now reprinted 

 here. Our Sydney correspondent, Mr. Thompson, has noticed, 

 in X. 1 59., that several vineyards have been planted, and 

 wine and raisins made near Sydney ; and Mr. Busby observes 

 that the degree of spirit with which the plantation of vineyards 

 had commenced in the colony, and the wine he had tasted, and 

 which was produced in the vineyard at the orphan school, left 

 no doubt, in his mind, of ultimate success. Aware, however, 

 that most of the information on vine culture and wine-making, 

 possessed by the colony, was derived from the practice of a 

 much colder climate, he conceived that a knowledge of the 

 practice in climates more analogous to that of Sydney might 

 hasten the pei'fection of Australian management. He was also 

 anxious to procure information as to the variety of vine which 

 produces the finest muscatel raisins at Malaga. These raisins 

 are dried in the sun, without undergoing any other process; 

 whereas, the other kinds of raisins are dipped in a lie, to which, 

 in the case of some soi'ts, oil is added ; thus enveloping them in 

 an alkaline or in a soapy crust before they are dried. Hence, 

 while the muscatel raisins, produce at the rate of 25/. per acre 

 to the grower in Spain, the other sorts are not worth a fifth part ji 

 of that sum. Mr. Busby has no doubt whatever of producing ^ 

 muscatel raisins in the colony equal to those of Spain ; and in 

 that case, they will form a most valuable article of export. 



