88 THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 



HUDSON RIVER DISTRICT. 



The region along the Hudson River forms the third largest grape dis- 

 trict in New York. According to the census of i8go there were 13,000 

 acres of grapes in this district but in 1900 the returns gave less than half 

 that acreage. The great falling off was due to the taking out of a con- 

 siderable number of old vineyards which had been planted with too many- 

 varieties, or with worthless varieties, or in some other respect were poorly 

 set plantations. It is doubtful whether the acreage in 1907 is greater 

 than in 1900 but the industry is in a more healthful and prosperous con- 

 dition now than then. 



An estimate of the present acreage, and its distribution, made in the 

 preparation of this work, gives the standing of the district as follows by 

 counties: Columbia, 865 acres; Dutchess, 448 acres; Orange, 865 acres; 

 Ulster, 4021 acres; total, 6199 acres. Beside the above there are, of course, 

 some scattering vineyards. There are only two or three wine-cellars in 

 the district and probably 95 per ct. of the product of the vineyards is sold 

 for table grapes or to those who make wine in small quantities. 



The grape lands of the Hudson River Valley are found very largely 

 in the geological division known as the Taconic Province.' This province 

 is a broad valley which extends from Pennsylvania across New Jersey, 

 taking in Orange and parts of Ulster and Dutchess and Columbia Counties, 

 then passing out of the State. The rocks in this geological division are 

 shales, slates, schists, and limestones; and the soil is derived from these 

 rocks. The grape lands, for most part, are those in which there is much 

 shale or slate and in more or less coarse fragments, the finer particles being 

 clay or gravelly loams. The district is more or less hilly, some of the vine- 

 yards being in valleys of a few acres extent, others in broad, gently undu- 

 lating plains and still others on comparatively steep hillsides. 



growth. Their experiments seem to show that the difficulty may be overcome by applying a small 

 amount of sulphate of iron around affected plants. But since there are a number of good American 

 varieties that are not subject to chlorosis, perhaps the better method to pursue is to plant only such 

 varieties as are known to be free from this trouble. 



The standard varieties given in the following hst are, so far as we know, practically exempt 

 from chlorosis: Moore Early, Concord, Winchell, Delaware, Worden, Niagara, Catawba, Vergennes 

 and Agawam. 



' Tarr, R. S., The Physical Geography of New York State: 4. 1902. 



