142 



the soil, the elevation and the climate is as well suited to the successful prosecution 

 of this industry as in the greater portion of the wine districts of Europe. 



It may therefore be reasonably asked : "Why grape-growing is not more exten- 

 sively pursued in this Province ? 



If this question were asked of the grape-growers in Ontario, individually, each 

 person would probably give a different answer. 



A gentleman in the County of Essex, one of several to whom application was 

 made for information respecting the subject of this paper, gave five reasons why 

 there was not a greater acreage of vineyard in that county : "(1) "Want of enter- 

 prise; (2) Ignorance of the culture of the grape; (3) A feeling that the business 

 will be overdone ; (4) Want of confidence in the wine trade ; (5) Discouragement 

 from poor returns from the commission sharks of Toronto and Montreal." The Ist, 

 2nd and 5th reasons are well known. The 3rd and 4th call for a few words of 

 comment. 



The 3rd reason, " A feeling that the business will be overdone," is a jDrobability 

 which every intelligent grape-grower should carefully consider; for, if immediate 

 provision for the manufacture of Canadian wine be not at once made on a larger 

 scale than at present, and a much greater amount of commercial tact, capital and 

 scientific knowledge brought into requisition, the production of grapes is already 

 overdone — in proof of which I need only point to the fact that many tons of grapes 

 were sold in Hamilton in 1888 at from 1 ct. to 1^ cts. per pound. But as long as 

 grapes, such as Concord or "Worden, can be readily disposed of at from 2 to 2J cts. 

 per pound (and wine-makers can well afford to purchase at that price) grap^ culture, 

 will be one of the most profitable industries in this country. For, at that jjrice a 

 net profit of $50 or $60 per acre can be realized ; and, as good, sound wine can be 

 made for much less than 50 cts. per gallon with grapes at that price, wine-making 

 should be at least as profitable as gi-ape-growing. Concord grapes can be profitably 

 produced, on a large scale, at one-half the price quoted. 



My friend's 4th reason, ""Want of confidence in the wine trade," should be 

 enquired into. > 



A good deal of the Canadian wine in the market is of fair quality. Occasionally 

 a sample of good qualitj'^ is met with, but its general character is so uncertain that 

 it is impossible to duplicate the sample from another year's vintage from the same 

 maker. N'o two makers pi-etend to make wine alike in character, and the same 

 maker does not produce a similar wine two years in succession. Hence, the reason 

 why Canadian wine has no fixed commercial value. The Pellee Island wine is sold 

 from 60 cents to $2 per gallon, when all might be worth the highest price — per- 

 haps more. It is no wonder, therefore, that "no confidence can be placed in the 

 wine trade." 



At the last winter meeting of the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, at "Wind- 

 sor, the members had an opportunity — through the kindness of some of the leading- 

 wine-makers of that locality — of sampling several varieties of their wines. Some 

 samples were sweet and insipid enough {o please the most intolerant of (pro- 

 hibitionists ; others were of faii'ly good quality. A few were really very fine wines. 

 Two samples especially, which were presented by Mr. Ernest Girardot, were very 

 superior wines — so good, in fact, that if a maker succeeded in making a wine of 

 that identical character continuously, it would, as soon as it became known, bring a 

 higher price than the best light European wine now in the market; which goes far 

 to prove what has often been stated by experts, that the most of our grapes contain 

 an abundance of all the necessary elements for producing a first-class wine — the 

 sugar, the acids, the tannin, and the etheric or fragrant oils. 



The expense of producing the best wine is but little, if anything, greater than 

 for the production of the poorest. The principal difference in the quality is in the 

 amount of correct scientific akiU brought to bear in its production. 



The limit of profitable g'lape culture for dessert purposes has now been reached, 

 unless new markets can be opened for the surplus. Manitoba and the North-"West 

 Territories is the hope of many; but their hopes will be in vain, until just and equit- 



