STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 77 



United States, as well as of the individual states require him to procure and pay for a 

 license, before he offers it for sale. If lie intends to sell in quantities of more than three 

 gallons, he is considered a wholesale-dealer in liquors, and his United States license is not 

 less than §100, in addition to what he has to pay for the local, state or city, license. 



If these laws wtii' changed; if the wine grower was permitted to sell his wines, or 

 cause them to be sold at any place or places, where he can find a market for the same, 

 without tit— t obtaining licenses, as aforesaid, the benefit thereof would accrue as much 

 to the public as to the wine grower; the former would secure a good glass of wholesome 

 wine, at a reasonable price, and the latter would receive an equivalent tor his enterprise ; 

 for the capital of care, money and labor invested in his vineyard, and the consumption 

 of wine would largely increase and supersede more and more the use of deleterious and 

 more intoxicating drinks. 



At present the wine grower has no other chance, but to sell his wine at a low figure to 

 the wholesale liquor-merchant, to the grocer, or to the wine and beer saloon keeper, and 

 has do! Beldom the rather painful satisfaction, of seeing a bottle of his wine sold for (or 

 even of paying for it himself) as much as he has received for a gallon of it. 



The foregoine; statements are made and the suggestions thrown out with the intention 

 of furnishing to the Illinois State Horticultural Society a subject for discussion, and if 

 considered proper, for action. 



Colraan. — In Missouri, we have already passed such a law as Mr. 

 Engelmann recommends. 



Turner. — I dissent from the view of the essayist as to the rela- 

 tive cost of wines. The reasoning seems tome, loose, and the items 

 necessary to a just calculation, are left out. 



Spaulding. — I also dissent from his conclusions. I think we can 

 ultimately produce varieties of wine equal to or better than those of 

 Europe, and that we can stand competition. European clarets cost 

 about $1.00 per gallon laid down in St. Louis. The American wine 

 producer can more easily put his wines into market at 75 cents per 

 gallon. And we invest our capital, understanding fully that we 

 must undersell the European wines. 



(In answer to a question.) — If grapes are worth less than 10 

 cents a pound, and wine is worth $1.00 per gallon, it is more profita- 

 ble to make grapes into wine. At Cleveland, we saw Delaware 

 grapes sold at 12 cents, Catawba 6 to 8, Concord 7, and Isabella 4 

 cents per pound, and yet they were claimed to be profitable. 



Dr. B. F. Edwards. — I have endeavored for several years to as- 

 certain the cost price of grapes. I noticed three instances this year 

 of remarkable results. One man had two acres planted mostly with 



