Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-08-21
miscellaneous.
Nirginia q Vine GroKor.

A correspondent of the New York World
writes on this theme as follows:
There is scarcely portion of Virginia that
is not, mors-or less, adapted to the cultivation
of the grape; but taking into consideration
all the elements that tend to invite remunera-
tive enterprise-whether as regards climate,
moisture, soil. easy access to the great markets
OF the Atlantic coast or location in old cstab-
lishcd and desirable Observation-Disclosures is
perhaps no portion in Virginia-it is not too
much to say of the United States-which
surpasses, If it can compare with what is so
well known as the 'Fruit Belt of the Blue
Ridge" embracing not only most of what is
known as the Blue Ridge Mountains, but
also the Ridges and their valleys that run far
down into the Piedmont, or ''Redland" country
on the east, and the spurs and watersheds
that, on the west, reach out into the great
"S alley of Virginia" This region lies under
mean temperature of. y degrees, for the
four summer months of June, July, August,
and September, and comes within the region
OF from eight to ten inches of summer rain
in what, from its climate, has been called the
"Catawba Section the Catawba grape being
indigenous to this region And this degree
of summer rain is the very best for grape
culture, when combined-as it is through
this whole region Of Virginia-with dry,
porous. calcareous soil. But, as if these
natural advantages were not already sufficient,
a geographical accident comes in to give this
highly favored region supremacy over all
other competitors. The North Mountain.
which is everywhere from 1900 to 2. 1000
feet higher than the top of the Blue Ridge.
is really, to the latter, nothing less than
high sheltering wall. 1t breaks the cold
winds of the Northwest that come sweeping
over the vast plain which stretches from the
Arctic Ocean almost to the base of the AL
leghany mountains; it, and the mountains
west OF it, condense the moisture of these
winds and rob them of their snow "NIan
never built such wall to protect vineyard
says Mr.. Hotchkiss, enthusiastically, s.to throw
back upon it the accumulated warmth of a
reflector, three hundred miles long and two
thousand feet high"
There are tens of thousands of acres of
land, being vainy offered for sale in Virginia
to day, at prices ranging as low as 81 or SIS
per acre, and even less. Taxing S. as the
price per acre, allowing $50 per acre for the
cost of cultivation, according to Mr. Nicholas
Longworth's estimate-and assuming las Il
very low figure indeed) that each acre, when
the vines are in full bearing, will produce
5000 gallons-a skilfull agriculturist could
purchase and cultivate tract of 100 acres
for Sc, 800, which would, in a very few wears.
yield him 0,O00 gallons of wine, worth 81 so
per gallon, or $4,000! Indisputable. as such
facts may be, tempting as it may appear to
the Northern agriculturists DESTROYS of en-
barking upon career of fortune, of course
we can never again expect them to come
among us so long as-accOrding to the teach
ings of the New York TJTJune-negrocs are
supposed to be hanging like strings of sausa-
gcs upon the limbs of our forest trees. and
our honest, good-hearted, hos pitable farmers
keep looded blunderbusses to blow out the
brains of any Northerner who dares to come
and look at valuable properties they are so
eagerly offering for sale.