The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-03-06

sweetens and natures its juices beyond anv-
thing that the summers in the valley of the
Hudson can exhibit, rendering it decidedly
better than the Catawba, while 1t is much
more productive, healthy and hardy
In 1862, IN discussing the adaptation ofdf-
ferent grapes to the isotheral zones, he said:
''The Concord is so highly esteemed in some
parts of the West, in lower latitudes, as al
most to surpass the Delawares." Mr. Knox
says that ''there is more money in the Con
cord than any other grape BY one-third."
J. s. Parker, of Ithaca, New York, says in
speaking Of Mr. Ball, the originator OF this
grape: ''The Concord grape is established
before the public and is a monument TO him
more enduring than marble
Mr-George Husman, in letter, saws II
can make more money out Of Concord wine
Mt S2 10 per gallon, than ont of Norton at
So
Mr. Fuller says that there are more Con.
cords planted than any other one kind
These authorities are of the first class, and
| could read for hours similar COMMUNICATIONS
This grape has with MS rather too thin and
tender skin, requiring very careful handling,
aud If IT is wet when ripening, some of them
crack.
There has been many experiments and
tests made 10 determine the proportion Of
sugar and the different acids in grapes, and
nearly all of them have been made In the East
with their grapes The truth is. their grapes
are good tor nothing, compared with ours
In the East the Delaware ripens October 5th.
Clinton September 27th, Concord the same,
and Catawba not at all This is their state
ment. See Agricultural Reports, 1864. page
IT. and other tables. Messrsl Salter &
Anthony sent me last summer the tdriondac,
saying 1t was very early: that when taken
from the vines the Delaware and Concord
were not colored This was the 9th Of Au-
gust. had then sold ripe Contords and
Delawares IN our market for two weeks before
the Adriondac was taken of. The reports of
the East are no criterion for us Grapes have
neary double the sugar here
If the Concord had little moro sugar il
would be just what we want. Ais il i. the
wine will not sell quite a. highly "A the De.a.
ware, although il has better favpr to most
tastes 4 very strong boquet showing that
the grape becomes fully ripe, and the pulp
well dissolved. There il less mahd acid than
in Catawba or Delaware vine. If properly
made the color is dark, and has from 70 -
per cent. Of alcohol and l6J Of tarraric acid
which acid j. Just right, have some that
made last fall that think is very fac.
Although this grape will resist without de-
struction 300 Of cold below zero, would ad
wise to protect II IN winter, as would all
others
have made no attempt at minute de-
scrlption Of grapes, as to appearance or quail
tiles. Such information is within the reach
/ of all. but only comparisons to lirnited ex
tent ! will add further that | believe this
locality as favorable TO this grape as any that
has yet been made known.
X IS not the intention torecommend 10 anv
one. any particular course TO pursue Every
person shonld determine for himself, what to
plant and how to do il; take that responsible
rty upon himself No attempt is made here
to give ANYTHING but what is regarded as facts.
If were 10 plant fifty acres this spring for
myself they would be mostly Concords
1t ever a vine is we'll established which i of
better quality and more prqntaJie, il could
without much delay be grated on TO the Con
cord root, and would not lose but a crop and
half while doing It.
In conclusion, il ouly remains TO speak OF
the cost, and returns which will occupy but a
few minutes.
There are very many different modes Of cul-
! tiva,ion. pruning. DC, also of making wine
and all otthem vary, quite materially. Every
| person must determine for himself. as to his
course IN this particular.
! After the land IS purchased, and fenced il
/ will cost from $500 10 $3.50 per acre 10 bring
| the vineyard into bearing. fthe ground i,
4 favorable, fine cultivation and everything
+ right, $500 is safe statement 1t viii cos
! from $500 to 400 to cultivate and market
| FIVE 81 acres. This includes the making and
selling the wine.
| A wine cellar and house. casks, vats, press
and other appurtenances, will cost from s., e0(
! TO -, 500, ii well done
From those items any one can make up hi,
! own table Of costs very nearly. OF his owf
4 vineyard. If he sells his grapes, he will cal
| culale accordingly. Let US condense this
statement. Say five acres of ground under
! fence cost $50 then 81 800 to bring it Il
/ bearing, making 80, ,25o Interest On invest
/ meut. being liberal, say $3.50, making s. 7A0
/ Then add cellar and appurtenances, -. sos
making $500 This sum takes you to
bearing condition, with everything ready Il
! proceed
Now the interest, annually, would be, a
ten per cent, $500. Now add for cultivation
| $3.50; put these items together, S970. that il
costs annually to keep your capital So 200 IL
a vineyard, which must be deducted from
your returns, to show how much is made o
lost on sand investment of So, 200.
If properly cultivated, the vineyardst o.
vintner may expect. one year with another
from 400 to 200 gallons of wine. Or, If ht
sells his grapes. he may calculate to get from
/ 5000 to $1,000 pounds. To get the bes
results, OF course, everything must be fayora
BILE. Sometimes as high as 1900 to l50'
| gallons are obtained, but it will not do to ex
pect any such results. Let us take the loves
estimate, 400 gallons, with variety of health
4 vines, and to sell it for 81 so per gallon
This will give product of $4,000, from tn
five acres Now deduct 500 from this, AM
You have the profits ofyour investment, viz
$1,000. Quite nice business for q man o
only $4,000 of q capital, and this is less thai
any vineyard yields that is planted wit
healthy vines and protected in winter. Thi
is equal to capital of $40, 900, in seven pc
cent bonds. But to do it requires som
talent, close application and business maj
Any one can have small vineyard and rails
grapes and make what he calls wine, dom
all the work within the family, and max
money, but to operate on large scale, Is quit
another matter.
If grape culture will not pay in this localit
then is all the evidence before ms false.
may be said that they fail two years in three
t If they do, it is not the fault of the business
r If you plant healthy varieties and protec
winters, you will not fail one year in twenty
) They never lose crop in Missouri, with tn
, healthy varieties, and this is more favorabl
locality than that. 1t has dryer atmo,
; phere.
We have already planted in this immediat
vicinity, within five or six miles, on this sid
e of the river, 169! acres. There is planted
!, Hamilton and vicinity 60 acres In Warsa
and vicinity 200 acres In Nauvoo SO
e acres Fort Madison l41 acres. West Poil
and Franklin estimate 20 acres. Making
' all 1854 acres There is in readiness to
I nlaated this snrinp within this circle 2.