AGRICULTURE. 



5 



Total 20.257.96S I 19.736.547 15.116.751 



GEAPE CCLTUEE. The culture of the grape, 

 both for wine-making and for table purposes, 

 has come to be one of the largest agricultural 

 interests in some sections of the country, and 

 is proceeding with rapid strides. The grape is 

 cultivated in almost every township of the 

 Northern States for table use, and there has 

 been for several years past an extraordinary 

 rivalry in regard to the varieties best adapted 

 for cultivation for this purpose. It seems to 

 be very generally conceded that the Isabella, a 

 favorite table-grape in Southern New York, 

 Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, is more subject 

 to the blight, and is a less fruitful bearer than 

 some other varieties. The Catawba, a favorite 

 wine-grape in some sections, is liable to rot, 

 and is hardly equal for the table to other va- 

 rieties. The Hartford Prolific, which is earlier 

 by two weeks than any other of the popular 

 grapes, is an abundant bearer, but is thick- 

 skinned and not particularly fine flavored. The 

 Concord, an admirable grape, is not very pro- 

 lific, and does not succeed very well north of 

 latitude 46. The Delaware, also an excellent 

 grape and more hardy, is not usually a free 

 bearer ; and, owing to attempts to propagate it 

 from immature buds, has fallen into undeserved 

 disrepute. The lona, a seedling produced by C. 

 "W. Grant, a vine-grower at lona Island on the 

 Hudson, has been adjudged, during the past 

 year, the premium offered by Hon. Horace 

 Greeley for the best table-grape in all respects. 

 Dr. Grant claims for it, and his claim seems to 

 be maintained, that it is early, a good bearer, 

 not subject to blight or rot, of fine flavor and 

 thin skin. This grape can hardly fail to have 

 an extensive introduction. Of other varieties 

 having a local reputation, are the Adirondac 

 of Northern New York, the Maxatawney, a 

 favorite in Pennsylvania, the Cuyahoga, Lydia, 

 and Mottled, originating in Northern Ohio, 

 and much liked there; the Clinton, a hardy 



but not very palatable variety; tha Diana, 

 which has not maintained its first reputation, 

 and the Israella, a new seedling of Dr. Grant's, 

 which may prove valuable. Of the strictly 

 wine-grapes, the Norton's Virginia seedling 

 and the Herbemont are highly prized. 



The culture of the grape for wine-making is 

 now extensively prosecuted in five localities, 

 and a sixth is about entering very largely upon 

 its production. These are : 1st. lona Island 

 and Croton Point on the Hudson, where Dr. 

 Grant and Mr. Underbill have extensive vine- 

 yards ; the Isabella, Catawba, and lona being 

 the principal varieties cultivated for wine. 2d. 

 The Cincinnati THne district, extending fifteen 

 or twenty miles around that city, in which the 

 Catawba is almost exclusively raised. 3d. The 

 Northern Ohio Wine district, embracing two 

 distinct sections : one from five to twenty 

 miles east and west of Cleveland along the 

 lake shore, and raising the Cuyahoga, Catawba, 

 Norton's Virginia, and other wine-grapes ; and 

 the Island Vineyards in Ottawa County, em- 

 bracing Danbury and Catawba Island town- 

 ships on the mainland, and Put-in-Bay town- 

 ship, including the three islands of South, 

 Middle, and North Bass in Lake Erie. Here 

 the Catawba grape stands preeminent, though 

 some others are cultivated. 4th. The Missouri 

 "Wine district, of which Hermann on the Mis- 

 souri River is the centre, and which extends 

 for fifteen or twenty miles around it. Here the 

 Norton's Virginia seedling is preferred, though 

 many are cultivating the Herbemont and some 

 the Catawba and the Delaware. 5th, and 

 par excellence the "\Yine region of America, 

 California. The largest wine-producing coun- 

 ties are Los Angelos, Anaheim, Santa Clara and 

 Sonoma, but there are considerable vineyards 

 in other counties. 



There have been more than twelve millions 

 of vines set in the State, and eleven-twelfths 

 of them within the past seven years. The 

 Mission grape, an old and perhaps indigenous 

 variety, is as yet the most abundant of the bear- 

 ing vines ; but all the European and Eastern 

 varieties have been set, and most of them are 

 doing well in the fine deep soil of the State. 

 One million five hundred thousand gallons of 

 wine were sent to market in 1864, and it is 

 believed that the product of 1865 will not fall 

 short of two and a half million gallons. The 

 wines of the State are of excellent quality, 

 and improve with age. 



A sixth wine district is about coming into 

 notice in Central Illinois ; some of the prairie 

 lands proving well adapted to grape-culture. 

 These various wine districts, like those in 

 Europe, not only require different varieties of 

 the grape, but make wine of different qualities, 

 and adopt different modes of cultivation, and 

 different processes in the manufacture of the 

 wine. The northernmost wine districts usually 

 dwarf their vines ; and whether cultivating the 

 Catawba, the Cuyahoga, the Delaware, or the 

 lona, train them to short posts, . giving then? 



