Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-29
GRAPE CULTURE AT THE WEST.

! CINCINNATI OCTOBER, 1863
The grape growers of the Ohio Valley are now in the
midst of their harvest and the vintage viii be the most
productive ever had. The grapes remarkably well
rpened, full OF juice and saccharine matter Not more
than one-third of the crop has yet been gathered
The Ohio river is termed the Rhine of America and
has gained this appellaon through the instrumenaity
Of Mr. Nicholas Longworth the pioneer in this branch Of
horticulture In the United States. He has 80
OF vineyard under cultivation and three wine cell
lars where wines stored for fermentation and pre-
pared for market of which contains no. 900 bottles
Mr. L. is seventy years Of age but is vigorous and
performs as much labor as many in the prime Of
hood. He has accumulated immense property, his
taxes the last year having amounted to $1,000 and
which are said to be larger than assessed upon any
other in the country, William b. Astor aud ncrhaps
one or two others excepted He has long been patron
Of the fine arts and the parlors Of his residence
riched with collections both from and
Included in the latter s exquisite bust in MARBLE the
first of Powers's productions Mr.. L. early discovered
the genius Of PowsrsfQnd lent his aid in its develop
ncnt VI late ye8fs Ms atteniion has been chiefly abb
sorbed by the grape culture For thirty years he expe
rmented with foreign grapes with view to their accli
nation in the United States Six thousand vines the
best Madeira wine grapes and thousand from the
mountains OF jra in France besides others from the Vi
cniy Of Paris and Bordeaux procured were all
thrown away after protracted trial being found inferior
to the Catawba, native of North Carolina Near
varieties of grape have been tested but the
best are found to be the Catawba and the Herbemont
which makes wine similar to the Spanish Manzania
WHICH is to be more extensively cultivated than here
tofore.
The vineyards generally situated on the slopes Of
the Ohio river and nnetenths of them titled by Ger
vine dressers, who have devoted their lives to the
business It has been customary give piece Of land
Of say fifteen to twenty acres with house it. to these
Germans, the condition that the tenant shall plant
certain quantity of grapes each year proper manner
and pay the proprietor onehaf the proceeds Of the
vineyard.
In Ohio there about 500 of land exclusively
devoted to graregrowng between 800 and 400 of which
Cincinnati Within twenty miles Of this city, in
cluding part Of Kentucky the opposite side of the
river there 800 acres and double the quantity Of
vines More have been planted this year than we're last
In Missouri, near Hermann there 500 acres in In
diana 200 300 in Illinois about 100, and in Kentucky
the same; making about 500 acres in all lt estima
ted that Indiana Ohio and Kentucky will this year pro-
duce at least half million gallons of wine The yield
Of the vineyards will be equal 700 500 gallons
allowing 400 vines to the acre. planted about three feet
apart in separated by distance of three feet Mr.
Robert buchanan who is among the successful eul
vators Of the yne this year obtains about 800 gallons of
wine from each Of his vineyard which will nett him
about 500 per acre. Some other vineyards will do
equally we'll Persons, however, not advised to
bark in grape growing with the expectation of profit
il shall be necessary TO hire labor
The German yne-drcssers muster al capable members
Of their families into the service the wife often being the
efficient In this manner they realize adequate
income The fruit is purchased from the vineyard men
for from So to Sc per 100 pounds (or two bnshels)
bushel yielding from 81 gallons of wine II is then
mashed by the manufacturers in the city and pressed
The juice is then fermened in the cellars and the spark
ling Catawba is in prime order for market at the end of
fifteen twenty months Mr. Longworh has three huge
vaults Of which will out 90 600 bottles every
year. and another l000 900 bottles third cear
pable Of turning out COO bottles yearly OF dry wine
Some portion Of the cellars is occupied by immense butts,
cylindrical tanks, OF which holds $50 gallons,
$1,000 worth Of wine if bottled The saves are about
three inches in thickness, aud cve inwlsa to in
ss@Auoe The arch to resist tse ste-na ssire ,ther
objects quite noticeable the long Of black
bottles placed in horizsntal position, and stacked up
like cord wood in solid piles high ones neck In
the cellars Of the extensive native wine establishment Of
Longworth zimmerman, are twenty four casks holding
about 800 gallons each G0000 gallons altogether,
of the yntagcs Of 1850 81 81 and il is expected TO
store 5000 gallons Of this years wine.
The American wines Of two general varieties, the
stil and the sparkling" Thefrst is wine that under
goes ynous fermentation the process which transforms
the sugar Of the grape into alcohol To produce spark
ling wine second fermentation is excited BY adding
little rock candy and the alcohol is transformed into
carbonc acid gas. The demand for American wine has
greatly increased and exceeds the Of supply
There is at present market for wines Of this description
10 the value of 81 600, 900 annually.
The manner Of cuyatng the vine in the valley Of the
Ohio is matter in which many will feel an interest in
all parts OF the country. hin with southern exposure
and dry cacareous SOIL with porous subsoil is pre-
ferred Wet spungy lands are avoided. The cuttings
should contain at least four joints, and be taken from
wood well-rpened; should be set out in slanng posi-
ton with the top even with the surface Of the ground
though covered with half inch OF light mould IL the
weather is dry Pruning is done from November to
March, and cuttings preserved in cool cellars until
the ground is and dry, mellow The first seasons
superfuous shoots pulled off, leaving but two
to grow, and but eventually la the spring the vine
is cut down to single eye and stalk allowed
to grow, tied to stake-no suckers being allowed to
grow The second spring after planting, down to two
three eyes, joints and the third year to four hve,
pnching of ateras and tying up This year two stalks
trained to the stake and grapes will be pro-
duced The vine is now established The fourth year,
pruning requires good judgment The best shoot Of the
former year cut down to six eight joints and fasen
ed to the adjoining stake in horizontal position bent
in the form Of bow and tied to its stake. The
other stalk is cut down to two three eyes make bear
ing wood for the next Mr. buchanan favors the
bow system The time recommended for tying the vines
is when the buds begin to swell aud look white.
Journal Of Commerce
DURABILITY or WooD-The piles under the London
Bridge have been driven five hundred and IN