CONFEEENCE Of VINE-GROWEES. 



THURSDAY, 10th MAY, 1894. 



The Hon. W. T. Webb, M.L.A., Minister of Agriculture, in 

 the Chair. 



The Chaieman. — Gentlemen, at the suggestion of Mr. Irvine 

 :and the Great Western Association I have called you together for 

 the purpose of exchanging ideas in regard to the position of the 

 wine industry of this colony, which, unfortunately, up to the 

 present has not taken up that position among our products that 

 the colony demands. The Department of Agriculture has from 

 time to time offered assistance in the way of bonuses and education, 

 but, unfortunately, up to the present with no corresponding 

 response. The Department has offered bonuses for planting in the 

 first instance, and for wineries and distilleries in the second. 

 Looking back, I find that in 1882-3 there were 5,732 acres of 

 vines planted in this colony, and that they produced 516,000 

 tgallons of wine. Ten years afterwards, in 1892-3, there were 

 ■28,000 acres under cultivation, producing 1,700,000 gallons of 

 wine, and the bonuses offered only increased the area under vines 

 by 12,000 acres. Since then the Department has offered bonuses 

 to the amount of £2,000 for the erection of wineries and distil- 

 leries. If we look at the industry as it is to-day, we find that in 

 the firsib place the planting has not had the attention given to it 

 that it ought to have, and in the second case, from want of experi- 

 ence, from want of knowledge, which, unfortunately, even the 

 expert to the Department has not been able to supply to the full 

 ■extent, there is a large quantity of inferior wine produced, and in 

 consequence it cannot be put down at more than half the value 

 that it would have if it were properly treated. Most of the sub- 

 jects discussed here to-day will bear upon the question of the 

 proper planting of the vine, its proper treatment after it is planted, 

 and the treatment of disease. The question of Phylloxera has 

 become a very serious one in this colony ; the outbreak that has 

 taken place in Bendigo shows the full extent of its seriousness, 

 ■and the difiiculties that we have to coutend with in stamping it 

 out. The Department has taken all the steps within its know- 

 ledge to stamp it out, but the discussion here to-day may lead to 

 .suggestions being made that will enable the stamping out to be 



