SOUTH CAROLINA 187 



ing sun ; everywhere the leaf was touched by water, 

 it lost color and texture, as if blighted. The drops of 

 water had the effect of a burning-glass. 



Further, the sudden changes of moisture into warm 

 air, and the severe storms and heavy rains which come 

 at a time when the grapes are about to ripen, cause 

 the berries to burst, spoil, and rot, and those still 

 sound become infected. 



Finally, it is believed that the vines grow too much 

 to stalk, which tends to make incomplete grapes and 

 fewer; this is indeed the case with the wild American 

 vines, which have a heavy growth of branches, and 

 the grapes on "that account are perhaps less juicy and 

 mild. 



But all these alleged obstacles might be avoided, in 

 part by work and attention, and they will in part dis- 

 appear of themselves with the better and more gen- 

 eral cultivation of the land and the clearing off of the 

 forests. 



Even if, for one or another reason, the fore-country 

 is not suited to vine-culture, it will certainly be found 

 later that the back parts may be very profitably used to 

 that end, whenever more industrious people become 

 settled there. The fertile hills deep in the interior, be- 

 yond the mountains, about Pittsburg and elsewhere, 

 seemed to me to be very well adapted for such use. 

 Also there were to be found in that country various 

 wild vines which bore fairly well-tasting grapes. 

 Here among these hills, of a rich soil throughout, and 

 sheltered from the cold winds, vineyards might be 

 readily set. The hills in the country of the Cherokees 

 also have been regarded as lying very well for vine- 

 yards ; but the Indians are still in possession, and in 



