DRY WINES. 



53 



taken to keep them from the ground. Since their house 

 became such extensive proprietors of vines, they have pro- 

 cured men from Xeres de la Frontera to prune the vines, 

 according to the system pursued at the latter place ; 

 but they find greal^ difficulty in getting their own people 

 to follow the example set. Mr. Bryan pressed me very 

 much to visit with him their vineyard, which they were 

 now pruning, the leaves having fallen, in consequence of 

 the difference of temperature at that elevation, although 

 near Malaga they were still perfectly fresh ; he promised 

 to send to Mr. Kirkpatrick an assortment of cuttings of 

 every variety in the vineyard ; and on the other hand he 

 requested me to purchase all the publications which have 

 lately appeared in France, on subjects connected with 

 vine-growing, and forward any information which might 

 strike me as being particularly valuable to them. This, 

 he says, may save him the trouble of a trip to France, 

 which he was contemplating. 



Mr. Bryan disapproves of the system pursued in Xeres, 

 of leaving a void of one-fifteenth part in each cask, with 

 the bung loose to admit the air. He refers to Dr. Ure"'s 

 Chemistry as an authority against this practice. It seldcm 

 happens, however, that Sherry wines thus exposed turn 

 sour in consequence, although this would inevitably 

 happen with wines of less body. 



The farmers in the neighbourhood of Malaga do not, 

 like those of Xeres, hold their wine twelve months before 

 selling it to the merchant. They have earthen vats, of 

 the shape of an urn, and sometimes large enough to con- 

 tain two or three butts. Into these vats the must flows 

 as it is pressed, and as they become full, in order to make 

 room for more, the wine is conveyed from them, more 

 or less fermented, as it may happen, to the stores of the 

 merchant. Their means of conveyance are mules and 



