Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-10-07
GRAPE CULTURE IN THE VICINITY OF
XASHINGTnN -


We note increased attention 10 the cuItp~e ~
the grape In this vicinity DR.. J. b. Kea hey
mas now some ten acres in cultivation, at his
''Azadia Vineyard, beyond PieTee's Mill. on
the Rock Greek road to TenalIytowR. He has
me proper degree OF enthusiasm in the subject,
ana mas Tor some years given such lime as he
Couid spare while carrying on an extensive
city practice, to experimenting with different
varieties OF grapes, and testing their adaptation
TO this part Of the country. The soil, over a
diversified surface, with mainly a southern
exposure, is well adapted to the grape culture.
1t is sandy, gravely soil, made up largely Of
decomposed granite. In this ten acre vineyard
almost every known variety Of grape may be
found, including the hybrids. The Concords
have done the best this season escaping the
mIldew that has proved so fatal 10 almost every
variety Of grape in this part of the country this
year. DR.. K. set out a considerable portion of
his vineyard in 1863. In 1865 he sold about $500
worth OF grapes; in 1866 he sold several hun.
dred dollars' worth of grapes and put up some
1880 gallons Of wine, which will be ready To
put into market this fall, having gone through
Its last fermentation. The wine in his cellars
made from the Concord grape closely resembles
burgundy. Norton's Virginia grape makes a
heavy red wine, believed to be the best made in
the country.
IT may surprise many to know that it
does rot take very large crop Of grapes
to overstock the Washington market, es.
pecially OF the early grapes that come in when
peaches are plentiful. 1t is only when low.
priced fruit like peaches are out of the way
that grapes are sold to any extent here; and
most OF DIR. Keasbey's early grapes 60 to New
York for sale. where there is a demand for
them, the more especially as they are consider.
hIr- lInr thn
grapes. Grapes of this class are ripe here about
the 18th of August, (this year later, from the
backwardness of the season. in New York
about the 2lsr, and in the West fr ON the mid >
die to the last OF September. The Concords
he puts up in boxes weighing twenty pounds
sent by steamer, and the Delawares
IN small boxes con taining one or two pounds.
sent by express. The Concord he finds the
most profitable or the New York market
bringing from IL to rs cents per pound He does
not advise planting tie Delaware in this part
OF the country, in consequence OF its being so
liable to mIldew. He has experimental with
training the foliage of harder grapes over the
delaware, TO avert the mildew, and with some
success and also with the hood invented by
Mr.. Sanders, Superintendent of the Propaga.
ting Garden. This hood consists of 8 she'd
roof of two boards, sloping each way IL or Is
wire treliis. The experiment has proved a
success thus far, the leaves OF the vines pro.
tected by it showing marked contrastt TO those
exposed entirely to the weather. The theory
rs that the shed protection averts mildew
either by preventing too rapid radiation under
the sun, or in keeping off the dew. In this
connection we may mention that we have late.
ly seen at the Propagating G arden another IN
teresting experiment in the way of avertins
nlidew. In II open field of vines Of the Del.
aware, at one point single sash Of ordinary
implanted glass was suspended over two or
three vines, they ha wing no other protection,
and being exposed to the weather in all direc-
tons, except directly from above The result
was wonderful. The leaves Of these vines
were green and apparently quite unscathed,
while the unprotected vines Immediately ad-
Jacent were stripped as bare as il a n army of
locusts had been over them.