THE GENESEE FARMER. 



119 



GRAPE GROWING AND NATIVE GRAPES. 



The continued and accelerating progress which is 

 nade iu this branch of horticulture, and the increasing 

 nterest with w'aich it is regarded, no less than facts of 

 suitability of soil and climate for the production of fine 

 grapes and the inexhaustible demand for the fruit and its 

 products, lead us unmistakeably to the conclusion, that 

 ;he particular attention which it now attracts is not a 

 'mania" or "fever," but a healthy and well directed in- 

 «rest in the development of one of the most valuable 

 tranches of our varied agriculture. 



The limit which shall define this pursuit, it is at this 

 ;ime impossible to determine; for if we should attempt 

 ;o trace the channels that it would take in a country 

 ivhose resources are developing as fast as our own, and 

 ivhere population is constantly opening new avenues of 

 irade, only imagination could enable us to perceive, even 

 u part, the ultimate position it should occupy as an ele- 

 ment of wealth and commerce. 



Those who have thought but little of this subject will 

 pet ask what remuneration there is in this employment. 

 Fo answer this question to the satisfaction of each ot our 

 readers, scattered as they are over a vast tract of coun- 

 try a thousand and more miles in breadth and length, it 

 would be necessary to take into consideration the peculiar 

 jircumstances of each location. 



We do not mean to say that this pursuit can be en- 

 gaged in indiscriminately by every cultivator. On the 

 ather hand, it is absolutely necessary for the highest suc- 

 cess that many favorable conditions shall be complied 

 with. 



Particular varieties of soil are quite essential to the 

 production of good fruit — and the quality of this fruit is 

 probably affected more than any other by the variety of 

 the soil where it is produced. It is said, with how much 

 truth, however, we are unable to say, that wine connois- 

 seurs iu the wine-growing districts of France and Ger- 

 many can tell with great precision, from the particular 

 qualities of wines, at what elevation the fruit was grown. 

 A very light sand and a heavy clay soil are equally to be 

 avoided for a vineyard. What is commonly known as a 

 limestone gravelly loam, consisting of some sand, some 

 gravel, some clay and a good proportion of vegetable 

 mold, overlaying a limestone formation may be considered 

 the most favorable soil for the health, the longevity and 

 the productiveness of the vines. 



Although the southern exposure of a hill or hillock is 

 usually preferred for the vineyard, and no doubt such lo- 

 calities produce superior vines, yet what is known famil- 



iarly as rolling laud is quite suitable if the soil is right, 

 and a larger amount of fruit can be obtained from such 

 situations than from hillsides. We should carefully avoid 

 a swale or flat piece of ground, for such localities are par- 

 ticularly liable to early frosts and to mildew. 



Proximity and remoteness of markets and facilities of 

 transportation are considerations of no small account to 

 one thinking of engaging in grape growing, and should 

 be duly weighed before commencing such an enterprise. 

 Where, however, it is the intention to manufacture the 

 whole crop into wine, less attention need be paid to these 

 matters. 



Climate, of course, is a subject of primary importance, 

 and in any locality should this prove adverse, all other 

 favorable conditions are unavailable. 



A soil that is too retentive may be underdrained ; or if 

 too light, may have clay added to it ; or if too heavy, 

 sand ; or if the site be too much exposed to bleak winds, 

 it may be sheltered ; but if the climate is naturally un- 

 propiii-jus, no human agency can ameliorate it to any con- 

 siderable extent. 



This subject of climate, therefore, must enter largely 

 into the calculations of profit and loss; but we do not 

 consider the extent of country favored with such a cli- 

 mate to be in any way yet determined. In fact the recent 

 introduction of new varieties of grapes, which has done 

 so much to fix the attention of fruit growers in the more 

 northerly States, upon this subject, has proved the limit 

 to shift with the discovery or origination of earlier ripen- 

 ing varieties. 



Four thousand acres of vines about Cincinnati, and 

 numerous vineyards throughout the whole length of the 

 Ohio valley and Missouri, tell stronger than words can 

 tell that in those localities grape culture is a success. 



But what about it further north? Shall we have the 

 same or similar results in some of the Eastern States, in 

 New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Northern Ohio, 

 Southern Michigan, most of the Western States, and even 

 in some parts of Canada? Wherever, in any of these 

 States, the experiment has been tried, we have so uni- 

 formly heard of success that the idea of collecting statis- 

 tics on the subject has scarcely occurred to us. Wherever 

 in auy of these localities, the enterprise has been proper- 

 ly undertaken and executed, the most gratifying results 

 have followed; and this, too, with the varieties Isabella 

 and Catawba, which, with our present knowledge, we 

 consider quite utiMiited for the purpose. 



To enable our readers to form some definite idea upon 

 this subject, it is with pleasure that we are enabled to 

 copy from the last number of the Horticulturist the fol- 

 lowing facts which bear directly on this subject: 



H W. Murfeldt, Esq., of Newbnr<jh, Orange Co., N. 

 Y., has a vineyard, the vines of which were planted at 

 different periods. First lot planted, 100 vines, have borne 

 four crops; second lot planted, 150 vines, have borne one 

 crop. These 250 vines are all that I will speak of in con- 

 nection with this vineyard, as the others are younger. 

 These vines, it was thought, did not occupy one half acre, 

 but to make calculation safe, it was considered as half an 

 acre. Product the past year, 3,700 lbs. ; brought 14 cents 

 per lb. ; variety, Catawba. When these vines get old 

 enough to bear a full cop, they will produce as many 

 more pounds. The ground on which the first vines were 

 planted was not trenched. He now trenches as he plants. 

 Mr. Mcrfeldt says they have ripened fully each year. 



