OP THE VINE. 69 



south of Spain ; in Italy, and in fact, more or less 

 throughout the vine countries of the Old World. 

 There is no doubt but that the famous wines of 

 the south, in the course of a few years, will be no 

 more. In Madeira, the vines are rooted up and 

 cast out from the most celebrated vineyards — ^the 

 old established wine-houses are winding up their 

 affairs as speedily as possible ; commerce has ceased 

 almost entirely, and this once famous island presents 

 as cheerless an aspect, as the shop of a bankrupt. 

 The ^ Old Port^ which Englishmen were wont to 

 praise, is no longer yielded by the generous grape 

 of the Douro. In Italy, the Orvieto, and the Monte 

 Fiascone, will soon be historical wines only — ^wines 

 of traditional excellence; and France, proud France,, 

 has yet to see her dreariest days ! If, then, we call 

 to mind that all the vines of Europe are of one 

 stock, derived mainly from the wild grape of Persia; 

 that these have been propagated by one method 

 only — flayers or cuttings, through many centuries— 

 that this is opposed to the method by which nature 

 produces its kinds, and that one common fatal 

 disorder has attacked these vines at the same time, 

 a disorder whose end is certain extermination!, we 

 must incline to the belief that some general cause 

 has produced so general an effect. It can not be 

 in climate, for climates vary ; it can not be in soil, 

 for soils vary; it can not be in the culture, for cul- 

 tures vary ; nor can it be in the species, for species 

 vary. What if it be in the method of propagation ? 

 What if cutting after cutting, have, at last, exhaust- 



