FRUIT CULTURE IN FRANCE. 
189 
More towards the East the Ard^che mountains are very 
favourable for the production of Chasselas. A very good Grape, 
which fetches a very high price, is produced in the neighbour- 
hood of Saint-Peray and in the Erieux valley, but still the 
Chasselas is preferred by most of the growers. The Toulaud 
vineyard, in the same part, produces a Chasselas far superior 
in quality to any grown in the South. It will fetch from 10 to 
20 francs more per 100 kilos, than those from Valence and the 
neighbourhood. The Chasselas and BoudaUs varieties grown at 
Toulaud are the best sent to the English and Eussian markets. 
At the time of the gathering the railway stations at Valence and 
Voulte receive thousands of little rectangular wicker baskets 
filled with Grapes destined for the capital. 
It was just the same during the profitable period before the 
invasion of the phylloxera — that is to say, from 18G7 to 1877. At 
that time the Ilerault and du Gard vineyards forwarded by rail, 
beginning from July 20, 800,000 kilos, of Grapes, which were 
sold for 22 francs per 100 kilos, at the station, and the whole 
amount of 150,000 kilos, of table Grapes (the greater part being 
Chasselas) were sold on the spot for 20 francs per 100 kilos. A 
vineyard in the Gard district, consisting oi onehectsiYeoi Chasselas, 
has been reported as producing, in good and bad years alike, fruit 
to the value of 10,000 francs — price agreed upon beforehand. 
The Drome department has had in the same way as the 
others its special periods of abundance, and at such times the 
railway station of Valence receives as much as 800,000 kilos, of 
fresh Grapes. Here, also, wo find Chasselas in abundance, as 
it is the planter's favourite. 
Let us hope that Vine cultivation will know another equally 
prosperous period. 
We will not discuss Vines cultivated under glass further 
|;han just to mention the leading names : — 
Black Alicante. Muscat Champion. 
Black Hamburgh. Grizzly Frontignan. 
Gros Colmar. Canon Hall Muscat, 
Forster's Large White. Trebbiano. 
Lady Downe's Seedling. Waltham Cross. 
Muscat of Alexandria. White Nice, 
West's Saint-Pierre. Syrian. 
Royal Muscadine. Boyal Ascot. 
Duchess of Buccleugh, Madresfield Court, &c. 
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