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One donum of land, which is supposed to measure a square of] fifty yards, would be about half an English acre ; and this area is] calculated to yield an average of one load and a half of wine| = 192 okes = 528 lbs. The value of the ordinary wine of the country will average abouti 90 piastres the load, wholesale price ; therefore one donum will repre-1 sent a gross value of i | load at 90 . . =135 piastres (CTM Against this annual produce the natives calculate as follows:— Piastres. Per donum—Expenses of cultivating the land, i.e. ploughing, weeding, &c. . 25 Pruning vines . . . . .10 Gathering crop . » . . . 10 Feeding labourers 10 Carriage of wine to market . . . 2 5 Total government dues, including malliea. 2 5 (Dr.) 105 13s (Or.) This leaves a balance in favour of the producer of only 30 piastres,;' about Si. per donum. But it must be remembered that in the above calcu-l lation his own personal labour has not been considered Jj neither the wear and tear of implements, jars, loss1 by accidents of seasons, when the wine turns sour^ neither is any margin allowed for extraneous casualties. A t first sight the position appears impossible, as a stranger would ask the pertinent question, " Why, if vineyards do not pay, does the owner continue the occupation ? Wh y does he not substitute some other form of cultivation ? " The answer is simple. Whereever the conditions of the locality permitted, they have already done so ; but vineyards are cultivated where no other crops could grow ; upon the sides of inclines so steep that it is even difficult to stand ; and these positions, although peculiarly adapted for the cultivation of the vine by reason of the soil, would be absolutely

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