Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-11-16
frishtfully burned. After lingering about

i.@ ". y. JUICE, o. " hsningto0 county,
furnishes the Oskaloosa Guam with the
following facts and figures, founded upon
bis own experience, concerning grape grow
ing in Iowa: 1.-THE estimate is made on
one-hslf acre Of ground and the Concord
variety Of grape. Commencing in the spri,g
Of 1861, he planted T50 vinss-three-f ifths
Of them being second rate vines--in 1862
no resiiz.d from layers $1,000. In 1868
realized cut OF fruit 5000. Owing TO the
drouth that year did not take any layers.
In 1864 had four and half tons of fruit,
realizing 5000. He also took 5000 layers,
which brought $1,000. The crop OF 1866
was cut short by late frost in the sprirg.
realizing but $500 for the fruit Of that sea
son. In 1866 the yield vas II 900 pounl.,
a, 10 cents pound brought 81, 100. $50
pounds Of the crop Of 1865 was manuf,c-
tured into wine, making .0so gallons, soil
ing At an average of $500 per gallon, DO
sides selling 4lG0 worth Of fruit. The
yield for the present season will be ,ons,
which he intends making into wine, at The
usual average will make 10000 gallons
worth $500. In addition to tn, above
he has taken 19l 900 cuttings within the
last four understanding SC per Ill ,usand
amounting TO ell 400. Thus summing
up tho proceeds from one half acre Of
ground for seven ysars-inclnding tho pre-
sent season-makes 3 total o: $2l, $50,
while 81 900 will cover oil expenses for ;ul-
tiva,ins, leaving a net profit of $40. 54G.
To the question, then, will it pay, we en-
phatically say. yes.
Oar Wealth.
From the Atlantic Almanac for 1863, We
quote as follows:
1.-The Atlantic seaboard Of the United
States extends about $500 miles, and the
Mississippi and its tributaries open upon an
inland navigation Of 80, 900 miles, upon the
bosom Of which 10 nov floating IN amount
OF commerce three times as great in value
as tho whole foreign commerce Of the eeun-
try la former times the trade with fore On
ports was looked upon as our most import
ant interest. 1t is now dwaried BY the
transportation and handling Of domestic
produce for domestic markets. In 1850,
| the entire product ofths United States was
81. 900, 000.0 600. Its exports were less than
one fifth OF thus amount, leaving -four -fiftha
| 10 DO exchanged between the States. 1t
has been said that, At the present tins. not
more than one fifteenth Of the business Of
New Y ork city is based upon foreign com
| merce.
The Mississippi drains ,7s5, 900 square
miles. which ia more than ba'f the numb Or
| Of square miles in the United States, and tbs
surface contains 763 900, 600 acres Of the
finest land in the world. II has space for
one hundred and fifty States Of the size OIL
Massachusstts, and were ito population in
the same proportion, it would contain more
than five tlmes tho present population OF
the whole United ates. At this time not
more than one acre in five is under cultiva-
ton, and the vast resources Of coal and
minerals have hardly begun to be fairly de-
veloped. The fourteen States which
| comprise this region claim (though this
10 without resson) that they pay more
| lhan one half the taxes, and tina,
they work more than half the improved
land, and have a majority of the populA
ton Of the United states. The value o
the annual commerce OF the Mississippi i:
81 000, 900, 900, and the Agricultural Bu
reau, bas,ng its calculations upon past re-
suits. estimates that in the year 300, III,
cereal products of the West will aucun
10 more than $3,00o000.
Tho value OF crops, as well as Of tn
productions Of the mines and the forest
depend mainly on facilities for trans D orta.
ton. either natural or artificial. The Mis-
slssippi Is but one Of the outlets Of the vas
region through which it passes. The greal
lakes open n wide belt Of this country, ana
canals and canals aud railroads brin. al
most every farm within easy distance oil
natural navigation. The estimated cost o.
conveying ton OF merchandise a mile on
! the ocean Is from half cent to one and a
halt cents on the lakes two cents on
the liver two aud three fourihs cents; on
The canals. two to iise cents aud on the
| RAILROAD from three cents to thntsen aad
a halt cents. OF The amount Of graa 10.
ceivci at Chicago, 10 per cent. comes by
railway, but from that city only l0 pei
cont. Ia sent EaSs 10y railroad, whils, %
per cent. Is sent by the lakes. The mer-
chants, manufacturers ana consumers o
tina East have an interest in reducing ths
cost Of transportation to the lowest pcssi
bic point, and THU can DO most easily &c
fscted by Improving the water communica
lions. Cheap transportation is vital ne,
csssity to our whole country, and If il i.
secure the resources of tho vast and fer.
ills regions even further West vii be a.,
ve'oped IS surely as time endure4, ani
more rapidly than We can ut present
imsgine.
| sketch Of the Editor Of the Lon.
L aAl'ls.rAAse 4