58 



grape cure, and the result proves to be a cure, except in 

 very long and protracted cases, which are beyond the reach 

 -of medical remedies.. The invigorating inliuence_ of the 

 ripe grape, freely eaten, upon the feeble and debilitated, 

 is quite apparent, supplying vigor and the rosy hue of 

 health instead of weakness and palor, and this, by iis 

 diluting property, which enables the blood to circulate in 

 the remoter particles of the skin, which before received 

 only the serous or watery particles." 



Since the above was written, several "grape cures" have 

 been established in France, Germany and Switzerland, 

 where the patients are cured by partaking freely of ripe 

 grapes, which they themselves generally pluck from the 

 vines. ' 



This Agrees with what we were told of the invigorating 

 properties of ripe grapes when at El Paso. The grapes of 

 this place are said to be better and the wine made from 

 them better than the grapes or wnnes of places above or 

 below on the Rio Grande. At El Paso there are between 

 two and three thousand acres in vines, many of which have 

 been recently planted. Vines are planted eight feet apart. 

 Each spring the vines are cut back to within from twelve 

 to eighteen inches of the ground, leaving from three to 

 four eyes or lauds on the stalk, be it large or small. The 

 older vineyards have large stumps, from which many 

 branches radiate and these branches are loaded with 

 fruit. ISTo trellis used. The vines grow in bush form and 

 almost cover the ground in midsummer. The clusters of 

 grapes are thickly placed on the branches near the top of 

 the stump. Each stump, when at the age of five years or 

 more, will bear from fifteen to twenty pounds of grapes, 

 which will about make one gallon of wine. It is said that 

 each grape vine will grow grapes enough on an average for 

 a gallon of wine. Such are the estimates for vines of five 

 years old and upwards. At eight feet apart, one acre con- 

 tains 880 vines. - At El Paso last summer the wine was 

 selling at from §2 50 to $3. 00 per gal. The wine has such 

 superior qualities that there is a ready market for it in 

 Mexico and elsewhere. No sugar used in the manufac- 

 ture. Mr. Richardson, Mrs. Angestein, Dr. Samoridia and 

 several ,others have large vineyards foi^ the manufacture of 

 wine. Near El Paso, fine lands whioh can be irrigated, 

 and which are suited for the growth of the grape or other 

 agricultural or horticultural purposes, can be bought for 



