Is Grape Culture and Wine Making a Failure in this Country? 307 



how it could be improved and made to pay ? I have now in my mind an experiment 

 which has been carried on for the last sis years by an intimate friend, with intelli- 

 gence to direct and means to establish, and I will refer to him and his vineyards to 

 demonstrate the truths I wish to impress on my readers. The first thing that 

 attracts the attention of the stranger is the admirable selection of soil and situation 

 of these vineyards, known as the ^¥hite Elk vineyards, and situated some three 

 miles north of Keokuk on the bluffs which skirt the western shore of the Mississippi 

 as far as Montrose, and facing the river, which they almost reach by a steep descent. 

 The scenery of the country is very picturesque and presents a surface strongly 

 rolling and naturally drained ; this is no prarie with a level surface and a 

 strong, black, rich vegetable humus, causing a rank vegetation. On the con- 

 trary the soil is of a light colored clay loam, with an admixture of sand from 

 the sandy marls of the loess which forms that dry calcareous soil which a long 

 experience has proven to be well adapted to the growth of grapes, as it also contains 

 a sufficient quantity of the oxyds of iron, which ought never to be absent from 

 those wines which have the pretension to be medicinal. There are seventy-three 

 acres in grapes chiefly Concord, Catawba, Clinton, Ives, Nortons and Delawares. 

 The work is done under difierent squads of men, everything systematically and at 

 the proper time ; there is no slashing, breaking or even pinching done during time 

 of growth ; the pruning is done soon after the crop is gathered ; the plowing and 

 cultivation is thorough but of a light character ; the soil is always loose and no 

 weeds are suffered ; and, in anticipation of mildew, the vines are regularly sulphured 

 by means of De Lavorgue's bellows. No wonder that with this systematic care and 

 treatment the vines are full of vigor and of fruit, notwithstanding the tryintr weather, 

 and other miseries which vines have had to encounter for the past few years. As a 

 vineyard it is a success ; a very limited loss of vines and a great production of fruit, 

 ■the Concord for a red wine, and the Catawba for a white wine predominating, they 

 being without a doubt our preferred national wines. 



The press house and cellars are a model of convenience and neatness ; the same 

 orderly spirit which commands over the vineyards is to be seen there ; the cellars 

 have a capacity of one hundred thousand gallons. It is tho object and pride of the 

 owner of these vineyards to turn out nothing but pure native wines. Dr. Gall has 

 no footing there, the wines are real wines and not like a good deal of stuff in the 

 market, a niere mixture of sugar and water. Those I tasted I esteem a pure well- 

 made article, much to be preferred to many imported wines ; they appear to contain 

 sufficient body and the necessary quantities of acid so refreshing to the inner man 

 on warm sultry days. Had such wines been made from the start in this country, 

 instead of that shoddy article known as " gallized," native wines would stand far 

 higher in general estimation than they now do, and only in this way will they have a 

 chance to become appreciated, and resume their position as some of the fair and 

 remarkable wines of the earth. 



Most of the wine is neatly bottled, and is sold by the case, thus obviating the risk 

 of having a good wine spoil through the ignorance or carelessness of the buyer ; 

 only to wholesale buyers who are known to understand the treatment of wines is it 

 ever sold by the cask. Treated in this way alone will vineyards and native wines 



