AGRICULTURE, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 7 



The samples examined are of very good quality, and the Cape may be regarded, hereafter, 

 as a source of supply for our manufacturers, and of competition by our wool-growers. 



Two kinds of wine are made here, viz: the ordinary, such as Cape Madeira, Cape Sherry, 

 &c, and the Constantia. Of the former, about 500,000 gallons are exported annually, at 

 about fifty cents per gallon ; but this is of less importance comparatively. Of the latter, about 

 2,000 gallons are exported from the whole colony, at about $2 50 per gallon; that from Cape 

 Town exceeding $3 75 per gallon, and this possesses considerable interest. It is a sweet wine, 

 with good body, and is very limited in supply, being only grown upon a few favored spots. 

 That near Cape Town is produced by only three vineyards, which are confined to a peculiar 

 soil of small extent, and are distant from the town about ten miles. 



The grapes from which the Constantia is made (so named from the vineyard where it origin- 

 ated) are of two kinds — the Frontignac and the Pontiac ; and each of these again is of two 

 varieties — the white, and the red or black — producing, respectively, a light and a dark colored 

 wine. 



The soil upon which these grow is a friable clayey loam, not unlike the grape soil of Madeira, 

 except that it is of a brighter red color. It, too, is similar to the red lands near the eastern 

 base of the Blue Ridge, United States,, containing, as that frequently does, small, white, 

 crumbly pebbles, or fragments of a chalky appearance ; and also, like that, throwing up an 

 abundant growth of pines where neglected. The climate, too, is not very dissimilar to that of 

 this region, differing chiefly in the more uniform and continuous higher range of temperature ; 

 or, rather, though perhaps never rising so high, yet never falling so low. 



In preparing for a vineyard, the ground is first trenched to the depth of 2-| or 3 feet with the 

 spade ; whether much, or what kind of manure, or previous cultivation is put upon it, is not 

 now remembered. 



It is probable, were a crop of wheat or maize taken from the land after a full manuring of 

 the surface, and it then had a deep ploughing with a four-horse plough, followed by a large 

 sub-soil plough ; and were this succeeded by another full manuring and a trench-ploughing 

 by two four-horse ploughs, followed again by the sub-soiler, that the preparation would be 

 equally good, or even better ; and the expense far less, irrespective of the crop of grain, which 

 would be clear gain. 



The labor-doing sub-soil plough will probably be introduced into the formation of any addi- 

 tional plantations, from the satisfaction with which our labor-saving "cultivators" are spoken 

 of by one of the proprietors, in the culture of his vineyard. 



When the ground is duly prepared, the vines are set in rows, from four to five feet apart, 

 each way ; and are afterwards cultivated from year to year, upon precisely the same principles 

 and with the same objects as our Indian corn or maize. It has been usual to keep the surface 

 pulverulent and free of weeds, &c, by manual labor, with spades, hoes, and rakes; but our 

 cultivators have been used for these purposes upon one of the estates for one or two years, to 

 the entire satisfaction and delight of the *w%ier ; and his example must be followed by the 

 others. 



This stirring and cleansing the soil is continued until the new annual branches of the vines 

 extend over the spaces between the rows, which then overshadow and arrest the growth of 

 weeds, and would themselves be injured by further culture. 



The vines are not supported by either stakes or frames. They are trimmed annually twice, 

 the last time being very close, and are never allowed to grow high — about one and a half or two 



