. Wild Spain ... records of sport with rifle, rod, and gun, natural history and exploration . es have lost their employment, and already theirpersecutors, the Bee-eaters, are departing for less torridregions. Yet all around lie thousands of acres of vinesm the full exuberance of life and vigour, drinking ingrowth and increase from the very rays that are fatal toall beside. Vine roots reach down very great depthsinto the earth—often twenty feet and more, the tap-rootsthreading their way through the slightest cracks oi 326 ■WILD SPAIN. cleavages of what appears solid rock, thickening out againas
. Wild Spain ... records of sport with rifle, rod, and gun, natural history and exploration . es have lost their employment, and already theirpersecutors, the Bee-eaters, are departing for less torridregions. Yet all around lie thousands of acres of vinesm the full exuberance of life and vigour, drinking ingrowth and increase from the very rays that are fatal toall beside. Vine roots reach down very great depthsinto the earth—often twenty feet and more, the tap-rootsthreading their way through the slightest cracks oi 326 ■WILD SPAIN. cleavages of what appears solid rock, thickening out againas they reach a wider fissure of fatter soil, as maybe seen in road or railway-cuttings. Nothing can be a greater contrast than the appearanceof the vines at Christmas or in January when not evena branch survives, each vine then being cut back, tillnothing remains but a gnarled, knobby stump some twofeet high, limbless and lifeless. The vineyards thenassume a barren hungry look, a grey expanse studdedwith rows of the inanimate stocks. During early spring much care and labour are devoted. VINES IN MARCH. to the vineyards. The soil around each vine is drawnback with hoes and small adze-shaped spades, the bladesof which are turned inwards, till the plant stands inthe centre of a hollowed square, the heaped-up eartharound serving to catch and direct the moisture towardsits roots. For a time the vineyards resemble huge chess-l)oards, till in April the spreading tendrils and brightgreen leaves once more hide the face of the earth fromview. The workmen who are employed upon these operations ON VITICULTURE IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. 827 have assigned to them a large barn-like room on theground-floor of the casa de riuas, destitute of any sem-blance of furniture or fittings. In this they cook theirpuclteros, smoke infinite cigarettes, and when times arepeaceful, wind up the day with a few touches on the guitarand weird Andalucian melodies ; but during the troublousperiods of anarchy and d
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidwildspainrecords00chapric
