THE VINEYARDS OF THE MURRAY VALLEY.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 49, 19 June 1858, Page 4

THE VINEYARDS OF THE MURRAY VALLEY.

[From the Border Post.'] Of the numerous and varied products of the soil which caa be grown to perfection in the districts bordering upon the river Murray, the most importaut is unquestionably the Grape. The wheat and flour markets may be easily overdone by the efforts of our fanners, and by the speculations of the Adelaide traders — for the consumption on the adajacent gold-fields is but limited, and the mouths in our immediate neighbourhood being once supplied, there is no outlet for our surplus produce. We have no roads, and if we had them, it would be impossible for the producers in the interior to compete with those nearer the seaboard, owing to the higher rates of wages ruling in the bush, to say nothing of the cost of cartage. Our farmers, with wheat at 7s. a bushel, are even now complaining that they are ruined ; prices are falling every year, and the cry for protection increases. The aphis destroys the bulk of our vegetable crops, and the potato-rot has lately committed such ravages that some have declared the soil and climate to be unfavourable to the growth of this root. We do not mean to say that our district is particularly unfavourable in these matters, for similiar objections and disadvantages exist in nearly every other locality. We simply wish to contrast the relative risks and profits attending the growth of the usual descriptions of crops, with the risks and profits peculiar to the culture of the vine. The results accomplished in Albury by a few German viynerons are familiar to all residents in the neighbourhood ; but, for the benefit of distant readers, we may observe that the experiment of growing grapes, not only on our hill-slopes but on our level flats, has succeeded beyond the anticipations of the most sanguine. The Germans assert that a three-year-old vine in this locality bears more grapes, and is as forward in every respect, as the five-year-old plant in Fatherland. The average yield exceeds five tons to the acre, and during the past three years the grapes have been sold at an average of one shilling per lb., thus yielding a gross annual income, after the third year of .£SOO to the acre. During the season of 1855, the grapes were retailed on the Ovens at half-a-crown per lb., but the prevailing price at the diggings this year is eighteen pence. Owing to the high rates obtainable for the fruit in its natural state, the Albury vine growers have hitherto only manufactured sufficient wine for their own consumption, but the gradual decline of the Ovens diggings is inducing them to plant only those varieties of vines suitable for producing wine. Increased quantities of wine are now being made here every year of a quality equal to any in the world, and superior to the great majority of colonial wines. We believe the average quantity of wine yielded by an acre of vines is about twelve hogsheads, and it should be remembered that the refuse may also be converted into a source of profit by distillation. The price of colonial wine in Albury is twelve shillings per gallon ; and supposing each hogshead to contain 54 gallons, it will be found that the gross return from each acre of vineyard, when the fruit is manufactured into wine, is represented by From these totals we have to deduct the cost of labour, the interest on capital employed, and the expenses of manufacturing the wine. The Albury vineyards, unfortunately, are as yet of too recent formation, and too limited extent, to enable us to calculate with any degree of accuracy, the expenses of raising five tons of grapes and turning them into wine. We may observe, however, that the cost of trenching and planting is about .=£Bo per acre. This expenditure has to be incurred the first year, after which the vines require but little attention, the outlay for pruning and loosening the roots being comparatively trifling. At a rough estimate, we imagine that £] 00 per acre would cover all expenses up to the third year, provided the experiment were tried on a large scale. Parenthetically we may remark, thatati acre of three-year-old vines is worth in Albury, at least 361,000. < We will not trust ourselves to give any opinion as to the cost of wine manufacture in Albury, but it must be obvious that the gross receipts are sufficiently large to yield a splendid margin of profit, and to render vine-growing one of the most lucrative investments for capital and industry that that has ever offered itself. As regards the risks attending the pursuit, we are happy to state that the grape cropshave never been known to fail in this part of the country, the vines being entirely free from all disease, and attaining a most luxuxiant growth. The only effect of a dry season is to improve the quality of the fruit, whilst a wet season increases ( the quantity, but at a sacrifice of flavour. It would be absurd to imagine that vine culture can be overdone in Australia, even supposing the entire population of all the colonies were to devote themselves to the occupation. Our colonial vineyard proprietors will have more than they can accomplish for many years to come, in supplying the heavy demand for home consumption which must inevitably arise. In all wine countries, the native product supersedes all imported beverages, and is consumed alike by prince and peasant at almost every meal. The home demand being satisfied, attention will be turned to the export trade. The continental vineyards having fallen off considerably of lateyears, the Australian wines will enter the European markets without experiencing competition. Already a brisk demand for Australian wine has sprung up in England, and latest advices inform us that tickets are exposed in. many of the London public-houses, intimating that Australian wine is to be procured at those establishments. The effect of the introduction of an unadulterated article to replace the artificial compounds that the English public have hitherto been drinking, is beginning to develop itself ; and already it is found quite impossible for colonial wine-growers to execute the orders that are pouring in from all quarters. As regards the value of the colonial wine in England, we may remind our readers that we lately copied a paragraph from the Adelaide, Register, stating that the English wine merchants are selling it, including bottles and hampers, at 425. per dozen. The great obstacle to the extension of wine

culture amongst us is the want of capital. In j these days, when so many bubble companies are concocted in England, we wonder that the genuine and golden opportunity of securing high dividends by devoting a large capital to i the cultivation of the vine in the valley of the Murray has been overlooked. English wine merchants profess to be alarmed at the decline of their staple iv Europe ; how is it that they do not combine to devise means for protecting their trade from depression and injury ? The cotton lords of Manchester, who labour under similar apprehensions in reference to the supply of cotton for their mills, are taking steps to form companies for growing cottou at Moreton Bay. Surely, this is a precedent which might be advantageously followed.

Dr. Johnson being once in company with some scandalmongers, one of them having accused an absent friend of resorting to rouge, he observed, "It is, perhaps, after all, much better for a lady to redden her own cheeks than to blacken other people's characters."