Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-09-06
Cultivation OF the Grape and Wfnc-Ma-
king I'm North Carolina.

Having been solicited to write series of
articles on the subject of wine-makingi in Eas-
tern North Carolina, I have taken the iber-
ty to solicit the use of your columns to lay
my views, and the results of my experience,
before the public. The wide circulation of
your paper, as well as your patriotic inter
est in the development of the agricultural
resources of North Carolina, point to you
as the proper persons to whom to address
these papers. My object is to direct at
tention to what will, at no distant day, be-
come an important branch of industry in
this section of the country, and with this
view, to point out, not only to our own cit
izens but to those of other States, the en-
inent advantages possessed by North Caro-
lima in the production of q superior quality
of grapes, and consequently the manu-
facture of excellent wines, both still and
sparkling. And these wines with proper
management and suitable age will, unless
I am greatly in error, be pronounced equal,
if not superior, to any others whether pro-
duced at home or abroad. With this brief
explanation I will at once proceed to the
subject in hand, and treat it in that plain
and practical style which may be of service
to such as are disposed to invest their capt.
tai in this business
THE sCUPPERNONG.
All that regi on of North Carolina, which,
beginning with the bars OF our coast, ex-
tends it's sandy soil for 40, 60, or so miles
into the interior, and is timbered with long
leaf pine, produces in wild state a variety
of vines, which, in the popular language is
styled the " Bulls" In the western parts
of this State, similar grape, and probably
identical with it in genus. is called the Mus
cadine, and fourishes all along the banks
of the Yadkin, Catawba, Deep and Haw
rivers-indeed upon most of our upland
streams, and is found in various stages of
perfection. But the highest development
OF the whole genus SO far as at present
known, is, beyond doubt, the Scuppe'mong.
This Grape still grows wild in its native
seat and on the waters of Pamlico and
Albemarle Sounds, specimens may, at this
day, be found, uncultivated in the woods,
and in all their native luxuriance. Indeed,
the first vine of the kind known to Euro
peans, is said to be still growing on Roam
oke Island, and to yield its annual crop of
fruit, as it did at the date of its discovery,
The grape, however, derives its name from
ScVpp)erEnong R,xes Or Greek, where, among
other localities, it was found growing
wild in the forests The man who intro
duced it among our cultivated plants,
"higher than the Pyramids, and more
durable than brass" AS a table grape
you we'll know its superiority but it is not
in that view / am now considering it, Its
wine-making properties constitute its chief
importance to our State. I do not know
that you are aware of all its capabilities in
this respect Not only can still wine, of
superior excellence be made of it, but IN
addition, q champagne, possessing all the
aroma of the still wife, together with the
life and efferyesence of the genuine French.
Yet such, assure you, is the case and 1
can vouch for the statement from repeated
experiments made at my cellar in this place.
The difficulty about the matter was, that
owing to my want of experience in manag-
ing wines of that kind, I lost about 33a per
cent. by its bursting the bottles. However, |
that which survived tAe Qrdealoi oursummer
heats was ohampage, and such champagne
as would do to set beside the choicest |
French article, and not call up blush for
the comparison. This wine seems to have a
natural tendency to efervese, as any one
may verify by bottling a sweet Scupper-
nong the spring after it is made. If the
wine be corked tight, it will invariably be-
come sparkling,
now, suppose such Scuppernong pro-
perly treated by French Champagne ma
ker, expert in his profession, and we shall
have wine equal to anything foreign de-
hvered in our market, with this consoling
proviso, that you are certain you are regal
ing yourself with a genuine grape juice,
and no drugged or medicated article, con-
tanning headache in store for you next
day, and bad stomach from which you
shall not recover but hF Qopious draughts
Of Soda, or it may be, BY hearty doses of
Rheubarb or Calomel
Turnip juice cunningly disguised, or cider
however nicely managed, or any other vii
famous compound, whether invented in
New York, or manufactured in France,
shall never equal it, but there it shall stand,
the aromatic, bland, genuine, and unsur-
passsble "sparkling Scuppernong,"
Having reached the limits T have pre-
scrihed to myself for one of these papers,
! will reserve for my next what I design to
say on the subject of still Scuppernong
wine, and subscribe myself,
Very respectfully,
your most ob't. serv't
A. J. BUTNER.
Whiteville, N. c., Aug. 81. 1866.