44 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Jan., 1902. 
welfare of the wine required it, but at present there is no such quality of wine 
produced in any State of the Commonwealth that would authorise such a ruinous 
expenditure on the part of the producer. Since the use of bisulphide is, on 
pecuniary grounds, out of the question, the only alternative to giving up 
viticulture in phylloxera-affected areas is the use of resistant stocks. 
4. Jf the use of copper solution for combating fungus disease could be 
discarded in favour of some other equally effective and cheaper system, 
vignerons in France would undoubtedly hasten to adopt it. At present 
apparently they have no alternative to using copper solutions or allowing the 
grapes to rot. It is very doubtful, however, whether the infinitesimal amount 
of copper introduced into the wine affects its quality. Be that as it may, 
‘Australian vignerons need not trouble themselves on this score, as, up to the 
present, we are free from the fungus diseases for which these copper solutions 
are used in France. 
_ 5. If the ammoniurettes of copper are so successful in destroying fungus 
germs on vines without affecting the quality of the wine, M. Bellott de 
Minierés should do his utmost to introduce his system into France, where it is 
apparently unknown, as no mention is made of it in all the literary productions 
dealing with viticulture and winemaking I have been reading for the last twenty 
years. 
I have, &c., 
KE. H. RAINFORD, Viticulturist. 
FRENCH HONOURS TO ENGLISH VIGNERONS. 
France has always been celebrated for its vineyards and its excellent wines, 
and it will come as a surprise to many to learn that a firm of Englishmen, 
Sir Walter Gilbey and Co., have been awarded the gold medal and the diploma 
of the Agricultural Society of the Médoc for the best-cultivated vineyards, the 
competition for which honours extended over an area of 300 square miles. It 
was in 1875 that the Messrs. Gilbey became possessed of the vineyards of 
Chateau Loudenne, which at the time were in a very poor condition. In 1876 
began the terrible visitation of the Phylloxera vastatriz, which brought destruc- 
tion and distress to French vignerons, and caused a loss to France of 
£400,000,000 between that year and 1890. The French Government exerted 
itself nobly to devise some means of combating the pest, and offered immense 
rewards for that purpose. Numerous suggestions were brought forward, but of 
all of them only two commended themselves to the Messrs. Gilbey. One was 
the application of sulpho-carbonate of potassium to the roots; the other, the 
grafting of French vines on to American stocks. These remedies proved so 
successtul that other proprietors followed suit, with the result that the blighted 
industry was once more restored to its former flourishing condition. 
This state of affairs in France has justly been ascribed by the generous 
French people to the efforts and sacritices of the English firm. The mayor of 
the Department of Médoc went in person to Chateau Loudenne to present Sir 
Walter Gilbey with the medal and diploma; the estate manager, Mr. Samuel 
Hucks, with a silver medal and diploma; and the firm’s bailiff, Mr. Bayle, with 
a silver medal. 
These are not the only honours Sir Walter’s firm has received at the hands 
of the French people. In 1887 they received the gold medal given by the 
Minister for Agriculture for the best cultivated vineyard in France, and also 
the society’s diploma for the improved cultivation of the vineyards of Chiteau 
Loudenne at that time. In 1900 the English firm was awarded the gold medal 
at the Paris Exhibition. Such peaceful honours showered upon our countrymen 
by the French serve to demonstrate that science in agriculture in any form is 
recognised and honoured independent of nationality. 
