NATURAL AND CIVIL HISTORY OF THE VINE. 23 



picked 4000 lbs., wliicli be sold for $500, or at the rate 

 of 12|- cts. per pound. None reported a less profit 

 than $500 per acre. 



From the very first settlement of America the 

 vine attracted the attention of the colonists, and 

 efforts were made both to introduce the finer Euro- 

 pean varieties and to cultivate the native sorts. Even 

 as early as 1564, wine was made from the native 

 grape in Florida, though, of course, in small quantity. 



The earliest attempt to establish a vineyard in the 

 British North American colonies was by the " Lon- 

 don Company " in Virginia prior to 1620. By the 

 year 1630, the prospects were sufficiently favorable 

 to warrant the importation of several French 'ciyne- 

 rons, who, it was alleged, ruined them by bad 

 management. Wine was also made in Virginia in 

 1647, and in 1651 premiums were offered for its pro- 

 duction. On the authority of Beverley, who wrote 

 prior to 1722, there were vineyards in that colony 

 which produced 750 gallons a year. 



In 1664, Col. Richard Nicolls, the first Enjjlish 

 governor of New York, granted to Paul Eichards of 

 the city of New York the privilege of making and 

 selling wine free of all duty or impost, Richards hav- 

 ing been the first to enter upon the culture of the 

 vine on a large scale. It was also enacted that every 

 person who should during the succeeding thirty 



