d30 



VINE CULTURE AND THE GRAPE. 



In 1872 there were 2,428,737 hectares under vines. 



About one-fourth of the produce is white wine, the rest red. The 

 value of the wine in 1872 was set down at 63,500,000/. The pro- 

 duction of wine in 1871 was 59,025,680 hectolitres. 



It is estimated that out of 63,000,000 hectolitres of wine produced 

 in France 30,000,000 cannot be preserved or transported, and is there- 

 fore consumed at the place of production in the natui-al state; 4,000,000 

 hectolitres of wine are lost by diseases of the vines, 6,500,000 hecto- 

 litres are subjected to distillation, to furnish the brandy for the fortify- 

 ing of wines, which, without this, could not be preserved. 



Algeria. — In 1875 there were 12,182 hectares under* culture with 

 the vine in Algeria by Europeans. The XDroduce, owing to a bad 

 season, prolonged rains and fogs in spring, was but 196,313 hecto- 

 litres of wine. The natives are also increasing their culture, and had 

 7862 hectares under culture with vines. 



United States. — The geographical distribution of the indigenous or 

 wild vines of North America extends over four different botanical 

 regions. 



1. The northern region, embracing all the States north of the 

 38th parallel. 



2. Those of the Southern States, Carolina, Georgia, Florida, 

 Alabama, &c. 



3. Those of the south-west, including Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, 

 and the eastern part of New Mexico. 



4. California, Sonoma, and western New Mexico. 



Besides these, European varieties have been introduced and accli- 

 matized in the valleys of New Mexico and California. 



The wild or indigenous American vines are the Scuppernong, 

 Vitis cestivalis, punctata, and cordifolia. 



Those cultivated are the Catawba in the districts of Columbia and 

 Boston, the Clinton, Henshaw, Isabella, Hartford prolific, Bartlett, 

 amber, Lobrusca, and Scuppernong. 



The Henshaw and Scuppernong contain only about 8 per cent, of 

 sugar in the pound weight, while the others range from 10 to 11^ 

 per cent. The Clinton and Catawba contain the most sugar and 

 alcohol. 



The production of wine in the United States has been steadily 

 increasing. According to the Census returns, in 1850 only 221,249 

 gallons were made ; in 1860, 1,627,192 gallons are recorded. 



The cultivation of grapes for vintage in America has increased to 

 enormous proportions. In California, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, 

 and Michigan the industry is considered very remunerative. In 1869, 

 the total production was 3,092,330 gallons; 1,814,656 gallons from 

 California; 326,173 gallons from Missouri; 212,912 gallons from Ohio, 

 and the remainder from the other states. In 1870, Ohio alone pro- 

 duced 2,577,907 gallons of wine, and 15,853,719 lbs. of grapes. In 

 1874, owing to wet weather and the 'phylloxera, the quantity fell to 

 1,031,923 gallons; in 1872, to 425,923 ; and in 1873, to 208,289. In 

 1874 the phylloxera disappeared, and Ohio again j)roduced 1,078,056 

 gallons. The places of cultivation are principally located on the 

 shores and islands of Lake Erie. Large shipments of wine are at 

 present being made to Europe. 



