Historical Document · 1866

The Cultivation of the Native Grape and Manufacture of American WInes

Author: Husmann
Year: 1866
Type: Historical Document

wine

THE OULTIVATION OF THH NATIVE GRAPH, MANUFACTURE OF AMERICAN WINES. wer GEORGE HUSMANN, OF RERMANN, MISSOURI. NEW YORK: GEO. E. WOODWARD, 191 BROADWAY. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by GEO. E. & F. W. WOODWARD, Tm the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District ef New York. /60-07 GRAPE GROWERS OF UR COUNTRY, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE,” THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED BY THEIR FRIEND AND FELLOW-LABORER, THE AUTHOR, INDH=X=. PAGE. INTRODUCTION. 20.0.0 cccccccecccccccocsccccccesscesece -GRAPE CULTURE. Remarks on its Hi in America, especially at the West ; its Progress and its Future, .....sccscccccccccccscccce PROPAGATION OF THE VINE. T.—From Seed ......cccccccccccccccccccccsccccccces TI.—By Single Eyes .......cccceeeccccsecs The Propagating House .......-..++- Mode of Operating .......-..cecesee III.—By Cuttings in Open Air.........e.e00- ee cccccees TV.—By Layering.........c-ccscccccccccccccccccccese V.—By Grafting Peeorrseorecovesecceer everest enevere THE VINEYARD. Location and Soil..ss.ccceccccceccccceccccccccccsccece Preparing the Soil .....ceceescscccccccccccccccccccsecs WHAT SHALL WE PLANT? Choice of Varieties... ..cccceeccccccccccccccccesscevese The Concord ......ccccccccccccescce occ cccccccccccce Norton’s Virginia. ......cecccsccccccccccessccscceccess Herbemont ........04. ee wccccee eee ccc ccccceccvccces Delaware ..ccccccecccccccccccccccccccccccccccccsccsce Hartford Prolific ...cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccces Olintom. cocecccccsccccccccccccscccscccevecccvvcesecece 9 ' 13 43 45 47 49 49 vi INDEX. PLANTING. PAGE. Planting. .osscecserscsccccecccccecvcccsscesssssscseces 51 Treatment of the Vine the First Summer...........-2... 56 Treatment of the Vine the Second Summer.....-........ 57 Treatment of the Vine the Third Summer........sese0006 63 Treatment of the Vine the Fourth Summer.............- 69 Training the Vines on Arbors and Walls........ccecsseee TL Other Methods of Training the Vine.......... Diseases of the Vine .......ccccsccccccccscens Insects Injurious to the Grape........ccesceccccccoscees Frosts....ccccccccccce ccccccccccccccccscccescccsces 80 Girdling the Vine to Hasten Maturity......c.geceeeeeeee 86 Manuring the Vine.......cesseccecccccsevevce sovcsece OF Thinning of the Fruit........cscecccceccccceccessecece GL Renewing Old VinesS.........00 seccccccccccscccsesece 92 Pruning Saws .....c.ccccccccecccccccccsscccccsccesess 93 Preserving the Fruit ......ccsescsccsccccssceccccesccee 95 Gathering the Fruit to Make Wine Peco eveteenseseseves 96 VARIETIES OF GRAPES. CLASS I.—VARIETIES MOST GENERALLY USED. Concord (Description)... .csecccccccccccecccvccccccscee OF Concord (Plate).....seesseseees: 111 Norton’s Virginia (Description) ... Norton’s Virginia (Plate)... ++++ssee++eeeeeseresseer ses 87 Herbemont (Plate) ......ccccccccccccceccccceccccceces 99 Herbemont (Description)......0.ccccccccccccccccecsees LOL Hartford Prolific (Description) ........0..seceeescteeeee LOL Hartford Prolific (Plate) .......ccceccccecccccccceccees 105 Clinton. .....ccccccerevccccccsccceccecccccccssencesse 102 Delaware Ceca euomDerrersresseseseesstesscesstesess 102 Delaware (Plate) .ccccccccccccccccscccscccsscscccccces 81 CLASS II.—HEALTHY VARIETIES PROMISING WELL. Oynthiana ......ccecccccccccececcccsccccccccccsscceee 103 AIKansas 2... cece ccec cc cccc cece cccccccceccseccensccs 104 Taylor ......ccccccccccccccccnscscccsccccececscsscees 104 Martha.....se.-ee eee wee recceseces ec ccececcccccceee LOT Maxatawney (Description) ...........eseee-ee eee. 107 Maxatawney (Plate)........... ot ceccanace eee 177 Rogers’ Hybrid, No. 1............ ccc ecccccceesecccceee 107 Creveling (Description)... .....ccccsecceccercccscccsess 108 Creveling (Plate). .ccccccceccccccccvecccoccccccecceece 117 oe INDEX. vn PAGE. North Carolina Seedling. .scsssssssscsecvccessessvecses 108 Cunningham ...........+ occ cc cree cecccescececcssseees LOD Rulander ......ccccccecccvccccscescccccccsvcecscesees LOD Louisiana .....c0 cece cece ccnccecccccccccecsescscccescs LID AlV€y ..ccccccccccccccncccccccccccccccsccccsccesceses 110 Casgady .......ccvecccccccccnccccccccecsvccesccccsces LID Blood’s Black ........cceceeccccccccccescccccesscccses LIS Union Village (Description)... .02..c.ccccccceccvcccece. 113 Union Village (Plate) .....c.seecsceesccesccesceencess 167 1 erKin’. .... cess eccccccsccnsccce Clara (Description) .......-+eeee 114 Clara (Plate) ...,+scscccccccsecce cee cceecceeccceceee, 137 Ive’s Seedling TOTTI ETTTeTT LITE TTT rrr rrr 114 CLASS III.—HEALTHY VARIETIES—-BUT INFERIOR IN QUALITY. Minor Seedling... .0scsscsceccscicccccccccccsccccesscces L1G Mary Ann. ....... cesses ccnccccccssccctcceccccccccoee LID Northern Muscadine.......cesscscsccccvccesccccssccree 119 Logan ....ccccccccsccccccsccccvccccccsosccccccccecsse LID Brown 2... ccecccccccccccccccccccccceses .. 119 Hyde's Eliza. ...... ccc cece ccccv ccc vcenes -. 119 Marion Port... ....cccccccvccrccccccccccceccesecseseee 120 Poeschel’s Mammoth.........cccecccccccsccccccseceses LW Cape ..cccccccccnveccccccccecrcccsesavesccscccccscces 120 Dracut Amber... ..-...cccccccccecccccccccccccscceses. LO Elsinburgh. ......ccscccsscccccseccccccccecccccssccees 1 Garber’s Albino. ...... cece ccccccccaccccccevesecccccece LIL “Franklin. 02.02... ccccccccccccccacccccccacccccccscceve L2L Lenoir... 2. ce cece ccc c ce cc cn cc ccccccccccccccccsscceces IDL North America,...cccccvescvcvcecscsesccce ececrccccce 121 CLASS IV.—VARIETIES OF GOOD QUALITY, BUT SUBJECT TO DISEASE. Catawba. ....cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccsccccecsces LOL Diana... 2... cece ccceccccrccccccccccccscccccesecceeses 122 Teabella... ccc cece sveccecccccccccccccccccccssccccsece 122 Garrigues......... sec cceceeecenccerece soetecvecsecee 123 Tokalon......0.ccecccoesseececes coc enenccscccsseccees 123 ANNA... ceceeccees cere recccec eves oe cece ee eneece --- 123 Allen’s [ly brid. .+ r++ s+e+ +. cece ee cece cececccccceces 123 Cuyahoga... .ecccecccececcccevcccccccscccccescscseces 123 Devereux ...0-cccccccccccscccccccnccccccces seececvece 124 Kingseasing 0... .0 cece cece ccccscccceccesccccccerccccs 12h Rogers’ Hybrid, No. 15... cs cevc eee ceecececccecesecces IM INDEX,. CLASS V.—VARIETIES UNWORTHY OF CULTIVATION. PAGE. Oporto... ccccrecccccnccere beweree er eccccccccccccccce 124 Massachusetts White weceee woe cc ccccscccenscscccececess 12D WINE MAKING. Gathering the Grapes.......cccccccccccccccccccsscessee LL The Wine Cellar. ...... ccc cenccccccccccccccvcccsccecs 133 Apparatus for Wine Making. The Grape Mill and Press... 136 Fermenting Vats........... ete ee sc ereccceccceces cooee 187 The Wine Casks.........0-. seceecee ccc etccceccccceces 138 Making the Wine..........cscccccccccccccccntescecces . 140 After Treatment of the Witie .........cccvccceccccccecs 146 Diseases of the Wine and their Remedies.............+2+- 147 Treatment of flat and Turbid Wine. ........eccececceees . 147 Use of the Husks and Lees. .........ecccecnee ee ecccene - 148 Dr. Gauu’s and Prrort’s Method of Wine Making...... ~. 148 The Must Scale or Saccharometcr........ecsccscesscecs . 150 The Acidimeter and Its Use.........cc000 cccccseveeee 151 The Change of the Must, by "Fermentation, into Wine..... 157 Normal Must. ...cccccceereccscccccccvcccsccssescsccey 16L The Must of American Grapes. . ve ceweccccccescce cccccece 162 Wine Making Made Hasyecsccccccvcccccesccsccces ceecee 173 8TATISTICS. Cost of Establishin A Vineyard. ...scescoes eoccccccccs 179 Cost of an acre of Concord... .....csecsssesccccccesese.« 179 Cost of an acre of Herbemont......cccccceseee specrecee LTD Cost of an acre of Norton’s Virginia. .....ecssccceeesess+ 180 Cost of an acre of Delaware ......ccocccccsecccceses ese 180 Cost of an acre of Catawba........see.6 oo cece cccceseces 180 Product........00. cece ec cccssccccces eccccccscceses oe 181 Produce Fifth Year. .......scccsccscssccece ecccccccrees 182 Yield of Mr. MicHar. Porscuet’s Vineyard........-..- - 184 New Vineyard of Mr. M. Porscuex, Planted in 1861; First Partial Crop, 1863; Second Crop, 1864, Third Crop, 1865,... 2.000 cceececncceccccccces sees oe. 184, 185 Yield of Vineyard of Mr. WitiiaM Poxscuns, 1857, 1858) 1859, 1860... ..ceesccenc cen cesecccceecnccser seers 185 Yield of Vineyard of Mr. WILLiaM PoxscHEt, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864. ........cecceccccccnceccccesccccece eevee 186 Yield of Vineyard of Mr. WiLtiaM PorescHEeL 1865... + coe 187 Yield of Delaware Vineyard of Joun E. Mortine....... . 189 PRACTICAL STANDARD PUBLICATIONS oF GEO. E. WOODWARD. Harney’'s Barns, Outbuildings and Fences, Just published and containing Desi, and Plans of Stables, Farm Barns, a Gates, Gateways, Fences, Stabl Fittings and Furniture, fully described with nearly 200 Illus trations, Royal quarto extra. Post-paid, Ten Douuags. 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But the subject is of such vast importance, and the area suitable for grape culture so large, the diversity of soil and climate so great, that I may be pardoned if I still think that I could be of some use to the beginner; it is for them, and not for my brethren of the craft’ more learned than I am, that I write. If they can learn any- thing from the plain talk of a practical worker, to help them along in the good work, I am well repaid. Another object I have in view is to make grape grow- ing as easy as possible; and I may be pardoned if I say that, in my opinion, it is a defect'in all books we have on grape culture, that the manner of preparing the soil, training, etc., are on too costly a plan to be followed by men of little means. If we are first to trench and prepare the soil, at a cost of about $300 per acre, and then pay $200 more for trellis, labor, etc., the poor man, he who must work for a living, can not afford to raise grapes. And yet it is from the ranks of these sturdy sons of toil that I would gain my recruits for that peace- fal army whose sword is-the pruning-hook; it is from 10 INTRODUCTION. their honest, hard-working hands I expect the grandest results. He who has already wealth enough at command can of course afford to raise grapes with bone-dust, ashes, and all the fertilizers. He can walk around and give his orders, making grape culture an. elegant pastime for his leisure hours, as well as a source of profit. But, being one of the first class myself, I had to fight my way up through untold difficulties from the lowest round of the ladder; had to gain what knowledge I posséss from dear experience, and can therefore sympathize with those who must commence without means. It is my earnest desire to save them some of the losses which J had to suffer, to lighten their toil by alittle plain advice. If I can succeed in this, my object is accomplished. In nearly all our books on grape culture I notice an- other defect, especially in those published in the East; it is, that they contain a great deal of good advice about grape culture, but very little about wine-making, and the treatment of wine in the cellar. For us here at the West this is an all-important point, and even our Eastern friends, if they continue to plant grapes at the rate they have done for the last few years, will soon glut the market, and will be forced to make them into wine. I shall therefore try to give such simple instructions about wine-making and its management as will enable every one to make a good saleable and drinkable wine, better than nine-tenths of the foreign wines, which are now sold at two to three dollars per bottle. I firmly believe that thig continent is destined to be the greatest wine-producing country in the world; and that the time is not far dis- tant when wine, the most wholesome and purest of all stimulating drinks, will be within the reach of the com- mon laborer, and take the place of the noxious and poi- sonous liquors which are now the curse of so many of INTRODUCTION, 11 our laboring men, and have blighted the happiness of so many homes. Pure light wine I consider the best temper- ance agent; but as long as bad whisky and brandy con- tinue to be the common drink of its citizens we can not hope to accomplish a thorough reform; for human nature seems to crave and need -a stimulant. Let us then try to supply the most innocent and healthy one, the exhilara- ting juice of the grape. T have also endeavored throughout to give plain facts, to substantiate with plain figures all I assert; and in no case have I allowed fancy to roam in idle speculations which cannot be demonstrated in practice. I do not pre- tend that my effort is “the most comprehensive and prac- tical essay on the grape,” as some of our friends call their productions, but I can claim for it strict adherence to truth and actual results. I have not thought it necessary to give the botanical description of the grape-vine, and the process of hybridiz- ing, etc.; this has already been so well and thoroughly done by my friend Futuer, that I can do no better than refer the scientific reader to his book. I am writing more for the practical farmer, and would rather fill what I think a vacancy, than repeat what has been so well said by others. With these few remarks, which I thought due to the public and myself, I leave it to you, brother-winegrowers, to say whether or not I have accomplished my task. To all and every one who plants a single vine I would extend the hand of good fellowship, for he is a laborer in the great work to cover this glorious land of the free with smiling vineyards, and to make its barren spots flow with noble grape juice, one of the best ,ifts of an all-bountiful Creator. All hail to you, I greet you from Free Missouri. Hermann, Missouri, January, 1866. GRAPE CULTURE. BEMARKS ON ITS HISTORY IN AMERICA, ESPECIALLY AT THH WEST—ITS PROGRESS AND ITS FUTURE, In an old chronicle, entitled, “The Discovery of America in the Tenth Century,” by Caartes C. Prasra, published at Stralsund, we find the following legend: “ Lzrr, son of Eric the Red, bought Byarnss’ vessel, and manned it with thirty-five men, among whom was also a German, Tyrxkzr by name, who had lived a long time with Lzir’s father, who had become very much attached to him in youth. And they left port at Iceland, in the year of our Lord 1000. But, when they had been at sea several days, a tremen- dous storm arose, whose wild fury made the waves swell mountain high, and threatened to destroy the frail vessel. And the storm continued for several days, and increased in fury, so that even the stoutest heart quaked with fear ; they believed that their hour had come, and drifted along at the mercy of wind and waves. Only Leir, who had lately been converted to Curisr our Lord, stood calmly at the helm and did not fear; but called on Him who had walked the water and quieted the billows, with firm faith, that He also had power to deliver them, if they but trusted in Him. And, behold! while he still spoke to them of the wonderful deeds of the Lord, the clouds cleared away, the storm lulled; and after a few hours the sea calmed down, and rocked the tired and exhausted 14 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. men into a deep and calm sleep. And when they awoke, the next morning, they could hardly trust their eyes. A beautiful country lay before them, green hills, covered with beautiful forests ; a majestic stream rolled its billows into the ocean; and they cast the anchor, and thanked the Lord, who had delivered them from death. A delightful country it seemed, full of game, and birds of beautiful plumage; and when they went ashore, they could not resist the temptation to explore it. When they returned, after several hours, Tyrker alone was missing. After waiting some time for his return, Ler, with twelve of his men, went in search of him. But they had not gone far, when they met him, laden down with grapes. Upon their enquiry, where he had stayed so long, he answered: “I did not go far, when I found the trees -all covered with grapes; and as I was born in a country, whose hills are covered with vineyards, it seemed so much like home to me, that I stayed a while and gathered them.” They had now a twofold occupation, to cut timber, and gather grapes; with the latter, they loaded the boat. And Leif gave a name to the country, and called it Vinland, or Wineland.” So far the tradition. It is said that coming events cast their shadows before them. If this is so, may we not re- cognize one of those shadows in the old Norman legend of events which transpired more than eight hundred years ago? Is it not the foreshadowing of the destiny of this great continent, to become, in truth and verity, a Wineland. Truly, the results of to-day would certainly justify us in the assertion, that there is as much, nay more, truth than fiction in it. Let us take a glance at the first commencement of grape culture, and see what has been the progress in this comparatively new branch of horticulture. CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 15 From the very first settlement of America, the vine seems to have attracted the attention of the colonists, and it is said that as early as 1564, wine was made from the native grape in Florida. The earliest attempt to establish a vineyard in the British North American Colo- nies was by the London Company in Virginia, about the year 1620; and by 1630, the prospect seems to have been encouraging enough to warrant the importation of several French vine-dressers, who, it is said, ruined the vines by bad treatment. Wine was also made in Virginia in 1647, and in 1651 premiums were offered for its production. Beverty even mentions, that prior to 1722, there were vineyards in that colony, producing seven hundred and fifty gallons per year. In 1664, Colonel Ricuarp Nicoxt, Governor of New York, granted to Paut Ricuarps, a privilege of making and selling wine free of all duty, he having been the first to enter upon the cultivation of the vine on a large scale. Beavcuamp Pranracenst, in his description of the province of New Albion, published in London, in 1648, states “that the English settlers in Uvedale, now Delaware, had vines running on mulberry and sassafras trees; and enumerates four kinds of grapes, namely: Thoulouse Muscat, Sweet Scented, Great Fox, and Thick Grape; the first two, after five months, being boiled and salted and well fined, make a strong red Xeres,; the third, a light claret; the fourth, a white grape which creeps on the land, makes a pure, gold colored wine. Tennis Pas, a Frenchman, out of these four, made eight sorts of excellent wine; and says of the Muscat, after it had been long boiled, that the second draught will intoxi- cate after four months old; and that here may be gathered and made two hundred tuns in the vintage months, and that the vines with good cultivation will mend.” In 1633, Wit- L1aM Penn attempted to establish a vineyard near Philadel- phia, but without success. After some years, however, Mr. . 16 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. Tasger, of Maryland, and Mr. Antu, of Shrewsbury, N. J.,8eem to have succeeded to acertain extent. It seems, however, from an article which Mr. Anti, wrote of the culture of the grape, and the manufacture of wine, that he cultivated only foreign varieties. In 1796, the French settlers in Illinois made one hun- dred and ten hogsheads of strong wine from native grapes. At Harmony, near Pittsburgh, a vineyard of ten acres was planted by Freperic Rapp, and his associates from Germany; and they continued to cultivate grapes and silk, after their removal to another Harmony in Indiana. In 1790, a Swiss colony was founded, and a fund of ten thousand dollars raised in Jessamine county, Kentucky, for the purpose of establishing a vineyard, but failed, as they attempted to plant the foreign vine. In 1801, they removed to a spot, which they called Vevay, in Switzer- land County, Indiana, on the Ohio, forty-five miles below Cincinnati. Here they planted native vines, especially the Cape, or Schuylkill Muscadel, and met with better suc- cess. But, after about forty years’ experience, they seem to have become discouraged, and their vineyards have now almost disappeared. These were the first crude experiments in American grape culture; and from some cause or another, they seem not to have been encouraging enough to warrant their continuation. But a new impetus was given to this branch of industry, by the introduction of the Catawba, by Masor Aptum, of Georgetown, D. C., who thought, that by so doing, he conferred a greater benefit upon the nation than he would have done, had he paid the national debt. It seems to have been planted first on an extensive scale by Nicotas Lonawortu, near Cincinnati, whom we may justly call one of the founders of American grape OULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 17 culture. He adopted. the system of leasing parcels of . unimproved land to poor Germans, to plant with vines; for a share, I believe, of one-half of the proceeds. It was his ambition to make the Ohio the Rhine of America, and he has certainly done a good deal to effect it. In 1858, the whole number of acres planted in grapes around Cin- cinnati, was estimated, by a committee appointed for that purpose, at twelve hundred acres, of which Mr. Lone- wortH owned one hundred and twenty-two and a half acres, under charge of twenty-seven tenants. The annual produce was estimated by the committee at no less than two hundred and forty thousand gallons, worth about as many dollarsthen. We may safely estimate the number of acres in cultivation there now, at two thousand. Among the principal grape growers there, I will mention Messrs. Rozzrt Bucuanan, author of an excellent work on grape culture, Morrmr, Boczn, Werx, Reurvss, Dr. Mosuzr, etc. Well do I remember, when I was a boy, some fourteen years old, how often my father would enter into con- versation with vintners from the old country, about the feasibility of grape culture in Missouri. He always con- tended that grapes should succeed well here, as the woods were full of wild grapes, some of very fair quality, and that this would indicate a soil and climate favorable to the vine. They would ridicule the idea, and assert that labor was too high here, even if the vines would suc- ceed, to make it pay; but they could not shake his faith in the ultimate success of grape culture. Alas! he lived only long enough to see the first dawnings of that glo- rious future which he had so often anticipated, and none entered with more genuine zeal upon the occupation than he, when an untimely death took him from the labor he loved so well, and did not even allow him to taste the 18 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. first fruits of the vines he had planted and fostered. ita he been spared until now, his most sanguine hopés: Would be verified. i Ra I also well remember the first cultivated grape vine which produced fruit in Hermann. It was an Isabella, planted by a Mr. Fvaerr, on the corner of Main and Schiller streets, and trained over an arbor. It produced the first crop in 1845, twenty years ago, and so plentifully did it bear, that several persons were encouraged by this appa- rent success, to plant vines. In 1846, the first wine was made here, and agreeably surprised all who tried it, by . its good quality. The Catawba had during that time, been imported from Cincinnati, and the first partial crop from it, in 1848, was so plentiful, that every body, almost, commenced planting vines, and often in very unfavorable localities. This, of course, had a bad influence on so capricious a variety as the Catawba; rot and mildew appeared, and many became discouraged, because they did not realize what they had anticipated. -A number of unfavorable seasons brought grape growing almost to a stand still here. Some of our most enterprising grape growers still persevered, and succeeded by careful treat- ment, in making even the Catawba pay very handsome returns. It was about this time, that the attention of some of our grape-growers was drawn towards a small, insignifi- cant looking grape, which had been obtained by a Mr. ‘Wieperserecker from Mr. Hetnricus, who had brought it from Cincinnati, and, almost at the same time, by Dr. Kenr, who had brought it with him from Virginia. The vine seemed a rough customer, and its fruit very insignifi- cant when compared with the large bunch and berry of the Catawba, but we soon observed that it kept its foliage bright and green when that of the Catawba be- ‘GULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 19 came sickly and dropped; and also, that no rot or mildew damaged the fruit, when that of the Catawba was nearly destroyed by it. A few tried to propagate it by cuttings, but generally failed to make it grow. They then resorted to grafting and layering, with much better suc- cess. After a few years a few bottles of wine were made from it, and found to be very good. But at this time it almost received its death-blow, by a very unfavorable letter from Mr. Lonawortu, who had: been asked his opin- - ion of it, and pronounced it worthless. Of course, with the majority, the fiat of Mr. Lonawortu, the father of American grape-culture, was conclusive evidence, and they abandoned it. Not all, however; a few persevered, among them Messrs. Jacos Rommet, Porscuen, Laneen- DOERFER, GREIN, and myself. We thought Mr. Loneworra was human, and might be mistaken; and trusted as much to the evidence of our senses as to his verdict, therefore increased it as fast as we could, and the sequel proved that we were right. After a few_years more wine was made from it in larger quantities, found to be much better than the first imperfect samples; and now that despised and condemned grape is the great variety for red wine, equal, if not superior to, the best Burgundy and Port; a wine of which good judges, heavy importers of the best European wines too, will tell you that it has not its equal among all the foreign red wines; which has already saved the lives of thousands of suffering children, men, and women, and therefore one of the greatest blessings an all-merciful God has ever bestowed upon suffering hu- manity. This despised grape is now the rage, and 500,000 of the plants could have been sold from this place alone the last fall, if they could have been obtained. Need I name it? it is the Norton’s Virginia. Truly, “great oaks from little acorns grow!” and I boldly prophecy 20 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE, to-day that the time is not far distant when thousands upon thousands of our hillsides will be covered with its luxuriant foliage, and its purple juice become one of the exports to Europe; provided, always, that we do not grow so fond of it as to drink it all. I think that this is pre-eminently a Missouri grape. Here it seems to have found the soil in which it flourishes best. I have seen it in Ohio, but it does not look there as if it was the same grape. And why should it? They drove it from them and discarded it in its youth; we fostered it, and do you not think, dear reader, there sometimes is gratitude in plants as well as in men? Other States may plant it and succeed with it, too, to a certain extent, but it will cling with the truest devotion to those localities where it was cared for in its youth. Have we not also found, during the late war, that the Germans, the adopted citizens of this great country, clung with a heartier devotion to our noble flag, and shed their blood more freely for it, than thousands upon thousands of native-born Americans ? And why? Because here they found protection, equal rights for all, and that freedom which had been the idol of their liearts, and haunted their dreams by night; be- cause they had been oppressed so long they more fully appreciated the blessings of a free government than those who had enjoyed it from their birth. But you may call me fantastical for comparing plants to human beings, and will say, plants have no appreciation of such things. Brother Skeptic, have you, or has any body, divined all the secrets of Nature’s workshop? Truly we may say that we have not, and we meet with facts every day which are stranger than fiction. The Concord had as small a beginning with us. In the winter of 1855 a few eyes of its wood were sent me by Mr. Jas. G. Soutarp, of Galena, Ill. I grafted them upon old CULTURE O¥ THE GRAPE. 21 Catawba vines, and one of them grew. The next year I distributed some of the scions to our vine-growers, who grafted them also. When my vine commenced to bear I was astonished, after what I had heard of the poor quality of the fruit from the East, to find it so fine, and so luxurious and healthy ; and we propagated it as fast as possible. Now, scarcely nine years from the time when I received the first scions, hundreds of acres are being planted with it here, and one-third of an acre of it, planted five years ago, has produced for me, in fruit, wine, layers, cuttings, and plants, the round sum of ten thousand dollars during that time. Its wine, if pressed as soon as the grapes are mashed, is eminently one of those which “ maketh glad the heart of man,” and is evidently destined to become one of the common drinks of our laboring classes. It is light, agreeable to the palate, has a very enlivening and invigorating effect, and can be grown as cheap as good cider. I am satisfied that an acre will, with good cultivation, produce from 1,000 to 1,500 gallons per year. My vines produced this season at the rate of 2,500 gallons to the acre, but this may be called an extra-large crop. I have cited the his- tory of these two varieties in our neighborhood merely as examples of progress. It would lead too far here, to follow the history of all our leading varieties, though many a goodly story might be told of them. Our friends in the East claim as much for the Delaware and others, with which we have not been able to succeed. And here let me say that the sooner we divest ourselves of the idea that one grape should be the grape for this immense - country of ours; the sooner we try to adapt the variety to the locality—not the locality to the variety—the sooner we will succeed. The idea is absurd, and un- wo