Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-02-26
farmer 9tpartment.
From the Greenville Patriot aud Mountaineer.
VINEYARDS AND WINE.

Ar. Editor We have just returned
from paying Christmas visit to my brother,
who resides on Shaw's Creek, four miles
from Akin, where we spent three weeks de-
lightfully; and with the best of friends, the
choicest fare, and plenty of good cheer; the
time passed so quickly away, that we regret
ted when our own business required our pres
once at home again. While there, We fire.
ouently saw our friend and townsman, Mr..
Pinckney Mcnee, who is spending the winter
at Aiken, for the benefit of his health. We
were much pleased to see the improvement
in his appearance and spirits, which few
days sojourn there had affected. also met
another of our Greenville friends, Maj. Easily,
who is there for the same purpose. lie is look
ing better, and hope will soon be restored to
health. How fortunate are We to have in
our own State, a town like Aiken, where the
sick and afflicted can resort with confidence
in the winter, and with impunity in the sum-
mer 1t is delightful place, and we were
gratifed to see how much it had increased in
size. 1t has been much frequented by con-
sumptives, and those suffering from pull
monary diseases, from the Northern States
during the winter, and those flying from the
diseases of the city, and the fevers Of the
low country during the summer months.
There are two .teUers raging to very con-
siderable extent in that section-the grape
and the peach fever. Andyou can form no
idea of the winc excitement existing there
at this time; neither are we able to describe
it. We are not certain that we have not
caught the infection. Every one is either
planting, or preparing to plant him vine
yard. The Uine has been cultivated very
successfully for several years by Mr.. A. de
Caradeue and DR.. Mcdonald. l spenta very
delightful day with Mr.. de Caradeue, from
whom I received much information and in
struction on the growing of the vine-the
proper location of the vineyard, and the diff
ferent varieties of grapes which are best suit
ed to our climate For the first time in my
life, saw a regular wine-press- You are a.
ware that wine is only the juice of the grape
expressed, and allowed to ferment, when it
is drawn off and put into casks for year or
so, and then bottled 1t should receive no
alcohol. tasted at Mr.. de Caradeue's and
DR.. McDonald's delightful Claret, an ex-
cellent still Champagne, and a delicious Ma
deira wine; also very fine brandy. These
gentlemen may be said to be the pioneers of
vineyards in South Carolina, and are render
ing much essential service to the State
They make some seven or eight hundred dol
ars to the acre; and they are doing this on
lands which twenty years ago no one would
pay taxes on. Our rice planters do not clear
one hundred dollars to the acre, on lands that
are worth from one hundred to two hundred
dollars per acre, while they are realizing six
or seven hundred per acre on those which
are not worth FIVE dollars. Their places are
perfectly healthy for whites and blacks, while
the rice lands are healthy for neither. The
grape is, generally speaking, pretty sure
crop. DR.. Mcdonald has some thirty or for
ty acres in a vineyard, and Mr.. de Caradeue