JJ'litfcr Mccfiiti^. 273 



'.b 



.-iimer for a fair price or to a dealer who is a cash buyer, and turn 

 the culls into a wholesome, pure wine, wliich will in time double 

 Ills income from a well-managfed vineyard. 



Third — The proper soil must be specially adapted to the grape- 

 vine in general, good rich clay, perhaps with some sand, rocks or slate 

 ui it, soil with a porous undergrotnid, a reddish clay preferable, but no 

 hard-pan underneath, either the rolling top of hills, or the gentle slop- 

 i:ig eastern or southeastern sides, the vineyard not extending too far 

 to the lowland and ravines between them, thus avoiding the dangerous 

 spring forsts. While I admit that some varieties of grapes may be 

 grown on low and level lands in certain localities, T believe that hill- 

 sides are preferable, and will produce the finest grapes. 



Fourth — In selecting the most profitable varieties for the vine- 

 vard we must study the demand of the public as well as the climatic 

 nnd soil conditions. People in different localities have different tastes ; 

 in general, black grapes are in greater demand everywhere; therefore, 

 tlack or dark purple grapes are the most profitable for market pur- 

 poses, while the finest red or Avhite grapes can be sold for fancy prices 

 only in limited quantities ; also being located in northern, central or 

 southern regions of the land has to guide us in tlie selection of varie- 

 ties in regard to hardiness and productiveness of the grape in that lati- 

 tude. While the number of varieties known runs into the thousands, 

 the number of real profitable varieties for any certain locality are less 

 than a dozen. Having grown from 50 to 60 varieties myself in East 

 Missouri, allow me to mention those, which I believe are the most 

 profitable for Missouri. First, the old reliable Concord, the grape for 

 the millions, though I have less than fifty vines of it growing in my 

 six-acre vineyard, and I grow them only as specimens of comparison 

 alongside the still better, hardier, more prodtictive and more reliable. 

 Hicks, the new Concord of the twentieth century — and the only grape 

 known today destined and able to take the place of the old Concord 

 wherever that grape is grown today. This is my honest and truthful 

 opinion, is the result of twelve years of practical testing and most 

 scrutinous observation, and I hope to demonstrate the veracity of my 

 statement at the World's Fair of 1904 in St. Louis, the Hick's grape 

 in competition with all other varieties rivaling for first place. Second, 

 Moore's Early, Campbell's Early, V/orden, Wilder, Telegraph and 

 Norton's Virginia: third, Niagara, Goethe and Stark Star, the latter 

 two the latest of the season. Though a few more varieties may be 

 profitable in some localities and under diff'erent conditions. I will not 



11—18 



