196
AGRICULTURE ON THE KHINE.
present perhaps involving a pun upon the name, which
in German signifies Butler. In 1813 the castle was
taken possession of by Austrian soldiers, and was pre-
sented to its present owner, Prince Metternich, by the
late Emperor Francis.
Adjacent to the castle stands the seat of M. Mumm,
an extensive wine-merchant of Mayence, who owns an
excellent vineyard on a rise behind the bill we have de-
scribed, and all around the slopes are covered with vines
that arrogate the name of the celebrated site, and the
product of which, if treated with the same care, might
easily be raised to a high value. That this care is not
bestowed may furnish matter for a few observations in
passing rapidly by excellent sites at Winkel, Orstrich,
and, farther back in the bosom of the hills, Kiderich and
Grafenberg. The produce of all these vineyards sel-
dom meets the public under the real name, but is chris-
tened after the more select growths by wine-merchants
who are bound to follow their customers’ whims, and
to furnish them with an excuse for decorating their
tables with the names at least of wines that never find
their way there. Why sufficient outlay is not bestowed
upon the adjacent growths to raise the whole value of
the Rhinegau to the value of which it is capable, seems
easily accounted for. The prices we have quoted show
that on the most favourite sites the choice wine that can
be made is very dear. The market is consequently very
limited ; and by the increasing difficulty annually ex-
perienced in all European lands of providing subsistence
for an increasing population, bids fair, without exchange
in our present systems, daily to diminish. Such wine is
a luxury that, until necessaries are superabundantly ap-
AGKICUbTUBE ON THE BHINE.
197
plied, cannot be indulged in ; and until bread and cheese
cheapen and become more accessible than at present, the
fine sites of the Rhinegau, that cannot meet the treatment
they deserve, must lie neglected.
At Erbach, where also choice wine is grown, the road
once more branches off to the left, and continues as-
cending for more than a mile and a half until the traveller
reaches the border of the forest-covering that tops the
Taunus, here at its greatest distance from the Rhine.
A narrow glen, like a cleft in the hill, leads him to the
ancient Abbey of Eberbach, in former times one of the
most important clerical foundations of Germany. Since
its confiscation the building has been made to serve as a
house of correction. But a very large edifice is now
erecting in the vicinity to supply its place. The Abbots
of Eberbach were prouder of nothing amongst their ex-
tensive possessions than of the “ Steinberg” vineyard,
which may be called the diamond of the Rhinegau, if the
Johannisberg be entitled its pearl. This vineyard lies
at the greatest elevation of all in the district, being up-
wards of 200 feet above the level of the Rhine, whereas
the Johannisberg castle stands 150 feet above the river.
The whole vineyard comprises IOO morgens, of which
80 are under cultivation, and is surrounded with a stone
wall 12 feet high, which renders it Conspicuousfrom the
Rhine, although at a distance of two miles from the
river. The vineyard has various slopes, however, that
are only perceptible on entering it. That which has
the most southern aspect is named the “ golden cup,”
another is called the “Rosegarden;” then come the
“ Friedrichshohe ” and the “ Pflanzer.” The last-named
slope furnished, in 1819, the celebrated pipe of wine