The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-08-10
Quite a Mistake.
M. Editor /:

speeches 10 the Senate of The United States
lie read the dlfuition from Webster's DC
'Ionary, and, as well as remember i, is
"io cheat, to deceive by trick" 10 motto
ing very amusing letter written by q
Correspondent o: the New York Tribune
r dated a, Mobile, Ala. protesting to inform
the citizens oil the South, how they may
make themselves msgnificenily rich, in q
short time, without going to California, the
word used by Col. Benton, on tie occasion
referred TO, came into my mind with con.
siderable force--ihough ! suspect the
author was Influenced more BY his lack oi
Arithmetic, and Mensufaiion, than by any
actual desire to deceive those for whose
benefit his labor was so cbaritably bes,ow.
ed. The people Of the Southern States
ought to thank hun for his kind intention -
and pardon hi. ignorance Of Arithmetic, and
the att Vt measuring vineyards. think
the instance before US is sufficient to show
I" all the importance Of instruction in the
solid branches of education; for suppose
the citzens Of the South we're So ignorant,
or so careless, us TO be guided by the cal
culaiionS or estimate, which the Cores.
pondent of the Tribune has so lhoughfuI
ly aud Literally offered for their use, is il
not plain that they would incur loss thai,
would be about as severe as the blight Of
i the Egypilsn locus,s- and IN The end have
the consuIlng comfort of discovering that
they had been ungenerously " bamboo.
zled." The writer whose advice is ,nered,
seems not 10 have bad any idea tina,
knowledge Of Arithmetic aud Mensura,ion,
we're requisite to enable him to make
correct estimate on the subject on which
he wrote. Southern planters, | suppose,
before they would abandon the production
Of cotton aud rice, and plan, their plan,a.
tons ~ grape vines, would be likely to ia.
ses'igate how many vines, planted 20 feet
sprr each way. ~! 5e Contained upon one
acre of ground. They would multiply 20
by 90 which makes i0O and then they
would find tue number oi sqnsre feet con.
tanned in one acre, which is 43, $50. This
number divided by 400, gives ! o. and nine
Ienths, for the number OF vines pei acre,
when set 20 feet apart each ~av. Now il
thi- true number DC substituted in the est
mate If the Corr espondent Of tie Tribune
IN place Of the erroneous number which he
has gwen, the magnificent, scheme with
which We are favored, will become small
and I" beautifully less :" and the triumph.
ant Inicrrogaiory, with which he closes his
letter will evaporaie iuto "thin air." For
the purpose of not misrepresen.ing the
wr ter OF the letter, ! give his eps,e in
the column below Aui those Who may
desire 10 do so for themselves, my apply
our correction, aud then they wil ser tina,
the magnificent sum &c S27 ,225, eslImat.
ed by the Correspondent Of The Tribune,
viii be reduced to the humber nmoun, Of
So ,722, and 50 cents. This We think,
would make the grapes somewhat sow.--
Ia conclusion would advise the Tri.
bune's Cor espondent, before he ventures
again To instruct the c, liens of the South
how 10 fud an f. DDrat1 at home, TO brush
up his Arithmetic. aud peep lille into
his Meusufa,ion.
McniLr, July ). lsiS.
Petcclving The intetes, you Toxic 10 the
culture al the Scuppernone or Roaooke
grape, and the making of wine from II,
manifested BY frequent valuable and nreres
ing articles upon the suhlcc, IN your pa
per, | venture to offer few remarks aud
estimates.
II will be conceded by all who will nvcs
ilgare the matter, lha, the growing Of this
grape can be made more profitable than
A. III, -
vii mike an exceedingly choice wine, all
those who have had the pleasure Of tasting
the samples exhibited Ly Moves. few
weeks since vii readily testify. The la.
Dor req Iifed lur lis cultivation is not one
fourth as great Us the same ground plant.
ed 10 our great staple, aud the making of
vine is less labor Than the Cunning and pack.
ing Of cotton, The average WELD Of cot.
ton is about half bale 10 the acre, which
will b,,ng 10 markc, from $40 10 SID
Now figure out The difference, and when
found, make a note ont. Scuppernong
vines are usually planted 20 feet apart each
way, which Will require 1850 vines 10 the
acre each vine OF tive Years growth pro.
perly managed, viii produce a, least /
bushei Of grapes each bushel will yield
/ four gallons OF JUICE. allowing for waste,
&c. which gives 435G gallons of vine 10
the acre, worth, when one year old, 81 per
( gallon, giving an annual yield Of Sl,356
/ per acre. But for fear OF an over estimate
IL, US say half buSheI Of grapes 10 the
vine aud fifty cents per gallon for the vine
we still have 81 ,0s9 per acre. To rem.
der surely doubly sure, we will say one
peck Of grapes to The vine and 20 ceots for
tho wine (,he price Of c'defl and we YET,
have S272 % per acre, which with snug
vineyard Of 100 acres, ,nsures the pretty
I,le income OF s27 ,225 per annum. WSo
would be Presiden,
Permit me now to make a California es-
llnaie, and tho MOI, mon mountain Of gold
is thrown into the shade The little "lumps
as large as a mans hand would be no.
where. Many vines produce ten bushels
and upwards Of grapes, take this as the av.
ersge. Many choice wines are sold at 81
to SIS per bottle. VS. will say $40, for
~ Il