282 STATE HOETICrLTDEAL SOCIETY. 



containing special virtues it will partake of theoi and impart the same 

 to its trait. 



Thns the climate, the mean temperature as well as extremes, the 

 length of the growing season, the relative amount of rain, the altitude 

 and particularly the soil have an almost incredible inliuence on various 

 varieties of grapes and a judicious choice of location adapted to the 

 grapes, and of varieties adapted to our location, its climate and soil, 

 is, therefore, of the first importance. 



The southern slope of the Ozarks is one of the very few favored 

 localities where grapes can be grown to perfection in favorable seasons' 

 where the most advantageous atmospheric conditions, altitude and the 

 proper soil are united, the altitude averaging about 1,200 feet above 

 the sea level. 



After the proper altitude and atmospheric conditions are obtained, 

 the main factor is the pecaliar quality of the soil in the production of 

 the best grapes and wines. To illustrate it more forcibly, I will name 

 the world-wide celebrated Hungarian Tokay wine for example: the 

 territory producing it in Hungary is very small, covering only a few 

 square miles, with a distant demarkation of its lines, and if a vine of 

 it is transplanted beyond its limit, be it ever so near, without losing its 

 botanical identity, it degenerates from its former qualitative produc- 

 tion, regaining it when returned and replanted. 



The Bushberg Grape Manual very forcibly illustrates this in a note 

 on page 32, having reference to the Gyongy Szolo (Pearl Grape) as 

 being an inferior grape, though grown at Tokay (of course, planted out- 

 side of the proper limit). 



Bearing on the same subject, I will still farther illustrate the 

 especial quality of the soil in a particular locility as containing special 

 virtues not contained elsewhere. 



The country surrounding the city of Angora (Asia Minor), consists 

 of a barren, red, gravely -like rolling mountains, producing only a cer- 

 tain kind of weeds, similar to our horse mint, on which the silk goats 

 live principally; the territory of the weed's growth is also small — to 

 the best of my recollection, it will not reach the size of our Howell 

 county (I lived there) — and if the goat is removed from there his silk 

 degenerates into a coarse hair, neither can these weeds be raised out- 

 side of their natural region and retain their virtues ; but if the same 

 goat is returned to its native land it will regain its former silk. 



Therefore, I particularize the soil on the southern slope of the 

 Ozarks when I state that this will be the grape-growing country of the 

 United States; here we have the clear sky and dry atmosphere, a high 

 temperature and very little rainfall for the maturing months of July, 



