12 ENVIRONS OF XERES. 



props or stakes. It cost £56 an acre to renew the plan- 

 tation of this vineyard, it being necessary to trench it to 

 the depth of four feet, in order to get out the grass. The 

 soil, as turned up, even from that depth, was extremely 

 sandy. The plants here, as elsewhere throughout the 

 district, were at the distance of five feet from each other 

 in both directions. The varieties which had been planted 

 were the Pedro Xirnenes and Uva de Rey^ white, and the 

 Tintilla^ black. Black grapes are, however, very rarely 

 cultivated here. The different varieties were planted in 

 distinct divisions. I observed that some of the old vines 

 which it was intended to eradicate this season, were 

 loaded with grapes, having been pruned to carry as many 

 as possible. This is what the French called charge a 

 mort, and the practice here was known by a name of 

 similar import. The vines are regularly manured with 

 any kind of dung, — in general strong stable dung; not 

 every year, because, said Mr. Gordon's chief vinador, who 

 accompanied us, they could not procure it. He would 

 dung them every year if he had the means, and did not 

 seem to consider that the quality of the wine would be 

 affected by it. But this vineyard, as well as all others 

 on the same kind of soil, only produced inferior wines. 



The olive having been mentioned, we were shown two 

 olives which supported a wheel for drawing water from 

 the well. Two posts having been required for this pur- 

 pose when they were clearing the ground of some olive 

 trees three years ago, they took two of the trunks of 

 these, which were respectively 10 or 12 inches in dia- 

 meter : they nevertheless took root, and are now covered 

 with strong branches, affording a proof of the great faci- 

 lity with which the olive takes root. The vinador said 

 that an oHve would produce a crop three years after its 



