6 AMERICAN GRAPE CULTURE. 



and simple pleasures. It may at first seem a 

 little dry in its details to the uninformed ; but 

 in its fruition it possesses a degree of fascina 

 tion which can be claimed for no other culture. 

 Besides what may be termed its intellectual 

 pleasures, it has an interest of a more material 

 kind, which will address itself not only to 

 those who wish to grow their own grapes and 

 drink their own wine, but more especially to 

 that large class who look at the subject from 

 the stand-point of profit. 



We do not propose to indulge in figures, 

 whether of arithmetic or the imagination ; but 

 we may say that grape culture is fast working 

 itself up to the first position among the pro 

 ductive interests of the country. The capital 

 invested in it may already be counted by mil 

 lions; and a time will come when the pro 

 ducts of grape culture will be found among 

 the exports of the country. It is not claimed 

 that we shall make better wines than those of 

 Europe ; but we can and shall make them 

 purer than most of those sent to us ; and pure 

 wines will always find a good market and high 

 prices wherever wines are used. Besides, our 

 best wines will possess a fruity bouquet natu 

 ral to but few of the wines of Europe ; a bou- 



