American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-12-12
CULTURE OF THE VINE.
Y0rk. Penn. o.

This has become an object OF great promise
York county. Experiments have already show
hat he vine will not only flourish in The poorc
soils oil this county, hut that excellent wine can
made. and that raising vine yards will become q
profitable any other agricultural pursuit.
A portion OF the land in York county is thin an
poor, commonly called barrens !; il has been prove
rhat the vine succeeds well on this land and
acres of it which can now be Dough, for from 6 I
10 dollars per acre, when planted with vines, an
those at maturity, will be more productive to tn
owner than 200 acres OF the best land in the county
No capital is required in rearing vine yard tn
proc eeding requires only attention and perseverance,
Mr.. Thomas Echelberger, enterprising cit
zen of this place, was the first VINO seriously com
menced the cultivation Of the vine with view
profit. Having ridge Of slate land which run
through his farm--hc conceived the idea oil urnin
1t into vine yard and he engaged German emf
grant, who had been vine dresser and wine makel
III his native country.-To this man he gave per
manent interest in acres of land and its produce
which was set apart tor planting with vines sma
house was also put up for the working partner nea
the premises. Mr.. E. advanced the means OF pro
curing the cuttings Tor planting. and other expen
ses and also for the subsistence OF the laborinl
partner, till the vine yard should become productive
when he was TO be repaid.
Under this arrangement, IN 1918, the acre
were planted in rows, with wide intervals and thos
intervals were filled up in the following years, viii
The suckers, or Sprouts, which grew from the origi
nal plants these therefore are or Q years latei
than the first paintings 1t required one hand tc
manage all this and keep the grass down during the
summer; in the winter the vine dresser was al
liberty 10 work days work where he could get EN-.
ployment. 1t will be observed that although h, the
whole acres were planted over in the begnning,
yet only one third the vines were set These
had the start OF the others, and began to bear in the
3D. year. In the vintage OF 1921 MI. Eichelberger
made two or three barrels Of wine which was OF a
good quality
In vintage of 1922, he made eleven barrels OF
wine, and sold considerable quantity Of grapes.
The Oldest vines having now acquired strength, and
the second paintings also beginning to bear though
yet IN small quantities, he able tn make thirty
one barrels in 1928. besides selling grapes for pei
haps $500. During the time that the grapes were
ripenng, The vine yard was crowded with visiters,
all oil whom bought more OF less ! his considera-
bly diminished the grapes which were designed for
the press After years Mr. E. had no more adj
vances to make. as the vine yard produced enough
10 support itself. The profits arose from the sale
OF grapes OF the wine made the preceding year,
and from the sale Of cuttings at $50 per 1000.
The wine OF 1922 was sold in 823, 10 visitors al
the rate Of So per gallon 1t is difficult to compute
what The profits may amount to, in seven years
hence as the vines become more robust, they will
produce more fruit. and this inct will probably
continue tor ten or twenty years. The oldest of
their vines are yet in their infancy; AID the vine
dressers from France and Germany who have seen
Mr.. Eichebergers vine yard. say, that it is more
HouIlshlng and further advanced for its age, than
any thing OF the kind that they have seen nEurope
tits no extraysgant conjecture, that Mr. ii.
chelbergers four acres will, at the end OF two years
trom this time, produce & apes make 100 bal rel.
OF vine. This Is what the vine dressers confident
~ assert. Mr.. E. has, since the comm encemen,
oi MS hrst vine yard planted two other portions of
ground OF three acres each, contiguous to he other
For each OF these he has German vine dresser. to
whom he has g an an interest," as in the first case
but pays nothing else.
he proposes 10 extend his vine yard to 90 acres,
though under different tenants.-our acres being as
much as one man can well attend 10.
Mr.. L. has also made two plantations OF vines on
farm about len miles from York, 10 the very hear,
OF the poorest land in the barrens.-lhose nourshl
and promise as well as his first vine yard, thought
they are but two and three years old. The Oldest
bore grapes this season.
Judge Barntz and Mr.. Mes have each planted
vine yards in the vicinity of York They are but
three years old. They made about Two barrels of
wine each. Last year they made each small guam
tity, which, after crmentstion, became very fine
and OF an excellent taste and favour. CompetentI
Judges are satisfied that these wines will be equal
20 the wines OF France and Germany. Mr. Eich
eberger has the MadeiFa, Lisbon and Burgundy
grape. =.
A German emgrant, fifteen miles from York, has
made vine yard on lands Of his own. He has twol
acres and i, Is four years since he planedt it. This
year he made ten barrels of wine.
MI Crull has made a vine yard on the aide Of al
sleep river hill, IL miles north Of York. The hin
has been cut into steps, and planted IN the Alpine!
style. His also aourishes, and bore grapes this
season.
Besides these there are several more in the
nelghborhood; and preparations arc making to plant
al least 10 or 20 more IN the ensuing year.