222 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



sometimes many years, from an acre of land. The trenching, however, ia 

 only a commencement of the expense. At Hermann, the following is their 

 account with an acre of Norton's Virginia; with the Catawba it would be 

 a few dollars less, but only with the first item: 



1,000 layer roots ^120 



Trenching 75 



Planting 25 



1,000 small stakes for first year, eighteen inches long 4 



1,050 posts 84 



3,000 lath and nails or wire 18 



Labor first year 25 



Labor second year 50 



Total $401 



It is expected that this $401 will be returned on the third year, or, at 

 least, that the profits will pay expenses. On the fourth year there will be 

 a full crop, as well as all following years. With the grape mentioned they 

 get 500 gallons to the acre, which was selling, new, when I was there, at 

 $2 per gallon. In the spring it will sell for $3 a gallon; but thus far they 

 have had none on hand at this season, so great is the demand. 



I know very well that the grape growers of Cincinnati will laugh at this 

 estimate of 500 gallons to the acre. In conversation with Robert Buchan- 

 an of that cit}', who has seven acres three miles distant, he said, that for 

 seventeen years his vineyard has averaged only 200 gallons to the acre, 

 and that it sold for $1.50 a gallon. The following is his account with the 

 seven acres: In 1859, he had 470 gallons; 1860, 3,000 gallons; 1861, 1,850 

 gallons; 1862, 485 gallons; 1863, 2,164 gallons. Mr. Buchanan is a most 

 trustworthy gentleman, and is the author of a work on this subject, of 

 great value. However, he recommends the Catawba. The reader will be 

 surprised to note how very little wine is made in some of the years men- 

 tioned. The reason is, they have the Catawba grape, and some years it is 

 almost a total loss, on account of the black rot. My own vines last year, 

 in Southern Illinois, fruited as much as half a bushel each. About the 1st 

 of July they began to rot, and I did not have a single ripe berry. Except 

 on the Ohio Lake Shore, I look upon the Catawba as wholly unworthy of 

 cultivation. Still, money. can be made with it, but I ofier this statement 

 in comparison with some other grapes, which are: Norton's Virginia, Con- 

 cord, Delaware, Herbemont, and Hartford Prolific. Still, all these, except 

 the Norton, have been known to suffer with leaf blight or rot, though in 

 very slight degrees. Mr. Husman places the Norton above all others for 

 a wine grape, but in his little work on the vine, he says that the grape 

 most suitable for everybody to plant is the Concord, and I mainly agree 

 with him. 



Now according to our present knowledge, either of these grapes, being 

 mostly free from rot, and the Norton wholly so, is certain to yield, at least, 

 500 gallons to the acre, and this is not much when they do not rot. Eight 

 pounds of grapes to the vine is not a large yield. I believe the average is 



