34 



BULLETIN 861, T\ S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



boon to the industry, hut its effect upon the district was question- 

 able, for it resulted in the planting of many acres to commercially 

 worthless varieties. There was great expansion previous to 1890, 

 but between that date and 1900, when competition from other dis- 

 tricts became stronger and fungus diseases began to affect the 

 production seriously, there was a sharp decrease in the acreage of 

 this district. 



The soil of the Hudson Valley district is variable, most vine- 

 yards being found on coarse gravelly loams, in which shale or 

 slate predominate. Most of the grapes are grown on the hills near 

 the river, which has a stabilizing effect upon the temperature. 

 Without this large body of water, grape growing would be impos- 

 sible in this section. As it is, the winters are often destructive. 



The district comprises the counties of Columbia, Dutchess, Ulster, 

 and Orange. Germantown. Eoseton, Highland, Marlboro, Milton, 

 and Ulster Park are the most important shipping points. 



Table 4 shows the loadings at the various stations throughout the 

 territory, as reported to the Bureau of Markets by the originating 

 railroads and boat lines: 



Table 4. — Carloadings <>f (trapes in the Hudson Valley of New Yni-k. 





1916 



1917 



1918 



1919 





1916 



1917 



1918 



1919 



Columbia Co., Aug.-Sept.: 









 10 

 





 

 59 

 











124 







6 



17 



126 



5 



Ulster Co., Aug.-Oct.: 



2 



29 

 98 

 19 



1 



49 



9 



2 



7 

 70 

 91 

 15 





 46 



6 







10 



23 



114 



32 





 16 

 13 



3 



Eliza ville 













14 



Hudson 





102 









Columbia Co. total. . 



19 



59 



124 



154 



St. Elmo 



1 







32 







Dutchess Co., Sept.-Oct.: 



2 

 4 

 



s 



3 

 2 

 

 14 





 

 

 5 



7 







6 



25 



West Park 





Ulster Co. total 







216 



237 



208 



152 







Tivoli 







171 



187 









Total loadings in 

 Hudson Valley... 





Dutchess Co. total. . 



11 



19 



5 



38 



276 



566 



573 



344 



( 'range Co., Aug.-Oct.: 

 CrdarclLiT 



8 

 2 



17 



25 

 



9 



8 



32 





 

 







Koseton 









Orange Co. total 



27 



Sll 



• 49 









Varieties. 



There is no commercial necessity for such a great number of varie- 

 ties as are produced in this district, but because of the proximity of 

 so many markets where small quantities of fancy stock may be sold 

 to advantage there are many varieties left from earlier times. No 

 official statistics are available as to the relative acreage of the differ- 

 ent varieties, but it is roughly estimated by leading factors that the 



