The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-10-22
The cultivation OF Grapes.
Fron. a Riehmond pLspateh.

The Cultivation OF Grapes.
EToBl The RichmoBd Digpdtch.
We have in several papers spoken of
| the RdaptabilIty of Virginia to the cul-
| tivation OF the grape and the manufac-
tuTe of wine, She occupies the happy
middle latitude. where the golden sun
! will achieye all that is needed in the
agency OF ripening the grape, while it
| Is not SO ardent as to produce the ex-
| hansting effects upon the energies OF
man which disable him for the active
| pursuits OF tillage and manufacturing.
| She possesses the fruitful plains which
are adapted to the cultivation of every
description of fruit, including consid-
erable variety of grapes-such, for in
stance, as the scuppernong-while there
are the mountain slopes of the els and
trans-Alleghapy, which afford the finest
exposures and most congeniai SOIL 70
large number OF other descriptions OF
vines. We think it may be asserted
| with truth that OF all the States on the
Atlantic shed, the State of Virginia
affords the best field for the successful
cultiva ton of the grape.
Yet we see that in latitudes far less
congenial to the growth and abundant
| yield of the vine, its cultivation has
Deen pursued with wonderful success.
In Ohio, on the North bank OF the Ohio
river, for a number of years the grape
! has been cultivated with great profit,
and very large fortunes have been
| amassed In the manufacture of the
wine from the grapes there produced.
And we now learn that even still fur
ther North vineyards have produced
results that have naturally occasioned
very great surprise. In the State of
| New York, on the borders of the Cayu-
ga and Seneca lakes, the grape has
been cultivated with great profit; and
on the sleeps overlooking lake called
| Crooked Lake, about thirty-eight miles
! south of Geneva, New York, on the
Central railroad, there have been even
| greater returns from the culture than
/ anywhere else in the State. Such is
| the magnitude of this culture there
that grape fair has been gotten up
| and carried through with great ecldt.
| This fair was held at HammOndspOTt, Il
little town upon the Crooked lake. The
occasion drew together a large crowd,
I and had the accompaniment OF the vii
laEe dance, that innocent merry-ma-
/ king which is an inspiration of the
| grape, which even the Puritan must
| perforee regard with IA iorgiving i'm
| pulse.
The description of this fair which is
| before us, states that while the scenes
/ of festive character were transpiring,
there were "A "large number of persons
who sought the elucidAtiou of the pro-
| blem why the hills of Crooked Lake
| grew the grape so luXnrianuy;" "it
was a positive victory OF the vine
Anacreon and Plutus walking hand in
| hand. The delicious wine, the Iuxu-
RANT vines, the rich result, and the
profitable trafhc-a clear case of the
| purple vine and the golden reward"
| 1t appears that the richest vineyards
of this Crooked Lake locality are upon
hill 700 feet above the valley, "upon
such stony soil that no polite man
would have SO insulted his cow as to
request her TO find pasturing therew
We all know there are a plenty Ofsuch
| activities on our own mountains. Yet
| the Crooked Lake vineyards produced
| wine that met with especial commenda
| ton at the Worlds Fair in Paris. There
Is u wtne-houge in HammOndSpOrt
| where the business OF manufacturing
| the wine is still, i'll great degree, au er-
! pertinent. In some varieties complete
/ result has been achieved, while in 9TH
ers the winemakers are still cropping
after the triumph which will certainly
| reward their perseverance,. The grapes
| cultivated there are the Iona, the Ca
tawbR, the Diana, and the Delaware.
| These clothe the hills, saws our report
| er, with all the associations of the
| vine-clad homes that the great writers
have been tantalizing US with since the
days Of the Greeks"
| The beauty OF the matter Is, that
with all the poetry of the scene and the
| occupation, the country is growing
rich. The account before US states that
| the land Is held and sold at higher
| prices than any wheat land in New
| York, reaching as high in some cases.
as Jltee1l hstrdred dollars per aere.-
| This would be most compensating
/ price for the rocky sleeps of the Blue
Ridge. The story is somewhat incredi
| BILE, bot It Is related by a correspondent
of the New York World.
Now, these facts are suggestive. 1t
| may be asked why 1t Is that here in
| Virginia, where ths grape Is entirely ut
| home-wEere the soil and the CLINE is
SO congenial that it springs up sponta-
neously everyYhere-it has never been
cultivated beyond the limited wants OF
! the more independent families, which
have been supplied by few vines in
their gardens. The answer which Is SO
\ often given to inquiries relative TO the
limited variety of crops here ia the
South is the only one that can be made
to this-viz., the existence of slavery.
\ The institution was not at all adapted
TO a multiplicity of crops. Especially
| was IL unsuited 10 the close and provi-
dent tillage required for such products
as the grape. The planting, the careful
culture OF the vine, and the handiwork
| Of the harvest was not at all cOngenial
with the habits and capabilities of the
| African slAYe. This accounts for the
failure TO profit by the magnificent ad-
YantaEes Of climate and soil for the
grape culture which exit in Virginia.
But the Institution OF slavery being
I ended, our people now should endeRVOr
| in every way TO increase the variety of
their crops as the best means of making
the most from their lands, aud apply
| ing their labor so as to produces the
| most profitable resalts. The grape Of
fers one of the richest resources OF the
occupation of husbandry in Virginia.
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