72 TRAVELS IN 
I have already had occnfion to notice the injudicious and 
flovenly manner that is generally pradifed at the Cape in 
the making of wine, and in the management of the vineyard. 
I can now venture to fpeak pofitively as to the fad, that wine 
of a quality equal, if not fuperior, to the Rhenifli, may be pro- 
duced in the Cape of Good Hope. Mr. Pringle, his Majefty's 
CommilTary-General, and agent for the Honourable Eaft India 
Company, purchafed a fmall farm on which was a vineyard that, 
for many yearSj had been totally neglected. By way of making 
the experiment, he caufed it to be drefled and properly pruned, 
and, depending upon the diredlions laid down in the Encyclo' 
pedle des Connaijfances Humaines^ and Valmont de Bomare's 
Didionary, rather than upon the knowledge of the Cape boors, 
he fucceeded, much beyond his mofl; fanguine expectations, in 
obtaining a clear pleafant wine, free from any extraneous tafte, 
and approaching fo near to Hock, that very good judges might 
have miftaken the one for the other. The chief precautions 
taken by him were, to feparate the ripe from the unripe fruit, 
the found from the decayed, and to remove them from the 
ftaik, which none of the wine farmers of the Cape take the 
pains to do : he kept the mufl in open veffels, until it had 
undergone the laft degree of vinous fermentation, and then 
drew it off into clofe veflels, where it remained without molefta- 
tion for twelve months. In like manner, there can be no 
doubt, the different wines of Europe might all be made here 
by proper treatment ; for, I again repeat what I have before 
obferved, that in no part of the world are better grapes pro- 
duced than at the Cape. Vines grow here on any foil, and 
require but very little attention. Many thoufand acres of 
ground, 
