372 GRAPE CULTURE AND 



Ions per annum, until the phylloxera devastated her vineyards 

 for all of which she found a market, at home and abroad. 

 What is our annual production say 15,000,000 gallons, com- 

 pared with this ? Yet we claim that we have more territory 

 adapted to the successful growth of grapes than France. Yet 

 we talk of over production, and we may have it until neces- 

 sity compels us to put forth our best energies and intellect, to 

 develop new markets and extend the old, to produce the best 

 of every class, until we can proudly say, that" we are ahead of 

 them all, as we should be. We have capital enough laying 

 idle in the State ; it can surely find a better and safer invest- 

 ment in our products, than in wheat or grain. But we must 

 convince them of this first. We are just now in a transitory 

 state ; from the first crude beginnings we emerged at once in- 

 to a condition of great prosperity, when the demand exceeded 

 the supply, and our merchants had to buy anything they could 

 find, to meet it, and pay comparatively high prices for wines and 

 grapes. This encouraged every body, Tom, Dick and Harry, 

 to go into vineyards ; the capitalist thought it a fine invest- 

 ment for his ready cash, the laborer for his muscle, and the 

 small means a few years of toil had enabled him to lay back;, 

 few of them with any practical knowledge, or an idea how 

 long it would take to realize. That this should create a mo- 

 mentary production of inferior grades, is but natural. That 

 it should also shake the confidence of a great many, who 

 looked only at the immediate results of their own thoughtless- 

 ness, could also be expected. Viticulture is not a mere side 

 show, or an occupation to fill an idle hour ; nor will success 

 come at the mere expense of money vdthout thought. It is 

 an occupation which demands, as much or more so as any 

 other, close application, constant attention and work of brain 

 as well as hand. Thousands may and will get tired of it, drop 

 by the way side, and make room in the ranks for those better 

 fitted than they were ; but we are better off without them. 



