Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-04-21

4 y
at these points, as we'll as on the mountain
slopes, and at several points on the Hud-
son river, there are extensive vineyards,
many of which are owned by Alfred Speer
who, from small beginning, and in spite
of obstacles of no ordinary kind, has at
tanned great success as vine grower. Ills
vineyar.., near Passaic and other places,
comprise from fifty to one hundred acres,
on which are raised vines of different va
rieties-some Of the most difficult to bring
to maturity. Among them is the imported
Oporto grape, from which is made the
port grape wine, which rivals IN every
quality the original port. As may be
supposed, the utmost care and unceasIng
attention were necessary to bring the
slips of the Oporto grape to bearing
point, through all the vicissitudes of our
climate, but they are now healthy and
/ vigorous, and prolific bearers. Mr.. Speers
mode of cultivation differs from that
generally adopted, his vines being trained
to separate upright support, and wires
and lattice work entirely dispensed with.
By this means abundant shade is secured,
as we'll as thorough ventilation. The
grapes are allowed to hang until October,
when they become dead ripe" They are
then gathered and put in the wine press,
whence the juice is conveyed in pipes to
vats where it is allowed to remain until
fermentation sets in. If it is intended to
manufacture red wine, the skin and pulp
are allowed to remain on the unjust" but
these are removed if white wine is desired.
The juice is soon cracked oil" into barrels,
and slowed away in another building, the
date being marked on each barrel. After
successive "rsckings," to give proper
stfineness," the barrels are removed to an
inside cellar, where the temperature is
always the same. Here they remain un-
| til the wines are from three to five years
old, which is the necessary age.
The average productions of the vine
yards controlled by Mr.. Speer is about
sixteen thousand gallons year, but this
is by no means the limit of his manufae-
ture, for stimulated by his example, some
farmers have given their attention to
grape growing, in many instances turning
/ to profitable account land otherwise uu.
productive.
So rapidly has the demand for Catawba
and port grape wines of New Jersey man
ufacture increased, that it was found
necessary to enlarge the cellarage and
storage accommodations, and fine three
story building, one hundred feet front,
has been erected, having underneath a
deep cellar, or, rather two, one within the
other, where any requisite temperature
can be steadily maintained A number
of other buildings adjacent are also occu-
pied in connection with the business one
on the hill is called the "press-house," and
another the "tank-house" So successful
has the experiment proved, that it is safe
to predict that in few years the banks
of the Passaic and the eastern slope OF the
Blue Ridge will be covered for miles with
vines.
Catawba and port grape are mentioned
above as New Jersey wines, but Mr..
Speer'a manufacture is not confined to
these, for he has the controlling interest
in large vine yards in California, which
were planted by the early Spaniards, and
are now under the supervision of French
and German wine growers. The products
are known as the 81. P California" port
and sherry, up. ]. La Prueissima," which
already rank high in this market.
In conclusion, it may serve a good pur-
pose, az an example Of what energy will
accomplish to notice briefly Mr.. Speer's
career. Thrown upon the world when a
child, he was at II years of age appren-
ticed to cabinent-maker, who agreed to
board him, teach him the trade, and give
him his clothes until 81 years of age
Any one who served an apprenticeship
five years ago knows what that means
ten hours in the shop, and rest from la
Dor in the evening, which was generally
| and by daylight in the morning wedding
! Il "a olipCs nra5 oyd
S'doing chores" At this period of his life,
! literary man, and every spare moment
was devoted to study. He devised vari-
Gus expedients to secure funds for the
purchase of books. At the expiration of
his apprenticeship he resolved to start a
shop of his own, of course on a small
scale, in his native village of Passaip. A
friend Leased him piece OF ground,
wherein he built him shop with his
own hands, and got all the business of
the neighborhood, which was scant
enough. Often he has come to New York,
bought the stuff for bureau or sofa,
shipped it by rail, and returned home on
| foot, a distance of twelve miles, not having
money to pay his fare, to turn the raw
material into Iurniture, WHICH would
pEOutlcS 10 iBdh6 duOGDer
! trip for still more material to the city
| Energy and determination to succeed soon
| brought their reward, and in few years
he had larger shop, and was able to en-
| ploy several journeymen, but notwith-
standing his apparent success, he was
still without capital To supply this he
was in the habit OF making journeys
through ne country, taking a circuit of
! ten or fifteen miles, carrying with him his
TOOLS and varnieh pot, Thus armed he
would call at th6 farm houses, repair
the furniture, re-varnish the chairs
and tables in the chest rooms"
and occasionally send a peculiarly
crazy aud dearly cherished piece
Of antique furniture to his shop to be
made as good as new In this way he
accumulated enough to buy his shop and
the lot on which it stood, and soon after
the house and grounds which he now oc-
cupies as dwelling. During this close
| application to business he found time to
employ his inventive faculties, which he
did in deyising piano upon an entirely
new plan, for which no obtained patent.
He also invented and patented window
| fastener, now in general use Want of
means (which, in his case. included time
as well as money impelled him, reluct-
antly, to partially abandon his idea of
literary life, and he turned his attention
to horticulture and arborculture as
means of recreation (thus proving that the
bu lest men have the most leisure, and
incidentally to those pursuits, raanufac-
tured some wine, which he stored for his
own use.
Ambitious to enlarge his establishment,
he started out with his NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
intending to sell the patent right OF differ
ent States, and invest the proceeds in the
other invention, or in making and storing
wines. When in Now Orleans he found
his patent right poor stock, and not wish. |
ing to leave Louisiana without at least
clearing his expenses, he sent home for
basket Of his wine This he used as |
sample, and took large orders in New Or
leans and Mobile, This unlocked for sue
cess led him to the conclusion that any-
thing that appealed to the sense of taste.