CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 23 



remarks, "In bringing this grape into public notice, I 

 have rendered my country a greater service than I would 

 have done had I paid the national debt." 



Since its first introduction, grape-culture has gradually 

 increased, both for the purposes of fruit and for wine- 

 making. In some States, the last has already become an 

 important interest. Dr. Mosher reports the number of 

 acres devoted to vineyards in the year 1852, within a 

 circle of twenty miles diameter around Cincinnati, (X, 

 to be twelve hundred. Of this, the late Nicholas Long- 

 worth owned a hundred and twenty-two and a half acres. 

 The annual product of these twelve hundred acres is esti- 

 mated to be two hundred and forty thousand gallons of 

 wine, or an average of two hundred gallons per acre. 

 Since that time, the interest in the grape has become 

 general throughout the country, and the extent of culture 

 has vastly increased. 



But it seems to be reserved to our Golden State to 

 eclipse the world in the products of the vine, as well as 

 in other products of the field, the forest, and the mine. 

 In no country does the grape require so little care, and 

 have such entire exemption from disease, and at the same 

 time yield such large and certain returns. The peculiar 

 grape region is said to extend from the southern boundary 



