1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

m.—The Vines, theie Cultivation, and the chief VlTICULTUEAL DiSTEICTS OF MaDEIEA. Introduction of the Vine into Madeira—Ravages caused by the Oidium—Re planting of the Vines—The Phylloxera Vastatrix—Species of Grapes Cultivated in the Madeira Vineyards—Planting and Training ofthe Vines —Past and Present Mode of Training adopted on the North Side of the Island—Varietiesof Soils—The Terraced Vineyards of Madeira Tenure of Land—Rent invariably paid in Kind—The Principal Viticultural Districts—Mr. R. Davies's Charming Villa "A Vigia"—Scarcity of Water in Madcii-a—Periodical Levadasand their High Value—The Supplv of Drinking Water. Thebe is a vague tradition that the vine was first introduced into Madeira from Cyprus early in the fifteenth century, and soon after the second discovery of the island by the famous sea captain Joao Gon9alves Zarco. The importation of the finer varieties of vines, however,is believed to be due to the Jesuits at a much more recent"period. The "wine from their vineyards excelled all other, and up to the time when the vines were destroyed by the oidium,some ofthe best wine produced on the island came from "vineyards that formerly belonged to the order. The vines were first attacked by the oidium in 1852,and in a few years were all but exterminated, when sugar-canes com monly took their place in those situations where the requisite amount of moisture could be secured. In about eight years' time vines began to be planted again,and in 1863 a moderate quantity of wine was vintaged. Since this epoch the vineyards gradually extended themselves, until the replanting of vines was checked by the appearance in the island of the phylloxera vastatrix during the year 1873. Two-thirds of the vines in the Madeira "vineyards are of the verdelho variety,the grapes of which abound in saccharine and yield a rich wine of splendid quality. The sercial grape, which is said to be the famous riesling of the Rhine transplanted to