100 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



To resume my narrative. In 1890 the season was warmer, 

 the Grapes ripened fairly well, and six hogsheads of wine were 

 made from the vintage. The rainfall for the year was 31*52 inches, 

 which fell on 189 days. The summer in 1891 was of short 

 duration, lasting only about a fortnight. Although the tempera- 

 ture was not below the average, the sunless weather was bad for 

 the Grapes, and resulted in a poor vintage of three hogsheads. 

 Both the temperature and rainfall in 1892 were below the 

 average ; there was only 29*27 inches of rainfall, which fell on 147 

 days. The vines got frosted on Good Friday morning, when 

 the shoots were from three to four inches in length, and showing- 

 bunches of flowers in great abundance. But most of them 

 withered and dropped off, and the yield was only two hogsheads 

 of wine. But the vines made strong canes, which ripened well. 

 In 1893 the rainfall was light (33*66 inches) and the temperature 

 high, with abundance of sunshine. The vines, both at the 

 Castle Coch and at the Swanbridge vineyard, produced enormous 

 crops, which ripened thoroughly, and were harvested in the best 

 condition possible. The yield from both vineyards was most 

 satisfactory — in all forty hogsheads of wine, with every indication 

 that it will be of the best quality. This vintage, according to 

 the prices obtained for all the other wines sold from the vineyard 

 (60s. per dozen), is worth, when fit for the market, £3,000. If 

 we could only rely upon seasons in Britain like the last, Lord 

 Bute's experiment in vine culture in the open air would prove it 

 to be a paying industry. 



The present season of 1894 has been very unfavourable for 

 the vineyards. During the genial warm weather in April the 

 vines broke well and made strong canes, each bearing from two 

 to three large bunches. But the cold weather and prevailing 

 east winds in May and June retarded early flowering, and the 

 fruit did not set till after the middle of July. Then followed a 

 cold wet time up till the end of August, and, I am afraid, the 

 vintage, which promised to be abundant in the spring, will be 

 almost a complete failure this year. 



Before concluding, perhaps I should say a few words upon 

 the cultivation and general treatment of the vines in both vine- 

 yards. The plants are propagated from cuttings of one year's 

 growth of cane, selected at the time the vines are pruned. 

 They are made into lengths of about 14 inches, tied in bundles, 



