70 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 24, 
entire extent of the colony.is fitted, in most cases admirably 
so, for the growth of the grape; so that, within the compass 
of our available lands, we have it in our power to bring into 
bearing, as vineyard ground, a much greater amount of land 
than is in actual cultivation in France, for that purpose. Of 
the ample extent of our means for the production of wine, 
there need, indeed, be no question ; and of the possible 
superiority in quality of the product, the meetings of this 
association have afforded abundant proof. The only question 
with capitalists, then, under the circumstances is, as to the 
comparative profitableness of the employment. 
Calculations made with great care anti consideration, 
where a wide range of colonial experience entered into the 
account, and every precaution was taken against contingent 
sources of error, were found to authorise the following state¬ 
ment :—“ If ten acres of uncleared land appropriated for 
vineyard cultivation, be purchased at the rate of .L'2 per 
acre, be cleared, trenched, and planted with sufficient skill, 
it will be found that at the end of the third year, the pro¬ 
duce of the vineyard may be made to cover the yearly 
outlay with the interest on the capital embarked in the 
undertaking; that at the end of the seventh year, it is 
capable of replacing the original capital vested in the con¬ 
cern, with interest and all antecedent outlay; and that, 
thereafter, it is calculated to yield a clear annual profit of 
TdOO, on an outlay of T200, or a constant profit of 150 per 
cent, on the annual expense of management.” 
When, along with this statement, is taken into account the 
mode of application therein contemplated for the capital 
invested, few capitalists whose object in life may be to 
superintend the outlay of their capital themselves can have 
grounds to hesitate in giving preference to vineyard culture 
over ordinary beats of profitable occupation. Within the 
circuit of his homestead grounds, furnishing pleasurable, 
interesting, and healthful occupation, throughout the entire 
round of the year, for the leisure moments of all the inmates 
of his house, however numerous; involving, besides, in the 
whole course of operations, from the planting of the cutting 
to the maturation of the wine, endless opportunities for 
scientific observation and philosophical study; the capitalist 
vigneron may combine in the routine of his professional 
occupation the healthy independence of the farmer, the 
gainful sagacity of the merchant, and the high-minded 
investigations of the philosopher. 
If objection be taken to observations of this sort, as if 
grounded on assumed data and as being at best mere 
flourishes of the pen, unsupported by matters of fact, we 
have it in our power to point, in corroboration of their sub¬ 
stantial accuracy, to actual results, as placed before this 
association, in the course of its successive meetings. We 
have if on record, that the same individual acre of vineyard 
ground has produced, on an average of four successive 
years, upwards of four hundred gallons of wine per annum, 
of that class of wines (the Burgundy, made from the Pineau 
variety of the grape) which are well known to he, compared 
with other classes, by far the least satisfactory in their yield 
as to quantity, but correspondingly the most valuable as to 
quality. AVe have it on record, that the average produce of 
a given piece of vineyard ground, less than an acre, planted 
with the Gouias variety, was, for four successive years, at 
the rate of 800 gallons per acre. We have it on record, that 
the average value of the produce of the same acre of vine¬ 
yard ground, planted with the black Hamburgh variety, 
reckoning the price of the wine made therefrom at a shilling 
per gallon, was, for four successive years, nearly X'100 per 
annum. We have it on record, that the average product of 
a vineyard on the banks of the Paterson River, for the last 
five years, was at the rate of 020 gallons per acre. We have 
it on record, that under favourable circumstances, 1,800 
gallons of wine had been made during a single vintage from 
one acre of vines. These are facts which conclusively enough 
show that the statement hazarded above is not beyond the 
authority of actual experience.” 
AVoods for Casks. —The indigenous woods of this colony 
are not generally well suited for the manufacture of casks to 
contain liquids. The cementing matter of their fibre being 
gum renders them apt to shrink much on drying, and to 
expand again on being wetted. In like manner they are 
affected by changes of temperature. The unequal applica¬ 
tion of moisture and drought also warps them when cut or 
split into hoards or staves; whilst they continue to shrink 
by the removal or decay of the gum. 
The gum, too, which our woods generally contain, pos¬ 
sessing a large proportion of tannin, is consequently highly 
astringent. 
The consequence to he expected in employing colonial 
woods for casks, therefore, is, that the astringent matter will 
enter into solution with the wine, and communicate it to 
qualities, which, if not actually poisonous, would prove 
highly injurious to it as wine. 
Fermenting tubs, however, of about the capacity of 400 
gallons each, have been constructed at Irrawang of what is 
called in this district AVilliam River pine, a wood free from 
gum, but containing a peculiar resin, only in a minute and 
unobjectionable quantity. This wood has been found to 
answer that purpose exceedingly well; it is clean, close- 
grained, and durable. Large casks of good quality have 
also been made there of the kauri pine, from New Zealand. 
That timber (although rather soft) is cemented by an almost 
tasteless and inodorous gum-resin, insoluble in water, and 
not easily decomposed, which renders it impervious to 
liquids, and not subject to decay. It is therefore well siuted 
for the construction of fermenting vats and large wine butts, 
which are not necessarily subject in using to much wear and 
tear. The timber is besides specifically light, and vessels 
made of it therefore are more convenient to handle or move 
about. Split staves of it, of any dimensions, could readily 
bo procured from New Zealand, at a moderate price. 
The wood of the colony which I have found best suited 
for the fabrication of small casks for wine is that of the 
indigenous tree well known to us all as the forest Oak. It 
possesses in a remarkable degree the property of shrinking 
in drying in the direction of the circumference of the tree, 
whilst it scarcely shrinks at all in the line of the diameter. 
It splits, therefore, from the centre to the circumference, the 
staves are not apt to shrink in their breadth, or warp, and 
are particularly well suited for the making of quarter pipes 
and for the heading of half and whole pipes, for which 
purpose I have long generally used them. The sap wood, 
however requires to be removed, the red wood being generally 
much more durable. The staves, moreover, require to be 
dressed while the timber is green, as it becomes more 
difficult to cut when perfectly dry. As an illustration of the 
qualities of this wood, I may mention that the heads of two 
puncheons were made of it at Irrawang (the original oak 
ones having decayed); they are used as water casks, have 
been exposed in the open air externally to the sun and wind, 
to water on their interior surface, for a period of more than 
three years, and only protected outside by one slight coal of 
paint; yet the forest oak is not in the least shrunk, warped, 
or decayed. Although free from astringent gum and tur¬ 
pentine, there is an objection, however, to the use of new 
forest oak casks for wine. The wood contains a soluble 
bitter ingredient—probably salicine—which would flavour 
the wine, if not previously removed. For that purpose they 
require to be filled repeatedly with water, allowing it to 
remain in the casks long as possible before becoming putrid, 
which water will do in any casks. I have found the bitter 
principle more readily removed by filling all the new casks 
during the vintage with the liquor intended for the still, 
allowing it to remain in them as long as possible; when 
emptied, the casks should be afterwards filled with water 
containing a portion of wood ashes ; after a few days to be 
again emptied, carefully washed with clean water, and, when 
dry, fumigated with sulphur. They will then be perfectly 
sweet and clean for wine. Even casks made from the best 
European or American oak are subjected to a similar treat¬ 
ment at the wine cellars on the continent of Europe before 
they are filled with delicate wines. 
The European or American Oak would be preferable for 
casks to any known colonial timber, as they are lighter and 
more easily wrought up. It is to be regretted that so little 
of either is imported into the colony, and that when any 
does arrive, it should be (as is generally believed) mono¬ 
polised, through the mutual understanding of the trade, by 
some one or two of the Sydney coopers, who will not dispose 
of any to persons in the country except at an absurdly 
extravagant prico. I have paid in Sydney, years ago, five 
shillings each for Hamburgh staves, having two cuts each 
run through them. 
