4 ys 
The Vineyard Situation in New York 
Part II. 
Reduced Vineyards. —The Chautau¬ 
qua belt is not alone in this culling, for 
the Central Lakes section, the Hudson 
Valley, Michigan and Ohio have been un¬ 
dergoing a similar process. It is a con¬ 
servative statement that the vines pro¬ 
ducing American grapes east of the Rock¬ 
ies have been reduced at least by 20 per 
cent during the past 10 years. In ad¬ 
dition to this loss of acreage there has 
been a decline in the tonnage yielded 
per acre. In the principal grape growing 
sections there had sprung up the wine 
cellars, the unfermented juice factories 
and those plants that process other grape 
products. These have in the past con¬ 
sumed large percentages of the grapes 
from their respective sections. In con¬ 
sequence, practically every grape section 
has allowed its basket trade to decline 
to a mere nothing in order to supply the 
local demands of the manufacturers. That 
this method of disposing, of the crop is a 
most desirable one if there be no over¬ 
production there can be no question, yet 
it has proven that if carried to extremes 
it is disastrous. The time was when the 
New York grape in the pony and eight- 
pound basket was common to all the 
large markets of the country, and they 
were much in demand, but owing to 
other outlets the growers could more 
easily dispose of their crop to the manu¬ 
facturers of grape products, and thus the 
basket trade was allowed to dwindle. 
Return of Basket Trade. —With the 
passing of wine manufacture the old out¬ 
let through the basket market must be 
re-established, and by the way the grow¬ 
ers are taking hold of the situation, it is 1 
very evident that this is going to be done) 
and done right. The writer believes, and 
his belief is shared by others of much 
experience in handling basket grapes, j 
through selling organizations of growers, 
that all the grape districts of New York 
as at present constituted cannot grow 
enough grapes to supply the needs of the) 
manufacturers and to furnish the mar¬ 
kets of the United States with table 
grapes, if they be properly packed and in¬ 
telligently distributed. The time was! 
when Chautauqua grapes went into the 
Far West, Washington, Oregon and even 
California. Colorado was regularly sup¬ 
plied. while the Southern States con¬ 
sumed large quantities and clamored for 
more. There are hundreds of communi- i 
ties not far from the growing districts 
that rarely if ever see a basket of grapes 
offered for sale. In other words, the bas¬ 
ket trade in grapes has not been touched 
as yet. It exists, but it must be won, and 
the group of growers that gets after this 
business first and with an article that is 
No. 1 will get the cream. 
Unfermented Grape Juice. —What of 
the future of unfermented grape juice 
with the coming of prohibition? Will its 
consumption be increased? We are at 
least Certain that the use of grape juice 
will not be lessened, and it is believed that 
an increased consumption will result, but 
we must not delude ourselves with the 
notion that, all wine drinkers are going 
to take entirely to drinking unfermented 
grape juice. The writer believes that 
many wine drinkers may be won to the, 
drinking of unfermented juice if they can 
obtain blended juices that simulate the 
blended wines they have been accustomed 
to use. But in addition to grape juice the 
manufacturers are learning that grapes 
make fine jellies, jams and marmalades. 
It is here that a large part of the surplus 
will be used. One of the largest manu¬ 
facturers of the Chautauqua belt has al¬ 
ready put out a grape marmalade that is 
unsurpassed among all or any fruit pro¬ 
ducts. 
Good Packing Needed. —In so far as 
the outlet is concerned the prospect has 
never seemed brighter from the growers’ 
standpoint than at the present time. 
There is of course a great amount of work 
to be done to perfect packing methods, 
distribution, etc. But these matters are 
already receiving attention in the prin¬ 
cipal grape sections of the State, and 
word comes that some of the neighboring 
States are dealing with the problems now. 
The first and foremost consideration if the 
basket trade is to he rewon. is the honest, 
dependable pack. 
Organized Effort. —It is essential 
that the grape growers get into organiza- 
1 ms that are in a position to distribute 
their fruit intelligently and in a large 
way. In other words, co-operation is the 
only satisfactory method through which 
the average grower can best market his 
crop. The large grower, who can load 
entire cars within a day or two, usually 
can find a satisfactory market, but even 
the selling organization may prove of de¬ 
cided advantage for him in locating the 
best market. Certainly the large grower 
is needed in the co-operative organization 
for the moral support attained, if for no 
other reason. The grape growers in the 
Iveuka Lake section has been hardest hit. 
apparently, by the coming of National 
prohibition. It has been their custom, 
at least on the upper end of the lake, to 
sell largely to the wine cellars. The wine 
manufacturers there have not as yet fully 
decided to what use their large aud ex- j 
pensive plants will be put. It is prob¬ 
able that some of them will at least on- I 
gage in the manufacture of grape and | 
other fruit products. But the growers 
here have taken the bit in their teeth and 
have organized packing and selling asso¬ 
ciations and they are rapidly formulating 
plans for disposing of their crops. 
F. E. GLADWIN. 
The RURAL. NEW.YORKER 
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