Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-10-31
agrirdItnlut uu0 Douleatlt.
From the American Farmer.
CRAZE CULTURE.

-
We learn from the Southern Cultiyator,
that Mr.. Charles Axt, Ga, has been We
~ instrumental in awakening in that
State. an interest in the culture Of the
Grape. and wine making. Mr.. Axt has
several aouri.hing vineyards-one in
Wilkes Co., Ca, another in White6eld
Co.. Ga. and two in Montgomery and
Autauga counties, Alabama. Those in
Alabama are bearing finely in two years
from the cutting. Mr.. A. invites all who
may feel an interest in the subject, to visit
his vineyards and witness the success Of
his culture.
MIR. Axt thinks the climate Of the South
UnrsUaled for the grape culture, and that
with her cheap lands, slave labor, good
soil, de-, if the South will only enter upon
and prosecute vigorously the grape cul.
ture and wine making. that in thirty or
forty years she will control the wine mar
kets, as she now does the cotton markets
Of the world.
He thinks the South has great advan-
tages over the Western States and Eu-
rope, for the culture of the vine. In the
latter country, he says, tits very fastidious
in Its choice OF soil and exposure thriv-
ing only upon warm porous, deeply tren.
ched and we'll drained hilsides facing the
sun. The land there, suitable for grapes,
is worth from 500 to $500 per acre.
In the South, where they flourish upon
almost any soil, it can be bought for from
So to $40. In Europe and the West the
ground by trenching, terracing, walling.
t5c., owing to the defects Of climate and
soil, is from $50 to $500 per acre, while
the more genial climate of the South, by
the use Of the sub>soil, and deep turning
plough. followed by the spade or shovel.
the cost need not exceed $40 per acre.
Ar the West good average for Vine
yard is from 800 to AGO gallons per acre,
and it scarcely reaches this point before
the sixth year from the cutting. Mr.. Axt
asserts that "in the South we can easily
get one thousand gallons per acre the third
year after planting the cuttings; and I'M
der favorable circumstances, from the fifth
year UPWARDS, each acre will average from
1000 to $500 gallons of pure unadul-
teraLed wine."
A fine, warm, sunny summer is indis-
pensibly necessary to make a good crop
Of grapes and finely favored wine. In
unfaVorable seasons the wine is too rough
and soar to drink in its natural state, and
requires to have sugar added, which de-
tracts from its valne. The summer
weather Of the South being always favor
able to the grape, good crops may be ex>
pec'ed every year, and the punches may
hnng on the vines until they are fully
tnatured-sn indispensable requisite to
the making Of good wine.
Either in an economical or moral point
Of view, the advantages Of an extended
cul'urc Of tie grape for wine-making can
hSrdlr Lc over estimated. The immense
erS' ~ Which foreign drinks are introdu-
eed j. bud enough, but when we know
how thcy are adulterated, and afford US
poison too often, instead Of wholesome
and refreshing drinks, we may we'll look
about US for a substitute. We do not
doubt that a pure and natural wine may
b. made in all our Southern country, and
NOR" proftably than at the West, where
Mr.. Longworth and others have demon>
sirated the value Of its production. There
is no doubt it can be made and furnished
TO the consumer at lower rates than al
most the worst Of the wretched drinks
now sold. And we cannot doubt that
where pure wine can be abundantly and
cheaply obtained, it will surely take the
PIhOS VI ZIG ueI alCouOhC spIIIIS WHICH
SO frequently drown men in perdition.
We heartily wish Mr.. Axt all success
in his patriotic efforts to ditfuse the vine
culture. We wish, moreover, that every
farmer would at least, plant few good
vines. and every farmers wife would
make few good gallons Of pure. unadul-
terated wine. There isno mystery TO de-
ter any one from it, and il is one Of those
luxuries which farmers may and should
enjoy.
Roots of Plants Grow in cold Weather.