The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-03-12
Vine Culture at the South.

always find gaps to fill up. J. MOVES.
Hoilywood Natchez, Miss, Dec 10, 1913.
Vine Culture at the South.
IFrom De BOWS Commercial Review.]
I'VE have frequent occasions in the 3D. Sd, 4th, and
9TH volumes of the Commercial Review referred deliberately
to the product and manufacture of wines in
try and furnished full and elaborate from various
upon the subject Our desire has been
the with the ulness and fairness In this
view we publish the following letter.
In regard the specimen bottles of wine referred to by
friend, which he kindly forwarded address,
exquisite than the flavor and gentleman
WHO has travelled extensively in Europe whom
rousy accorded few sips of the nectar, conceived that
nothing he has with upon the Rhine could compare
with it He was in ecstacies So Uere Ue.
Our friend Mr. Weller, of North Carolina, sent some
time ago. several delightful specimens from his yard
and well remember the pleasure with which party of
our friends the Fourth of July decanted glass after glass
the health of the Old North State. and her neighb
to the southwark
| J. d. B. De Bow, ESQ.,:
As am deeply interested the prosperity ofhe
tus of the South, and seeing article number for
January last that tends strong dislike to the
doing so wish you to understand that do not attach the
slightest blame to yourself. The article in question wish
ISIS headed American wines and vines" MI s. Wei
ler of Carolina states that good wine cannot be made
third part Of spirits Now have no doubt as Mr. Wei
e statements being strictly correct far his experience
in that climate and in the section OF country In which he
with Mr. Wee have c U very hsh
opinion of him vntner but his statistics for the Caro-
nss, when applied 10 our warmer States will have no APP
quality Of fra produced here from the same grape be Guilt
in Carolina he must readily account for the different
Mississippi have you small bottles OF this wine
that you may examine it. in with two three OF
marks you think best upon it. The opinion entertained BY
myself and friends here Of this wine efceedngy stteng
wines in the world. namely. Champagne, Mu:cat and
aRd Of ST s s a s9ff aH y wond
o
the smallest portion would have DESTROYED its aeeacy and
pcquan force so desirable to connoisseurs. By the bye
saying too much myself about this wine when seeking
yourself and friends entirely apart from all that have said
One thing more must say with regard to ITS condition 1t
stead of and has been but four months in bottle
when # ought to have been year before il was examined
the unsyoabe Wv Wee s must
have made the public, wish also TO a few words
upon the culture and the extension of the wine We
shall soon find in this county as they have SO long found
for richness and deilcacy of flavor that other wines
without the M Of ps we &
This wine though so luciousy delicate possesses body of
any inland distance when properly packed but enjoy ali
its qualities the growth will have TO be confined to few of
our Southern States such as this State louisiana Alabama
GRAPE CULTuRE-As it would be vain in me to mark
OF habits and form OF diet follow ed by
nation, and gidy enforce to the Of all would be
equally van 1t to en- tie Plan Ian of cn of one Kind
states to be followed in all the Union shall therefore
the grape have adopted my whey ards and the ea ment
conceive to be best in the states above named After fail
ing upwards OF fifty varieties and abandoning them
useless have selected called the ROANOKE and known
by that from the time discovered the island
of Roanoke down TO recent period when took the fool
ish Of Scuppsrnong which it holds in The Caro-
lnas. have made three different kinds of from this
grape last year and all equally good although differing in
flavor and color MUCH that could Judge they
made from the same fruit The Greeks call this grape the
the choicest wines OF that country Greek gentleman of
my acquaintance in Natchez, last summer with
counryman Of his paid a for the first time
vineyard. The fruit not then npe; but the moment
IF end He told of properties a grape
than have been able to learn from other source and
during my last vintage and also boing OF the wine
last spring hnk pretty certain that this grape ma
much better climate. The foowiBg facts much
all the difference produced here Climate be ,npor.
tant writer this grape that country about 70 years
the size of the berries did exceed than 81 inches
round and weight not exceeding 81 gain, Now it is
an at times more weigh l5O grains to the berry
I he weather. aes Of
the grape to acquire all the saccharne essential 10 strength
the smallest particle Of spirits give conserve It
so IN Carolina There does not mature its 9it until DC.
less cold weather. and as Mr. Weller SAYS about fourth
or if strong wine be wanted, third of good spirits must
oys the delightful bouquet and pcquant force that charac
terizes the wines have ever made here ,r
The treatment pursue the culture OF this grape dfe
from that used in all other kinds. apply no summer
pruning whatever other than tie all the branches OF
growth in order prevent the i'll effects OF wind Attn
first planting set out weilOoe plants oil one seasons
n~ TR P are psnied twenty feet apart IN lines
attached five feet high. As they shed their
in the fall all the tendns caspers they have made
mus he removed except those that take hold Of the stake
for if any are allowed caspng their branches
second the branch Will die above the the
caspers will have ceased to grow and become hard
wire.
nary cut off all branches that may be the way the next
season. and all dead wood If and tendrs found
caspng branch that may have escaped notice before In
from which they taken. the bark will then slip
readily when begins to These operations close
the first season. commence the second by driving down
additional stakes each side in straight line with the first
distances to the lateral side branches that
have been formed. then nail in horizontal line
and about nine inches apart poles to receive the small
taking keep the mother stem upright the
stake and adding the height of that often
requires. After this work perfOrned-wbch call
dresng-I proceed to hoe and the ground about the
vines, regarding unnecessary or plough the whole
of the vineyard until the third fourth the
will extend from plant TO plant until after that time.
adding stake beyond stake straight line and poles until
the vines planted twenty feet apart touch each other This
kind OF tre training cheapest and much the best until
the vineyard has established good growth cheap arbor
then be erected by setting strong rough posts eight
feet high and throwing rough rails from post
Cane poles then be placed for the
From to extend the growth at the Top and diminish
that below by cutting out the lower branches. This plan
will tend to moderate excitement in the circulation of
the sap well as to improve the irucfyng OF the
plant.
to give proper description Of the soil OF my vineyard but
far as can Judge it is principally composed of light ye