CHAP. XXXVI.] CULTIVATION OF THE VINE. 295 



cultivation of the vine on the steep and terraced sides 

 of these hills, and they make wine, preferred by them 

 selves, at least, to beer, and to many German wines. 

 Some lands near the river, recently rugged and sterile, 

 but suited to the grape, have risen immensely in 

 value, being now trenched and walled. This work 

 has been done in the winter when there was no other 

 employment. Some are of opinion, that the native 

 American grape ought to have been cultivated and 

 improved instead of importing foreign kinds. A rich 

 citizen, who had spoken very contemptuously of the 

 home-made article, was lately hoaxed by having some 

 of it passed off upon him as Rhenish hock, which 

 he declared was excellent, while some genuine hock of 

 the Rhine, given him as home-made, was pronounced 

 to be 4f sour cider.&quot; 



The small number of coloured people is striking 

 to one coming direct from Louisville, and I was 

 glad to hear that a stand had recently been made 

 against the prejudices which prevent the improve 

 ment of the mixed race. A free school for girls 

 having been established at the expense of the city, 

 some of the parents complained that the trustees had 

 admitted two children of colour ; and, in fact, there 

 were among them two daughters of a white father 

 and mulatto mother. One of the managers told me, 

 that taking the complainants into the school, he 

 asked them to point out which of the pupils they 

 supposed to have African blood in their veins ; they 

 confessed themselves unable to guess, for the two 

 girls were not only among the best scholars, but 



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