OP THE VINE. 53 



I suppose that millions of dollars have been lost on 

 these foreign vines during the last century. Cli- 

 mate has settled that question. Time will show- 

 that our native stock of grapes will by cultivation 

 gradually improve in quality. It is with them as 

 with animals, great amelioration follows care and 

 proper knowledge. I spent some thousands of 

 dollars on the foreign grape vines, without success. 

 We want to supply our twenty-five million of peo- 

 ple with fine grapes! In 1830, France produced 

 14j000j000,000 pounds of grapes, of which, were 

 consumed on the tables and exported in the form of 

 raisins, &c., 2,000,000,000 pounds. 



Are you afraid that our market will be over- 

 stocked with the few vineyaids which we have? 

 There are many books on the culture of the vine, 

 but their doctrines are generally not at all applicable 

 to our country. Europe has the moisture from the 

 ocean — we have the dry winds blowing over our 

 continent. More heat penetrates our ground in 

 one of our bright, hot days, than England has in a 

 week. The books of Europe are an honor and an 

 ornament to the world, but they lead us from the 

 truth frequently. Such is the great difference 

 between the climates of Europe and America. 

 We must here select our best native grapes — ^th^re 

 are many — of which we have now proved the 

 Isabella and Catawba to be excellent. Plant the 

 vines deep, on dry soil, on slaty, calcareous, or 

 other soils, but the dryer they are, the better for the 

 grape. The roots must be deep to avoid our severe 

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