GEOLOGICAL REPORT. 21 



pebbles and fragments of porous chert to constitute a most 

 thorough system of drainage, while in others the fragments of 

 chert are disseminated through the soil in such quantities as to 

 injure it somewhat for ordinary cultivation, but which gives 

 precisely the preparation so highly recommended by Virgil 

 and late authors, and the best cultivators of the grape. 



It is true that the native vines do not grow so large and 

 sappy in this as in the deep damp soils of the State ; but they 

 are nevertheless strong and healthy, and produce finer clusters 

 of larger and better grapes. This improvement was particu- 

 larly observed in the Muscadine, the Northern Fox, and the 

 Summer Grapes. 



This variety of soil also extends over other portions of the 

 State. It occupies large portions of nearly all the highlands 

 in Southern Missouri, the counties on both sides of the Osage, 

 and over the southern part of Boone, Callaway, Montgomery, 

 and Warren, on the north side of the Missouri, occupying, in 

 all, an area of some 15,000,000 acres. Of these, at least 

 5,000,000 acres might be selected in the most desirable locali- 

 ties, much of it on the line of the South-western Branch, and 

 devoted to vineyards without encroaching upon the lands most 

 desirable for other departments of agriculture. And, so far as 

 we can judge from the characteristics of soil and climate, and 

 the indications of the native vines, these 5,000,000 acres in the 

 highlands of Southern Missouri, present rare inducements to 

 the vine-dresser such a combination of favorable circumstances 

 as will not fail to attract the attention of those who would 

 engage in this most pleasant and profitable department of hus- 

 bandry. And so important will be the results, that every effort 

 should be put forth to hasten the time when these 5,000,000* 

 acres shall be covered with flourishing vineyards ; giving profit- 

 able employment to 2,000,000 people ; yielding more than 

 1,000,000,000 gallons of wine ; and an annual profit, at the 

 lowest estimate, of $500,000,000. And, what is still more im- 

 portant, the pure nourishing juice of the grape would take the 

 place of the vile, maddening compounds used in the names of 

 wine and brandy ; drunkenness would give place to sobriety ; 



* France has about 5,000,000 acres in vineyards. They yield 925,000,000 

 gallons of wine, besides the 95,000,000 gallons distilled into brandy, and give 

 profitable employment to 2,000,000 of people, mostly women and children. 



