The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-20 00:00:00

THE FINE DISEASE.

The following communication relates to the pro-
gress of the vine disease in Portugal, and announces
that the Alto-Douro district, which in 1848 pro-
duced 111,000 pipes of wine, will not this year
produce 4,000. The distress of the population from
this came, together with an unfavourable harvest,
is understood to be excessive _

Oporto, Aug. 9.

"Sir,—The vine malady, which under such various
phaVs has for some years past caused so much destruc-
tion in the vineyards of Europe, having again appeared
in Portugal, the subject cannot fail to be interesting to
the readers of the Times, and therefore I do not hesitate
to submit to you a few practical observations of my own,
made during my tour last month in the portwine districts
and the Spanish frontier.
"1. The oidium appeared this year in the Alto-Douro
about the end of May, or early in June, and blighted the
budding fruit.
"2. In the beginning of July the disease increased in
intensity ; the very limited quantity of fruit (formed
and grown to the size of small shot) was suddenly covered
with the fungus, and one-half of the grapes- were con-
verted, as it were, into stones, while the other isalf burst.
" 3. For about four days the vines were paralysed.
The branches drooped, and fears were entertaine.l for
the future fate of the parent steno, when suddenly vebse-
tation recommenced with fresh vigour ; the branches•
increased in size and strength, and the leaves were more
verdant than ever, the plant throwing out new and
healthy roots, and being apparently unaffected by the
parasitic destruction of its fruit.
" 4. By the end of July another visible change took
place in the vines of the Alto-Douro ; the few grapes
which had escaped, but which had become quite hard,
bees.° to increase in size, and to be less affected by the
oidium, when a severe thunderstorm swept away at
least two-thirds of the remaining fruit, and the ligneous
part of the branches, and even the tendrils, became
stained with a variety of leopard-like spots of various'
hue,, while the healthy colour of the leaves remained
unchanged.
"5. Many proprietors of vineyards, finding that their
crops of grapes are already destroyed, have determined
no longer to cultivate their estates.
"6. If the cultivation of a vineyard in Portugal be
neglected for three successive years the vines will cease
to produce, and a new plantation, or grafting of vines,
be rendered absolutely necessary.
"7. The restrictions in the wine districts of the Alto-
Douro still cause the most prejudicial effects on ,the agri-
cultural and commercial interests of Portugal, as those
restrictions indirectly prohibit every improvement not
only in the cultivation of the vine, but likewise in the
system of making the wines intended for exportation.
"8. The existing stocks at Oporto of port wine really
adapted for exportation from that port do not amount
to one-fourth of the average annual production of wine
in the Alto-Douro during the course of the last half-
century, although, numerically, the deposits are stated
to be four times that quantity.
"9. The wines used for ordinary purposes in Portugal
are of the most wretched description ; and in spite of
the Government restrictions contracts have been made
with the vine growers of remote districts to supply some
of the vine growers of the northern provinces with wine
for their daily use.
"10. This year I graftel on Portuguese trines (the
fruit of which had been destroyed for two successive
years by the oidium) about a hundred cuttings from the
most beautiful and healthy vines in English hothouses.
Nine out of 10 of these grafts struck and gave indica-
tions of fruit, a circumstance very unusual during the
first year in the vineyards of Portugal, where no artificial
means are resorted to in the cultivation of the vine. On
the first of this month (August) the oidium had destroyed
all the young fruit ou these grafts, while the verdure
and vigour of the branches are daily increasing.
' "Three years ago I submitted to Professor Lindley
several vines from the Alto-Douro, which, when rooted
up, bore as many as three bunches of grapes on each
br Ancb, but all of them covered with the oidium.
"12. Several of these vines are now in the Horticul-
tural Gardens, and, under the professor's care, have been
restored to perfect health ; and one vine in particular,
the 'Souza° ' (which it will be recollected produces the
very worst of grapes, and which is merely cultivated for
its colouring qualities), is, at the present moment, laden
with fruit in the gardens at Chiswick ; this fruit being
absolutely finer both in form and flavour than any of
the same quality of grape that I have ever seen grow-
ing in the Alto-Douro.
"13. In the year 1848 the port wine districts of the
Alto-Douro produced 111,000 pipes of wine ; and this
year, according to a most careful calculation, those dis-
tricts will not produce 4,000 pipes; although I am fully
prepared for the publication of statistical registrations of
the production of at least ten times that number of
pipes.
" 14. Among the grapes which have most suffered
from the oidium in the Alto-Douro is the Mourisco,
from which the old-fashioned port used to be made.
"15. In conclusion, having stated the above facts as
a practical vine-grower, I leave it to scientific men to
decide whether the grape malady is (as has occurred with
the potato) wearing itself out.—Your obedient servant,
" JOSEPH JAMES FORRESTER."

FORGETFULNESS.—On Friday a lady went into a bath-
ing machine at Herne Bay, and on her departure left
behind a gold watch worth 251., and a massive gold
chain, neithsr of which has since been recovered:—
Kentish, Gazette.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS.—Among the arrivals (says the
Sasse-c, Advertiser) are t'le Countess Bentinck, the
Bishop of Peterborough, General and Mrs. Sale,
Dowager Lady Nelson, Sir C. M. Clarke, Bart., Lady
Longford, Hon. Mrs. King, &c.
MARGATE.—The arrivals by boats on the Saturday are
very numerous. From five to sir thousand and upwards
come down in a day, through the cheap fares ; while
the number by rail is al,o considerable. —Kenttsh, Gazette.
On Tuursday, Mr. Mackinnon, M.P., in compliance
wi.h a numerously signed requisition, delivered an ad-
dress in the Town•hall, Rye, " On the influence of Chrie-
r.ianity over the moral and social condition of mankind."
The attendance was large, and the most marked attention
was exhibited on the part of all during the lecture.
Sussex Advertiser,

ST. PETERSBURGH, AUG. 11.—In the late Emperor's
t me smoking in the streets was strictly prohibited, but
shortly after the accession of the present his Imperial
Majesty was himself seen smoking along the quays--a
quiet hint that the "counterblast" had been allowed to
die out of itself.
THE NEXT LORD MAYOR OF LONDON.—There will be
an election for a Lord Mayor of London Monday., Sept.
29, in succession to the Right Hon. David Salomona,
who will go out of office on the 9th of November. The
'•r Unary, but by no means the invariable practice, is for
the livery, in common hall assembled, to return to the
C iurt of Aldermen the names of the two senior aldermt x.
b I w the chair, who will be in the present case Mr.
Ald-rrnan Finnis and Al erman Sir Robert Walter
C ►rden. Upon receiving two names from the livery,
the elderrnen retire and select one for the office of Lord
Mayor, the one chosen being generally the senior. If
there is no departure from the practice on the 29th of
rept mser, Alderman Finnis will be the next Lord
May ,e of London; and, under or, i iary circems'are e
the following gentlemen will succeed in the order in
which their names are placA-1857-58, Sir R. W.
C trchn ; 1858 59, Alderman Wire ; 1859-60, Alderman
C trter ; 1860-61, Alderman Cubitt, M.P. ; 1861-62,
Al Lerman Sir Henry Muggeridge ; 1862-63. Alderman
edy; 1863.64, Alderman Rose; 1814.65, Al erman
Eagleton ; 1865 66, Alderman Lawrence.
BREAD RIOTS IN PORTUGAL.—A letter from Lisbon
of the 11th, in the Moniteur, states that an attempt at
disturbance had taken place in that city in consequence
of the dearness of provisions. A considerable body of
the working classes assembled on the evening of the
Bth in one of the squares, and, being excited by some
addresses from ill-disposed persons, were about to break
into the bakers' shops, when General Count de Frances
commander of the municipal guard, dissuaded them
from their design. They, however, proceeded, with
cries of " Long live Don Pedro-V.!" " Down with the
corn speculators I" to the residence of M. Eugenio
d'Almerida, one of the contractors for the tobacco
monopoly, and owner of several mills, and broke all
his windows. Some similar excesses took place in
other parts of the city, but after midnight the
rioters retired. The next evening groups were
again formed, and several baking establishments
broken into and rifled. They also again attacked M.
d'Almerida's house with crowbars and pickaxes, and
carried off what they could lay their hands on. They
then set fire to the house, but a detachment of lancers
succeeded in extinguishing the flames, and dispersed the
c .owd, making some arrests. On another point a clerk
at a provision-shop, seeing himself attacked by several
men, drew out a pistol in his own defence, but was im-
mediately torn to pieces by the crowd. The agitation
continued the next day, and on the 11th the King re-
turned from Cintra. His first step was to dismiss the
commander of the municipal guard for his want of re-
solution and energy. Crowds of rioters were all day
going through the streets forcing the bakers to sell their,
bread at half price, but in the evening, the military
having occupied the principal points of the capital, the
crowd became alarmed and retired in every direction.

CREDITON.— Creedy Park, the seat of Sir Henry F.
Davie, Bart., M P., has been the scene of extraordinary
'Teeing and festivity, in order to commemorate the
safe return from the. Crimea of Captain Davie, of the Ist
Battalion of Grenadier Guards, the heir to this ext•3sive
Property, who was met on Saturday last, between the
Park and the Crediton Railway Station, by a large con-
course of the tradesmen and others of Crediton and
Sandford, and escorted to his father's fine old English
mansion, situated in the centre of a noble park. On
Monday evening, after a large number of the poor of
both parishes bad het n r Taled with a sumptuous dinner
the large dining hall was thrown open to the votaries o
Tern=lchore, hundreds of whom had been invited, an
for whom a good quadrille band was engaged, whi
creature comforts of the most substantial and of th
choicest kind were provided in profusion. Indeed,
may be said that Sir Henry and Lady Davis spate
neither expense nor personal exertion to promote l
happiness of their guests. Their unassumed heartines
and urbanity of manner from the first assured all a a
their presenco in the dance would impose no restraint on
any one, but, on the contrary, contribute to the general
enjoyment. Nor were Miss Davie and the junior mem-
bers of the family, with several fair visitors, behind ha n d
in their efforts to please and be pleased, for they, as w ell
as the happy host and hostess, commingled with t h
general crowd, and remained enjoying the pleasures o
the dance until a late hour. In the course of the eve
ing the health of the gallant Captain (who trips the maz
waltz and polka with the air of a true British officer)
was feelingly proposed by Mr. Ayres, and cordially se
sponded to. Sir Henry Davie also took occasion t
address the general auditory, in very felicitous languag
on the great compliment which they had paid hie son.