1 Ocr., 1901.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 407 
Viticulture. 
TROUBLES OF VIGNERONS IN GERMANY. 
In a Foreign Office report on the vine culture and wine trade of Germany, 
Consul Niessen says:—As regards the yield, neither the year 1898 nor the year 
1899 can be regarded as satisfactory by the German wincgrower. The produce 
of many vineyards did not even cover the amount expended on working expenses, 
wages, and taxes, and in but few cases did the results show a profit. The vines 
avere late in blossoming in both years, and bad weather was the cause of their 
progressing very slowly and unsatisfactorily. The shoots formed in but smali 
numbers, and part of the berries dropped off. 
The year 1900, viewed as a wine year, shows many peculiarities. A very 
fine spring was followed by an exceedingly unfavourable early summer. In the 
Jast fortnight of the month of May many vines were nipped by frost, and to 
such a degree as to prevent them from bearing fruit. The vines were very late 
jn beginning to blossom, and this process proceeded most slowly, the result 
being that the berries dropped off, and the vines were attacked by the hay- 
worm. For some time after the blossoming the weather continued to be SO 
unfavourable that it was feared the grapes would not ripen. But all at once a 
change for the better took place. ‘The sun prevailed, and heavy rains falling 
at the right time promoted the growth and ripening of the grapes in such a 
manner that in the middle of October the vintage had to be started ; that is 
ven earlier than in the great year of 1893. 
The 1900 harvest varied considerably in quality according to the amount 
of frost withstood by the vines and the enemies they had to encounter, as well 
as according to the sorts of grapes. As regards quality, last year’s is a fair 
wine, ranging between that of 1895 and that of 1897, and approved of by the 
wine trade. In the Rheingau, the pearl of the German wine culture, there 
wvas from one-third to one-half a harvest. 
Generally speaking, the whole of Germany cannot be otherwise than 
satisfied with the year 1900, considered in the light of a wine year, excepting 
in those districts where the vines suffered from the May frosts or were severely 
attacked by the sourworm, which latter enemy of the vines, taking up its abode 
As it does in the grapes, has consumed, in many places, more than a quarter, 
and in some cases even half, of the shoots. Of the remaining enemies of the 
vine, thanks to timely and frequent watering of the vineyards on the part of 
the winegrowers, but few traces of the Peronospera and Oidium Tuckert were to 
be found. Nor was the grape-louse (Phylloxera vastatriz) as destructive as 
had been expected ; although it still exists it spreads but slowly. The country 
most barassed by the grape-louse is Lorraine, and the Metz district especially, 
which has succumbed to this insect. The vineyards on the Saar and Moselle 
are now in danger, and for this reason a petition has been addressed to the 
Chancellor of the Empire requesting him to take the necessary precautions to 
separate the vineyards in the Metz district from those adjoining. This little 
insect has already cost the German Government over $,000,000 marks 
(£400,000). 
a) 
AMATEUR WINE BOTTLING. 
Jt often occurs that farmers and others who have a small vineyard, prefer 
Frey pottle the small quantity of wine made to keeping it in the cask. Those 
saute) make fruit wines, such as pineapple, rosella, &ec., always bottle the pro- 
duct when ready for the operation. A few words, therefore, on home bottling 
Betary Prove of service not only to the winemakers but also to their neighbours 
avho ay yurchase a small cask of wine for home consumption. We find a 
Bary excellent article on the subject in the Journal of Agriculture of Western 
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