Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-02-26
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sl&Iecn OF elSlteeH. 1ncre lafe pe.u o't'N's
in South Carolina who long ago attempted
the culture of the grape. Mr.. Herbemont,
Mr.. Guiguard, Mr., Maverick and others, all
of whom failed: The stumbling block to
those who first made the attempt to raise
wine, was the cultivation of the foreign
grapes 1t is. now reduced to certainty
that they will not do, but that our native
grapes are cminently successful. Those
which DIR. Mcdonald and Mr.. A. de Cara
deue plant, are the Warren, the lsabellaand
the Catawba. The Warren produces the best
Madeira, or wine resembling it in charac-
ter; and it is the acine which these expert
enced gentlemen prefer. They also plant
largely of the Isabella and the Catawba.-
These are all native, and no doubt will do
we'll over great portion of our State; and
it is our opinion these and also the Scupper-
nong will do we'll in Greenville District, and
we think that the time is not very distant
when we will see great portion of our hill
sides covered with vineyards making sixty
thousand dollars to the hundred acres, or
six hundred dollars to the acre, which is on
ly moderate estimate, according to the cal
culations of those who are realizing that and
n great deal more, on lands much thinner than
our poorest mountain ridges. The best To-
cation for vineyard, is hillside fronting
the East, so as to have it protected from the
evening sun. The approved distance OF
planting the vines, is in lows of eight feet
in width, and four feet apart in the rows
The grape produces from two to four hundred
gallons of wine to the acre.
Is it not strange that our State Agricul-
tural Society has not taken amore lively in
terest in vineyards, grapes and wines, than
it has done? We would think premium
offered for The best of each of these produc-
tions, would elicit much light on the subject.
We asked Mr.. de Caradeue why DR.. McDon-
aid and himself Gid not exhibit their wines
and brandy at the Fair, and he observed he
would do so when there were premiums Of
fered for them. We are credibly Informed
that both Mr.. James Rose and Mr.. Henry
Gourdin, gentlemen distinguished for their
business habits, their elegant hospitality, and
their great judgment of vines,] have passed
considerable eucomiums on Mr.. a. de Cara
deuc's Warren wine. Major Bausket "a near
ucighbor of my brothers who is not only one
of the best lawyers of our State, but one of
the closest observers) has just returned from
trip up the Mississippi river as high as
Cincinnati, gave us a glowing and graphic
description oftheir vineyards. He says every
acre that is planted in the approved vines, is
valued at one thousand dollars per acre.
Mr.tN Longworth, of Cincinnati, who has
not only built wide reputation, but a man.
moth estate by his vineyards, has done it
mostly by his Catawba grape. Thirty years
of his life has been devoted to the culture
of the grape, and for fifteen years tried the
foreign varieties, on which he failed, as the
the rest did who tried them. He then turn
ed his attention to the native grapes of the
country, and in the space Of sixteen years
has not only retrieved his losses, but has a
massed seven or eight millions of dollars
His taxes the last year amounted to eighty
five thousand dollars. What golden harvests
must he not reap from still and sparkling Ca
tawba? We have frequently drank it, and
so have you. 1t is delightful Champagne,
selling at two dollars bottle, -er-from six to
eight dollars gallon. We asked the Major
what he thought of the grape culture? His
answer was can see no possibility of its
failure.
What an adjuvant the produton of light
wines in our State will be to the cause of
temperance The Temperance Societies, lead
and conducted by their great chief, our wor-
thy friend Judge O'Ncal, have for long
time fought good, true and steady fight, a
gainst intemperance. A powerful ally has
now appeared in the field. They can now
do as old Leatherstocking did when the Pra-
irie was on fre-"Lct fire fight fire." The
experience of all Europe has proved that
wine making country was never much given
to intemperance. With the expressed juice
of the grape, the spirits are elevated, and
the skin filled before reason is dethroned.-
With distilled or alcoholic liquors, the re-
verse is the case. But what is this to me or
to you, Mr.. Editor? Wearc DEPRESSING from
our subject.
We would advise all of our friends to plant
out a few of the Catawba, and few of the
Isabella, Warren and Scuppcrnong vines.-
These are the most approved grapes for ma
king wine, which will keep we'll The Bur-
gundy, as table grape, is thought the most
of about Aiken All of these, however, are
fine. By planting now any one, in a year
or two, if he desires to establish vineyard,
could have good number of cuttings, and
roots, that it is very difficult to procure them
in numbers. My brother intended planting
out fifty acres this spring, but will not be
able to get the cuttings. The Warren is the
most difficult to obtain. From description,
think it must be the same which we call in
Greenville, the "Bunch-cluster.
We also paid visit to our mutual friend,
Mr. VIM. Gregg, of Kalmia, whom we esteem
as one of the greatest men of our State, in
head and heart. He is the father of the lar
gest and best conducted Factory in the South,
the Graniteville Factory-one that our State
has Just reason to be proud Of. We rode with
Mr.. Gregg all over his extensive orchards,
ond found him courteous. kind, and commu-