5A : On Oolonial Wines. 
made vineyards more profitable for fruit than wine until per- 
haps as late as 1858. Even in 1859 comparatively little had 
been done in this colony in the way of systematic cultivation 
of the vine. ‘There were not many men in the country 
acquainted with vine-culture and wine treatment, and of this 
small number some had other pressing and more presently 
lucrative avocations ; and most of the rest did not altogether 
believe in the suitability of the soil and climate. Previous 
to 1858 the Sydney agent of the Messrs. M‘Arthur, of Cam- 
den turned his attention to the Melbourne market, but after a 
time all but gave up the attempt to establish a branch busi- 
ness among us. 
I allude to these matters now, because out of this attempt 
have come most of the details which I am going to touch 
upon in the first part of this paper. While this project was 
before his mind, the gentleman I allude to supplied me with 
abundant samples of what we knew by the name of Sydney 
wines, both red and white—the best being from Camden — 
—and also with samples of ports, sherries, and hocks. 
These last-named were sent for the purpose of standards, 
to which the colonial wines were to be referred in their 
various leading characteristics, such as alcoholic strength, 
bouquet, resistance of change, &c. 
I had intended publishing the results of my investigations 
as soon as they were in a condition to be laid before the 
public. But the introduction of wines from the Hunter 
River district, different in many remarkable respects from 
those with which I had been furnished by Mr. Ralph 
Hutchinson, caused me to lay aside my intention till I 
- should be in a position to report upon them also. About this 
time I first saw really good wine from South Australia ; and 
this again presented fresh characteristics and new points of 
interest. A desire to make my study complete induced me 
to defer still longer ; and then circumstances occurred which 
obliged me to all but abandon every kind of chemical inves- 
tigation. Thus to this day my results have remained on the 
pages of my laboratory note-book. 
I set to work upon these Sydney Wines in the latter 
months of 1859 and about the beginning of 1860, when I had 
scarcely well finished studying, analysing, and comparing 
them (for I had not a deal of leisure time), Mr. J. E. Blake 
appeared in Melbourne, and in an incredibly short time made 
us thoroughly acquainted with Irrewang and Kaludah, red, 
white, and rosy. From this point the history of colonial 
wine in Victoria dates and starts. Till then no wine, the 
