THE GRAPE. 238 



above and below Cincinnati, where now, U is probable, over ten 

 thousand acres are occupied with vines mostly of the Catawba 

 grape, the produce of which is made mostly into, what is there 

 termed, " dry wine," much resembling the better class wines of the 

 Rhine. That the culture of the vine and manufacture of wines within 

 the section named is only now in its infancy, no one will pretend to 

 dispute ; and ten years, we doubt not, will increase ten-fold the pres- 

 ent amount. 



Medical men have looked upon this establishment of vineyards 

 in our own country with favor, in a point of view as relating to 

 health. Prof Kirtland, in 1842, says: " During an extensive prac- 

 tice in the medical profession, for more than twenty-five years, I 

 have frequently found it important to employ wine and other diffu- 

 sive stimulants as medicines ; and while I am disposed to go as far 

 as any one in excluding strong drinks from the daily use of people 

 in health, I must express my satisfaction at finding we can produce, 

 in our own country, a pure, healthy wine, well adapted to medicinal 

 purposes, and far superior to the poisonous foreign compounds, that 

 often find their way to the bedsides of the sick,^nder the names of 

 " Lisbon," " Madeira," &c., &c. 



Most of the earlier planted vineyards in this country were of for- 

 eign vines, which, not succeeding, native varieties were adopted ; and 

 at this time only two, the Catawba and Schuylkill, are advised to be 

 planted to any considerable extent. 



Notwithstanding the borders of the Ohio River have thus far tak- 

 en the lead in production of wine and extent of vineyards, there is 

 no good reason to suppose that the boundary where success may be 

 had. On the contrary, abundant sites may be found throughout the 

 entire State of Ohio and West, where, by application of manures 

 suited to the wants of the vine, and found deficient in the soil, equal 

 success would be had as on the Ohio River — Seneca County and 

 Kelley Island ripening the Catawba equally as well, if not superior. 



The whole extent of Western Prairies, rich in all the constituents 

 of the Grape vine, (if we except Potash, and, possibly, in sections, the 

 phosphates) are yet destined to be tenanted with immense vineyards, 

 and at no greater outlay of expense, for constituents toward success- 

 ful culture, than the vineyards of the "Rhine of America," which 

 have thus far been made dependent on the natural inherents of the 

 soil, and have already shown failure, i. e., decay by rot, where food, 

 in the form of potash and bone dust, has not been supplied. 



North of latitude 42,° however, it may be doubted whether saccha- 

 rine sufficient can be obtained from the most valuable wine grapes yet 

 known, to make wines in competition with those grown farther South ; 

 but as this subject is one so extensive that, if thoroughly written on, 

 would more than occupy the number of pages Intended tor this entire 

 book, we must forbear, and only devote our spaci^ to such instructions 



