VINE CULTURE AND THE GRAPE. 



433 



of Eio de Janeiro, and Minas Geraes. In 1873 about 800 pipes, or 

 320,000 litres of wine, were produced, of an average value of 17/. each 

 pipe. In many places 1000 vines would yield 10 pipes, or 4000 litres. 

 The American vine commands a preference. 



In many of the British colonies the culture of the vine has occupied 

 a fair share of attention, particularly in Australia and the Cape of 

 Good Hope, but there are many others in which it might be profitably 

 extended. A pure unadulterated wine can be supplied from the Aus- 

 tralian colonies, not only equal, but superior to the wines now in 

 general consumption imported into this country from the continent of 

 Europe. 



Our colonies may, before many years, become important purveyors 

 to us of the pure juice of the grape. A little more than ten years ago 

 the average consumption of wine per head in Great Britain was less 

 than a quarter of a gallon, now it exceeds half a gallon, and is 

 steadily increasing. Our colonies, hitherto, have contributed little 

 or nothing to our supplies, but many of them have all the requisites 

 of experience, soil, and climate, and, under encouraging circumstances, 

 will send us hereafter considerable quantities. 



The Gape Colony. — When we look back and see that in former 

 years the Cape colonists could ship 1,000,000 gallons of wine, it 

 seems strange to find how this colonial industry has retrograded. In 

 1855 there were about 12,000 acres under culture with the vine in the 

 western district of the Cape Colony, and the produce was 34,221 

 pipes of wine, and 4496 pipes of brandy. Vines covered 18,000 acres 

 in 1875 as compared with 16,000 acres ten years before, and 4,500,000 

 gallons of wine were made, besides 1,000,000 gallons of brandy 

 and other spirits. In 1851 we imported 408,281 gallons of wine 

 from the Cape. But the imports have been gradually getting less 

 year by year, until, in 1870, we only received 40,235 gallons, and 

 in 1875 but 11,200 gallons. Some goes, however, to other quarters, 

 for the total ex^Dorts of Cape wines in 1873 were 75,200 gallons of 

 ordinary, 778 gallons of Constantia, and 1048 gallons of brandy, 

 besides the large quantity consumed locally. Cape wines are 

 principally produced in the districts of Stellenbosch, Worcester, 

 Swellendam, and George. In 1859 about 1,000,000 gallons were 

 shipped; in 1865 only 193,000 gallons, and in 1872 but 78,000 

 gallons, exclusive of 371 gallons of the sweet Constantia wine. This 

 serious falling off is partly due to the heavy duties imposed under the 

 provisions of the treaty with France of 1860, which fixes the scale of 

 duty at Is. per gallon for wines under 26° of alcoholic strength, and 

 2s. 6tZ. per gallon beyond that. It is found necessary to fortify Cape 

 wines considerably, with a view of preventing deterioration and fer- 

 mentation on the voyage. The wine growers of the Cape, in these 

 circumstances, are naturally anxious that an uniform duty, amounting 

 to say Is. 6d per gallon, should be imposed on all Cape wines admitted 

 into the United Kingdom, and that South African wines should not 

 have a higher rate of duty imposed unless they contain more than 38° 

 of proof spirit. As compared with the wine growers on the Continent 

 of Europe, the growers in both the Cape and Australia are, at present, 

 at a disadvantage. 



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