194 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Mar., 1898, 
elevation be short of this length, make it up with the earth that is being 
excavated. In this manner one side of the cellar up to the height of the first 
floor will be protected from the sun by the mass of the elevation in which the 
cellar has been sunk, and the internal temperature of that mass will greatly 
influence the temperature of the structure. Should the protection be on the 
north side, the vigneron will be very fortunate, as the south will not require 
any artificial protection; but if, on the other hand, the elevation should be on 
the south side the north wall must be protected up to the floor above, either 
by the earth excavated or by a veranda sufficiently wide to keep the sun off it 
at any time during the day. Should the elevation be either on the east or 
west side, the opposite must be protected in like manner, and the north end 
by a lean-to shed. 
Supposing, however, no elevation offers itself, but the ground is quite 
flat; in that case it will be necessary to sink the cellar in the ground 6 feet 
over the entire area, taking care that the length is from east to west, and all 
the earth excavated should be banked on the north side to the height of the 
- first floor. The east and west ends should be protected by lean-to sheds to the 
same height. The principal entrance at the east end should be by a flight of 
steps or an incline, taking care to prevent the entry of rainwater. 
If the vigneron will go to this trouble and expense, he will have a lower 
story that will always be cool inside, no matter what the heat is externally, 
and, in addition, will have more equality of temperature, and none of those 
sudden variations which are so detrimental to wine. 
If, however, the vigneron is unwilling to go to the expense of sinking his 
cellar underground, but decides to build it on the level of the soil, he has a 
choice of two ways of cooling it. The first by making his walls double up to 
the first floor, and filling in between the two with sawdust, chopped straw, or 
other non-conducting material; and, secondly, by surrounding all four walls 
by wide verandas or lean-to sheds to prevent the sun from falling on the lower 
part of the building, and heating the masonry or woodwork. Quick-growing 
shade trees should also be liberally planted pretty close to the building. Some 
people adyocate having the space between the double walls empty, holding that 
a pad, as it were, of hot air acts as a non-conductor of heat. The idea 
appears to the writer fallacious, and one not to be followed out. The use of 
non-conducting material, such as sawdust, &c., has been practically proved by 
him to be very effective. 
Whether double walls or yerandas are adopted, the reduction of tempera- 
ture in the cellar will be much less than by the underground system ; but 
whichever is chosen, there should result «a lower cellar artificially cooled, 
12 feet high, and above this a second chamber, with the top plate to which the 
rafters are attached at a height of about 5 feet from the flooring. The roof 
should be carried to the usual height, and have projecting eaves. Some vignerons 
like a single chamber with a high roof, and, to reduce the inside temperature, 
carry the double walls right up to the roof, which is lined with boarding to 
prevent radiation from the iron. This system is far less effective in keeping 
the lower part of the cellar cool, and is quite as expensive as the upper and 
lower chambers, besides which there is the loss of space and cellarage given by 
an upper story. The upper floor is utilised for milling the grapes, storing 
machinery, casks, bottles, utensils, &c., and for the cellarage of all the wines 
that are tortified—either sweet wines like ports and muscats, or dry wines like 
sherries. Being under the iron roof, the temperature will be pretty high at 
times, but so far from doing harm to this class of wine it will prove very 
beneficial, as will be explained later on. 
The mill should be at the west end of the upper story, and, if the cellar 
has been sunk in the ground as above described, the grapes can be carted to 
the level of the mill by means of the natural elevation or that made by the 
excavated earth. A small door will permit the grapes to be unloaded into any 
convenient receptacle alongside the mill for crushing. The grapes, after 
milling, should pass down a wooden shoot into the fermenting vats, which 
