Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-03-01

For nearly six centuries The
wines Of this island have beer
famous--eyer since the introduc.
ton OF the vine from cyprus, by The
royal house Of Bragan2a. IN times long
past they were the fayorte beverage
IN England, for all who could AFFORD the
price. Evidently Shakespeare COR Lord
Bacon?) was acquainted with them for
he makes Polns say to Falstaff Jack
how agreest the devil and thee about
thy soul. which thou soldest to him on
Good Friday last for a cup Of Madei-
IA" Since Falstaf's day, generations
Of registering Engishmen have con-
tinued to smack their lips and sing
songs to "Old MOmsey;' until 60 years
0r 80 ago, when the prince regent con.
ceiyed the idea that malmsey was con-
duciYe to govt and took to drinking
sherry instead His govt, by the way
did not improve for lifelong guttOny
went farther back than wine; but all
his imitatOrs at home and Anglo
maniacs abroad Immediately followed
the fashion Of forsaking malmSey The
best physicians, however, have always
maintained a contrary opinion. and
among these Islanders, who naturally
drink most OF their own beverages, that
disease Of arlstOcracy- g0ut-is UNI
known. MADEIRA wine has never been
especially popular IN the United
States, probably because ours Is too
new country TO be generally we'll
up In such matters; and within the
last quarter-century since California
has 40. Nla In.
portation from Madeira has fallen OF
10 less than $4,000 worth per annum
In former times the Wine Industry
of this island yielded an annual aver
age OF 10000 pipes; up to the year 1852
when-wiihout tho slightest warning
blight fell upon fruit and plant 10
that In single season the output ~
Wine declined 10 less than 100 pipes.
Th5t sad state OF things continued for
20 years. bringing poverty and dis
tress to the islanders, ana the wines
were almost annhIlated by the fungus
known as oideum tuckeri. After O
while the culture Of sugar cane restored
n portion of Maderia's lost prosperity,
and later q way vas found for counter.
acting the blight and partially resum.
ing the production OF wine. This was
d0pe w blowing the powder OF sui
Bhhi HiNfAo hli bNfl INV NlUfh uUu
grapes, several time during a season
most tedious process, as may be
readily imagined StIll later came the
discovery that American vines resist
the poisonous fungi; and great many
Of them we're imported to MADEIRA, with
the best results But the simple hearted
natives imported other things from
America along with the vines, with the
disastrous consequences OF the "knoWl-
edge OF good and evil" which came in
to Eden with the eating of forbidden
fruit and Madeira wine Is no longer |
to be depended upon as pure.
The hills Of MADEIRA are cultl- |
waited from base TO summit some |
Of the finest VINEYARDS and gar |
dens lying 1000 or even |
1900 feet above the yea. The noun |
ialns, too are terraced to their very |
tops, Ike flights Of Titan stairs |
JQunting around the island, you see |
peasants at work In their poor little |
patches on the narrow shelves, some |
times 80 far above you that they look |
Hke ants on the mOuntainside, and you |
marvel at the amount Of labor and daily |
climbing necessary TO such small re-
suits SO few and scant are the level
spaces on this side of the island that
even the threshing- floors and terraced
platforms, often oyerhangng danger
Gus precpices. Up and down these
fearful deciveties men and women
travel all day, bearing heavy loads on
lheir heads; and always at walk
more rapid, more graceful and appar-
entity more easy than one commonly
sees on the level roads OF other cOun-
tries. Perhaps the habit OF bearing
burdens on the head Is responsible for
thafa taFtNL IL. q.
movements that naturally come, never
having been hampered by corsets.
shoes or too many clothes. The rural
Madeirans are a musical race, always
singing as they trOt merrily along, often
under burdens that would stagger
mule, and challenging each other TO
Improvisation when they meet on the
road, or their oxen are tTeadng out
wheat To be sure, the music is rather
IuBuDfi0us and rendered as dolefully |
as funeral dirge, but II serves 10
indicate the cheerful disposition and
practical philosophy Of the peasants.
There Is considerable infusion of Afrl.
can blood In their veins (Which may
account for the music, because slavery
once existed In the ISLAND and after
us abolition the freedmen and peasants
lhtermarried. Their dwellings are
matched cabins of the rudest constitute
tion, each having only one room. par
uVoned win straw mats, Their lan-
gusge IL an odd patois Of the por.
tuguese, subdiyided into as many dln-
leets as there are valley parishes. They
speak with a shrill, rising infection
ana q plaintlye, pleading sort of tone.
when gives udicrously pathetic
Character even 20 their jests and ban.
ter.
on the north side Of the island the
rugged heights are too exposed too At
lantic gales for the most successful
Erape-culture, and the little wine that
" mace there, being OF inferior quality.
Is changed into so-caled brandy, with
which the best Madeira" is now
mixed after the American idea. on
the southern side the hills descend 10
the sea by easier declivltles and their
sunny slopes are densely covered with
vineyards that seem 10 fairly reel he
meath their purple burden. Not only
~ every bit Of soil given up to the
vines, which are trained on trellises
across all the highways and byways
but earth has been brought from the
valleys ana vines planted In il on rocky
lrdges which from below look macces-
s'hle TO any thing but mountain goats
Ionnoisseurs declare that for richness
OF body, deliciousness Of flavor and i'm
munity from injury by improper treat
ment, these upland wines Of Madeira
are unequaled In the whole Wide
world
Madeira wine Of the choicest grade is
made from a mixture OF white and
dark purple grapes ana from a light
claret color when fresh from the ylnt-
age, II gradually pales TO a rich topaz
In tfQ fnhMghhX ,lT
cost the government NOT less than IS "A
bottle, even In the vineyard and in its
ripe age is found only in the cellars and
on the boards Of royalty and million
aires.
The center OF the grape growing dis.
trlct Is the Estreito district Vintage
time In Madeira, from the middle of
september to the middle OF OCTOBER Is
the gayest season Of the year. Then