Evening star., 1869-09-29
yINE-GROwING ABOUT WASHING
T0N.


TON.
Those familiar with yine-culture and wine-
growing throughout the world have spoxen of
the hills upon the rivers about Washington as
peculiarly adapted by soil and drainage tor
vineyards.
Inls Is mater of much interest to this
District, now that we are casting about 10
see what elements we can bring into play ana
Wnat resources we can develop to give Wash
Ington permanent foundations of business
prosperity. We have noted the experiments in
Vins-euiture made at Kendall Green. north of
me city on the hills on the Maryland side; and
on Rock Creek near Pieree's MILL Lately wa
nave heard rather glowing accounts of yine
yards planted upon the hills of the Virginia
snore, between the Aqueduct and Little Fails,
and nave taken the pains TO visit them 10 see
now lar report was correct.
These hills, surmounting the southsru b,nk
OF the Potomac above Georgetown, though pic.
turesque, and commanding q siuguIarly fne
view OF the District cities and the valley of the
fotomac, have, until quite recently, been left
IN q wild, updeveloped state. owing TO the
dImculiy Of access 10 them through the want
Of bridge over the Potomac al Georgs-
town. During the late war, in anlicipa.
ton that the time could not be far dis.
tant when the necessity for a road-bridge
at that point would lead to its construction.
acres in this section in one body of land, con-
siStIng OF five adjoining farms, and located
aoout one and half miles above the ne W road
bridge at Georgetown, bordering about one
half mile IN length and within about four hum
dred feet OF the Potomac river and running
back about one mile from the river Soon after
the war Dir. Phillips moved his family ont
from Georgetown and occupied a house on this
estate, built several years before the war by
runLr
meneed making improvements He found
great numb rs Of Wild grape vines scattered
over the entire tract. many of them of immense
lie and covering the largest trees with their
iu1uriant growth Of foliage. Concluding from
ms TACT that cultivated varieties must do
weil' and knowing taat the grape is the most
valuable fruit grown, he concluded to try the
experiment of vine culture here on a pretty
'norougn and extensive scale. As a prelimi-
nary sep, however, he had the soil carefully
examined by persons of experience in grape
growing, all OF whom pronounced It ad dmirably
guaiined by Its constituents for the vine.
Among these was Mr. VIM. Saunders of the
Government Experimental Garden. who
entered with Mr.. Phillips into a project of
organizing stock company with capital stock
ofSlOO,OOO TO plant as many acres as that amount
would justify. Mr.. Saunders was prevent.
ed, however, by circumstances from ,oinine
IN the enterprise and Mr.. Phillips determined
10 90 on alone and accordingly the following
spring (lSs6i planted, as an experimental test,
ABOUT two acres in the most thorough manner
upon favorably situated hill side gave the
NI1es pretty good cultivation and they n our-
isned, even beyond bis anticipations. These
vines We're purchased Pittsburgh In
planting the vineyard it was found that the
sub-soi! was composed Of decayed SANDSTONE
which Is ronounced the most fsyorabIs for the
grape. The vines were tied for two years TO
stakes as they grew. and not allowed to bear
The third year (I-6e) the stakes were removed
dnd replaced by treIlis, like a high paling
fencs. Upon these rrelIises the viles were
trsined upon the two-arm sysen. TIE superb
crop they bore that season created considerable
excitement for miles around, and many came
% see the large, perfect and beautiful clusters
of grapes, the Concords b-ing especially fiae.
The success Of the experiment suggested the
idea among the visitors OF organizing a "Fruit |
Growers Association 70 aid in developing the |
capabilities Of that district for fruit gro wing
From this germ sprang the Potomac Fruit |
tirowers Association, embracing \ large mum.
o-r OF intelligent and enterprisiug citizens o,
AExandTia aud Fairfax counties. The m moutnly
meetings Of this association, which have been
-eported by the press, are hayinza valuable !
rfeCt in eliciting experiences and supply
modes ot eultiyating fruit.
This year the Vineyard of Mr.. Philips has
had an immense yield, and toe grapes have sur
PTIsed all visitors by the perfection Of the clus.
teTs- The people OF Washington, ho viewer, are
.aIi!Iar with heir beauty ana isvor, as they
I've had the command of the market Mr..
Phillips has added largely 10 the area Of his
vineyard but thus far has been able only to
supply the demand for table grapes; and the
PERFECTION of the clusters, Well their IA
yOr, fits them pre-eminentIy for this use, but
there can be TO doubt that the experiment SO
succsszfully commenced, must go on TO the ex-
Tor wine growing purposes.
Recently MIR. Phillips has sold portion of
his land TO parties disposed TO enter into the
fruit-growing enterprise, and il seems proba-
ble that the business of grape-growing will,
before long, be carried on upon this line of
hills upon large scale. Among these pursna-
sers are the following DIR. J.sW. Van Aer.
mum, twenty acres; Gen. J. ). Crocker and
Maurice l.. Wright, twenty-six acres; N. +.
Hopkins, ten acres, al s1OO per acre, and
Messrs. Dake and Babcock, twenty-six acres
AZ SIS per acre. These gentlemen are rapidly
improving their lands, and the latter have al
ready erected fiEe double house, and are oc-
cupying the same. We believe that something
OF importance will grow from these expert
ne1ts IN grape gro wing in this vicinity. There
Is no good resson why the hills about WASH
ingtor should not be as pronta tab,y cultivated
WIN the vine as those abolt Cincinnati.