258 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



vor. In other words, the Catawba wine (made 

 as it is on the Ohio, without adding either al- 

 cohol or sugar,) is a pleasant light hock,— 

 a little stronger than Rhine wine, but still far 

 lighter and purer than nineteen-twentieths of 

 the wines that find their way to this country. 

 Its subacid flavor renders it especially grateful, 

 as a summer drink, in so hot a climate as ours; 

 and the wholesomeness of the Rhine wine no 

 one will deny.* Indeed, certain maladies, 

 troublesome enough in other lands, are never 

 known in hock countries; and though the taste 

 for hock— 1 i ke that for tomatoes — is an acquired 

 one, it is none the less natural for that; any 

 more than walking is, which, so far as our ob- 

 servation goes, is not one of the things we 

 come into the world with, like seeing and 

 hearing. 



As to the temperance view of this matter of 

 wine-making, we think a very little familiarity 

 with the state of the case will settle this point. 

 Indeed, we are inclined to adopt the views of 

 Dr. Flagg, of Cincinnati. "The temperance 

 cause is rapidly preparing public sentiment 

 for the introduction of pure American wine. 

 So long as public taste remains vitiated by the 

 use of malt and alcoholic drinks, it will be im- 

 possible to introduce light pleasant wine, ex- 

 cept to a very limited extent; but just in pro- 

 portion as strong drinks are abandoned, a more 

 wholesome one will be substituted. Instead 

 of paying millions to foreigners for deleterious 

 drinks, let us produce from our own hillsides 

 a wholesome beverage, that will be within 

 reach of us all — the poor as well as the rich." 



Very few of the friends of temperance are 

 perhaps aware of two facts. First, that pure 

 light wines, such as the Catawba of this coun- 

 try, and the Hock and Clarets of Europe, con- 

 tain so little alcohol (only 7 or 8 per ct.) that 

 they are not intoxicating unless drank in a 

 most inordinate manner, to which, from the 

 quantity required, there is no temptation. On 

 the other hand, they exhilirate the spirits, and 

 act in a salutary manner on the respiratory 

 organs. We do not mean to say that men 

 could not live and breathe just as well, if there 

 were no such thing as wine known; but that 

 since the time of Noah, men will not be con- 

 tented with merely living and breathing; and 

 it is therefore better to provide them with pro- 

 perand wholesome food and drink, than to put 

 improper aliments within their rea^h. 



Second, that it is universally admitted that in 

 all countries where light wines so abound that 

 the peasant or working-man may have his pint 

 of light wine per day, drunkenness is a thing 

 unknown. On the other hand, in all countries 

 which do not produce claret, hock, or some 

 other wholesome light wine, ardent spirits are 

 used, and drunkenness is the invariable result. 

 As there is no nation in the world where only 



+ Mr. Longworth is now making large quantities 

 of sparkling Catawba wine, of excellent quality — 

 perhaps more nearly resembling sparkling hock 

 than Champagne. 



cold water is drank, (unless opium is used,) 

 and since large bodies of men will live in cities, 

 instead of forests and pastures, there is not 

 likely to be such a nation, let us choose whether 

 it is better to have national temperance with 

 light wines, or national intemperance with ar- 

 dent spirits. The question resolves itself into 

 that narrow compass at last. 



As we think there are few who will hesitate 

 which horn of the dilemma to choose, (espe- 

 cially, as an Irishman would say, "where one 

 is no horn at all,") it is, we think, worth while 

 to glance for a moment at the state of the vine 

 culture in the valley of the Ohio. 



We have before us a very interesting little 

 pamphlet, full of practical details and sugges- 

 tions on this subject.* Jt is understood to be 

 from the pen of R. Buchanan, Esq. president 

 of the Cincinnati Horticultural Society. It 

 deals more with facis, actual experience, and 

 observation, and less with speculation, suppo- 

 stion, and belief, than anything on this topic 

 that has yet appeared in the United States. — 

 In other words, a man may take it, and plant 

 a vineyard, and raise grapes with success. He 

 may even make good wine; but no book can 

 wholly teach this latter art, which must come 

 by the use of one's eyes and hands in the bu- 

 siness itself. 



Among other interesting facts, which we 

 glean from this pamphlet, are the following : 

 The number of acres in vineyard culture, 

 within twenty miles of Cincinnati, is seven 

 hundred and forty-three. Those belong to 264 

 proprietors and tenants. Mr. Longworth 

 owns 122 acres, cultivated by 27 tenants. 



The average product per acre in 1848 (a 

 good season,) was 300 gallons to the acre. In 

 1838 (the worst year ever known,) it was 100 

 gallons. One vineyard of two acres, (that of 

 Mr. Rentz,) has yielded 1300 gallons in a sea- 

 son. New Catawba wine, at the press, brings 

 75 cents a gallon. When ready for sale, it 

 readily commands about $1.25 per gallon. 



The best vineyard soil on the Ohio, as in 

 the old world, is one abounding with lime. A 

 "dry calcareous loam " is the favorite soil near 

 Cincinnati. This is well drained and trenched, 

 two or three feet deep, before planting the 

 vines: trenching being considered indispensa- 

 ble, and being an important part of the expense. 

 The vines, one year old, may be had for $6 

 per 100, and are usually planted three by six 

 feet apart— about 2,420 vines to the acre. They 

 are trained to single poles or stakes, in the sim- 

 ple mode common in most wine countries; 

 and the product of the Catawba per acre is 

 considerably more than that of the wine grape 

 in France. ' 



Mr. Buchanan gives us a number of calcu- 

 lations of the cost and profit of a vineyard on 



* A treatise on Grape Culture in Vineyards in 

 the vicinity of Cincinnati: By a member of the 

 Cincinnati Hort. Society. Sold by I. F. De Silver, 

 Main st. Cincinnati. 



