MY VINEYARD. 83 



tion of the islanders as a profitable business, although 

 grapes have been grown there for twenty or thirty years. 

 Six or seven years ago, good farming land was worth only 

 from twenty-five to forty dollars the acre*; now the same 

 land, if adapted to grapes, is worth from five to six hun- 

 dred dollars the acre, and in some instances has sold as 

 high as seven hundred dollars. It will be seen from this 

 that the profits of the business must be very large to 

 warrant the payment of sucli prices. 



Catawbas and Isabellas are about the only varieties 

 grown on the Island. Most of the grapes are boxed, and 

 sent to Chicago, Detroit, and other large cities, and even 

 many find their way to Cincinnati. During the past sea- 

 son, the grapes have been selling at ten cents per pound 

 for Isabellas, and twelve and a half for Catawbas. One 

 cultivator sold from a half acre of Isabellas, six hundred 

 dollars worth of table grapes, and over two hundred dol- 

 lars worth of wine grapes. The fruit, however, had rip- 

 ened remarkably early, a.nd some of the first brought 

 twenty-five cents per pound. 



The land is prepared for planting by ordinary plowing. 

 The first who went into the business used manure, but 

 they have now abandoned the practice as worse than use- 

 less. Undei'draining is generally practiced. Many of the 

 drains are constructed of stone, which are afibrded by the 

 quarries in great abundance. The vines are trained to the 

 ordinary post and wire trellis. The surface of the island 



