Chapter 12

2-1/2 acre Catawba produced 900 galls., at $1.75, 1,575 00 1/2 " Concord " 700 " 2.50, 1,750 00 1 " Norton's Vir. " 600 " 4.00, 2,400 00 1/3 " Delaware " 120 " 5.00, 600 00 1/2 " Herbemont " 350 " 2.50, 875 00 Balance in other varieties, 150 00 Plants sold, 940 00 -------- $8,290 00

This vineyard has one of the best locations for Catawba and Delaware in the neighborhood, and its proprietor one of the most intelligent and industrious cultivators and wine-manufacturers in the vicinity.

The following are copied from the report of a special committee appointed by the Cincinnati Horticultural Society, to inquire into the condition of vineyards, and report whether or not grape-growing was still profitable. I regret to say that our Cincinnati friends have not, generally speaking, paid as much attention to the introduction and testing of better varieties--and there are but few vineyards in that neighborhood--where any other variety than the Catawba has been planted to any extent. It is to be hoped that the signal failure of that variety last season will do much to open their eyes to the full importance of the subject, and to abandon the Catawba, which evidently will not pay any longer.

But, as we have already said, there are other varieties of grapes being successfully grown in this vicinity, and we have extended our researches to some of those vineyards, and give the results as follows:--

Ives' Seedling is a grape of much promise, not addicted to mildew and rot. Col. WAHRING, of Indian Hill, in this county, has a small vineyard, only two acres in bearing, which made, the past season, 650 gallons of wine. The season previous, only one acre in bearing, yielded 560 gallons. The Colonel makes his account for the past season's business stand as follows:--

650 gallons of wine, sold at $4.10 per gallon, $2,665 00 Sale of cuttings, 1,500 00 -------- $4,165 00 Deduct cost of taking care of vineyard, 100 00 -------- Leaving net product of vineyard, $4,065 00 Or over $2,000 per acre.

Norton's Virginia is another promising grape that is being grown considerably hereabouts.

The Messrs. BOGEN have given us their figures for the product of this grape, as follows:

1863--From 1-1/2 acres, first year in bearing, they made 500 gallons, sold at $3 per gallon, $1,500 00 Sale of cuttings, 400 00 Sale of roots from layers, 800 00 -------- $2,700 00 Deduct from this, for cost of culture, 100 00 -------- Leaves net, $2,600 00 Or $1,733 per acre.

1864--Yield of same in wine and cuttings, 2,300 00 Or about $1,500 per acre.

Delaware is another grape of very great promise and profit, now being extensively grown throughout the country. The Messrs. BOGEN, from one-third of an acre, first bearing year, give us the following figures for the past season:

87 gallons of wine, sold at $6 per gallon, 522 00 Sold cuttings, 450 00 Sold roots from layers, 2,050 00 -------- $3,022 00 Deduct cost of culture, 22 00 -------- $3,000 00 Or $9,000 per acre.

Mr. J. E. MOTTIER gives us, as the result of his Delaware vineyard for the past two years, as follows:

1863--FROM 1-1/2 ACRES.

165 gallons of wine, sold at $5 per gallon, $825 00 Sale of cuttings, 1,630 00 -------- 2,455 00 Deduct expenses, 200 00 -------- Leaving net, $2,255 00 Or $1,504 per acre.

1864--FROM SAME VINEYARD.

200 gallons of wine, at $6 per gallon, $1,200 00 Sold roots from layers, 1,835 00 Sales of cuttings, 2,360 00 --------- 5,395 00 Deduct expenses, 200 00 -------- Leaves net, $5,195 00 Or $3,562 per acre

Mr. MOTTIER says he might have obtained a larger yield of wine, but his vineyard being young, he would not allow it to overbear.

Your committee, therefore, take pleasure in submitting the foregoing facts, in refutation, in part, of the loose and reckless statements of Mr. YEATMAN, and take this method of entering their protest against the same.

(Signed), E. A. THOMPSON. JOHN E. MOTTIER.

The foregoing contains some valuable facts, but it would seem to me that our Cincinnati friends have hardly estimated labor and expenses high enough. We cannot begin to cultivate our vineyards at as low an estimate.

The following is a rough estimate of the last season's crop around Hermann. It may be rather inaccurate, but it is about as near as I could come to the result. There are now, I suppose, something like 1,000 acres planted in grapes, of which about 400 may be in bearing. Unfortunately, nearly all the old vineyards are planted with the Catawba, which was almost an entire failure this season, the average crop being only about 75 gallons to the acre. Most of the later planting has been done with the Concord and Norton's Virginia, but these vineyards are not bearing yet. Of the Norton's Virginia, the average crop the last season may have been about 600 gallons to the acre; of the Concord, 1,000 gallons per acre. The Herbemont may have yielded about 800 gallons to the acre.

Grapes marketed, mostly Concord, 20,000 lbs. average price, 15c. per lb., $3,000 00 Catawba wine made, about 25,000 gallons; average value, $1.50 per gallon, 37,500 00 Norton's Virginia wine made, about 10,000 gallons; average value, $4 per gallon, 40,000 00 Concord wine made, about 5,000 gallons; average value, $2.50 per gallon, 12,500 00 Herbemont wine made, about 1,500 gallons; average value, $3 per gallon, 4,500 00 Other varieties made, about 1,000 gallons; average value, $3 per gallons, 3,000 00 Grape roots, cuttings, etc., grown and sold, 50,000 00 ---------- $150,500 00

I think the above is rather below the real amount; and the value of the crop may come up even as high as $200,000.

Although grape culture is followed to a larger extent around Hermann than anywhere in the State, yet there are also a great many grapes grown and wine made around Boonville, in Cooper County; and Augusta, St. Charles County; also, Hannibal, on the Mississippi river; and St. Joseph, on the Missouri; and there is hardly a county in the State now but has some flourishing vineyards.

The above facts may serve to give my readers a clearer insight into the cost and profits of grape-growing, and also the comparative varieties. In every case, the figures given can be relied on as actual facts.

In our neighboring States, Illinois and Iowa, grape-growing is progressing rapidly. There are already a number of vineyards established in the neighborhood of Alton, Belleville, Mascoutah, Warsaw, and Nauvoo, in Illinois; and in the neighborhood of Burlington and Davenport, in Iowa. I am told that in the neighborhood of Makanda alone, in Jackson County, Illinois, at least 70,000 vines of the Concord will be planted the coming spring.

Our sister State, Kansas, is also progressing bravely in the good work; and I do not think that, although our propagators throughout the country have done their best, there will be half the number of vines for sale that are wanted to meet the demand.

But, while I am fully aware of the importance of grape-culture _everywhere_, I cannot help but believe that the southwest will take the preference in grape-growing over the eastern and northern States. We have the advantages of longer seasons and a warmer climate, generally of richer soil, of cheaper lands; we can cultivate varieties which cannot be grown by our eastern brethren, and therefore all the chances are on our side. The mountainous regions of Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, and Alabama may, perhaps, rival and even surpass us in the future, but their inhabitants at present are not of the clay from which grape-growers are formed. They still cling to the demon of slavery, and their hatred of northern industrious _freemen_ seems to be stronger than their love of prosperity. Let us hope that a better spirit may prevail, that they will in time begin to see their own interest, and welcome with open arms every one who can assist them in developing the natural advantages of their lands. The grape can only flourish on _free_ soil, and by _free_ intelligent labor.