72 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



This table seems conclusively to show that the culture of the grape is losing ground in 

 the several Atlantic States, and increasing with great rapidity in the valleys of the Ohio 

 and Missouri. The census returns for 1840 and 1850 give the following aggregate of wine 

 production in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina: in 1840, 

 74,264 gallons; in 1850, 44,998 gallons. 



For the same period, however, we have the following as the aggregate production of 

 the five States in the valleys of the Ohio and Missouri : in 1840, 25,194 gallpns ; in 1850, 

 83,935 gallons. A low estimate of the wine produce of the entire Ohio Valley for the 

 year 1855 would be 600,000 gallons; and it may be safely predicted that the production 

 of the same territory in 1860 will be counted by millions of gallons. 



An attention to localities will show whereto American grape-culture is tending. Thus, 

 in 1840, two-thirds the wine made in Ohio was made in Richmond county, but in 1850 

 four-fifths the whole was made in Hamilton, Butler, and Clermont counties, in the vicinity 

 of Cincinnati. In Kentucky, most of the wine is made in the vicinity of Louisville and 

 Covington. In Indiana, in the vicinity of Laurenceburg and Jeffersonville, (opposite Louis- 

 ville.) These places are all in the space of 100 miles on the Ohio River. 



It is an interesting question how this increased production of wine will affect our popu- 

 lation, viewed in relation to the subject of intemperance. 



By the census of 1850, it appears that the imports of foreign wines into the United 

 States for that year amounted to little over six millions of gallons, while our home manu- 

 factures of whisky, ale, and spirituous liquors reached the enormous sum of eighty-six 

 millions of gallons ; one quarter of a gallon for each person, and in value only ten cents 

 per year; while France consumes nine hundred millions of gallons of wine, equal to 25f 

 gallons to every man, woman, and child (of either sex) in her population. 



These facts are well worthy of consideration, especially when we reflect that France 

 sustains the reputation of being a most temperate country. Indeed, if we compare the vine- 

 growing with the non-vine-growing countries of Europe, we find that drunkenness, with 

 its carloads of evil, traverses the non-producing North only, while the South furnishes a 

 prevailing example of sobriety. 



In regard to the limits within which the culture of the grape for commercial purposes 

 in Europe is restricted ; The cultivation of the vine is confined to the district within the 

 parallels of Lisbon, 38 42' (sea-board,) and Titiacum, (Caspian Sea,) 46 20', making a range 

 of 8. But it must be observed that there are large districts within this range where the 

 vine will not grow. These are the elevated and exposed plains of the interior. In Asia 

 and Africa, the vine limit runs further south, to about 30, but hardly as far north, making 

 in all about 12 of latitude. 



In the United States, the vine limits are El Paso in New Mexico, latitude 32, and Ann 

 Arbor, (Michigan,) 42, making a geographical zone of about 10. But it must be remem- 

 bered that there are large districts within these limits, which, on account either of the 

 humidity of the climate or the height of the land, will not bear vines. 



The grape, to make good wine, requires a temperature of at least 67 Fahrenheit, in 

 summer. Hence, the grape will not make wine to profit north of Cleveland ; and as the 

 northern half of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois is a high plain, swept by lake-winds, it is not 

 at all probable that wine can be made profitably north of the centre of these States. 

 So also, the vine will not make good wine in a very hot or a humid climate. The culti- 

 vation of the vine for wine is, therefore, confined to a very small district ; and in the 

 United States that district will probably be found chiefly in the valleys of the Ohio and 

 Missouri. 



Notwithstanding the adaptation of this section of our country for the cultivation of 

 the vine, few are aware how difficult a matter it was to introduce this branch of domestic 

 industry. Many years were spent in unsuccessful attempts, and not a few instances of 

 severe loss and disappointment to the early cultivators occurred, before success was 

 attained. Although, from the earliest settlements of the West, various efforts were made 

 to cultivate the vine, both by importing foreign varieties and by selecting the best pro- 

 ductions of our native wilds, not one of these early vineyards is now in existence, and 



