Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-25
GRAPE CULTURE VS.. ORDINARY
FIELD CROPS.

FIELD ChOFSs
To the Editors of the Union and American:
The crops heretofore cultivated by our
farmers generally, in Middle Tennessee,
have ceased to pay them. The almost
universal cry among our farmers is that
they are saving no money from their
farming operations-that they cannot af-
ford tn pay the present high prices for
labor because they cannot make anything,
and that they have not, as class, made
! per cent. per annum on their invest
ment since the war. / have conversed
with number of the most successful
farmers of this county, who say posi-
lively that that there are perhaps pot g
dozen farmers in Giles county who make
per cent. per a1num on their invest
ment. And l take it for granted that if
any person in any of the cotton growing
counties of this State will take the trouble
to question the farmers of his county as
to the nett proceeds. per sunum of his
present system of farming, he will find
about the same results as found here.
Therefore, | assume as true, that the
farmers in the cotton regions of Tennes-
see have not since the war realised on
their investment even per cent. per
annum nett. Then IT necessarily follows
that if farming is not remunerstive, the
resources of labor cannot be developed,
a vast amount of idle labor is thrown
upon the country, and the worst possible
consequences ensue. Yet with these facts
before him, the farmer scarcely knows
what to do; he is perplexed, bJthered-he
has been cultiVating cotton and the OTdin-
airy field crops sll his life-hss sort of
passion for it-dOes not know Row to
farm it in any other way. Many think
themselves too old to commence a new
system of farming, and with a full
knowledge of the fact they cannot make
it pay. They plant the same crops from
year to year, without stopping 10
think whether something else would
pay, or examining the new sys-
tenn of cultivation adopted by
his neighbor, or if he examine it is but to
condemn, and after Witnessing the success
of the new system he adopts it of course,
but gives his enterprisiDg neighbor greatly
the advantage of him. To illustrate:
when our distinguished aud enterprising
fellow citizen, Gen. Richard G. Ewell, of
Maury county, introduced fine sheep into
his county, many of his friends laughed
at and scorned the idea of success in his
enterprise, but afterwards saw the i'm
mense value of the project to the county,
and actually purchased from him at a
round price the stock that was to them
at one time objects of ridicule.
50 it occurs TO my mind that we, as an
yunrrl1 hn flEF
profted by clear examination of our
surroundings; system and plan of ex-
peri ments in wh.ch..sl farmers would
participate; freer interchange of opin-
Ions founded on observation and facts.
In a word, such facilities for disemina-
ting useful knowledge as are found in a
well attended and regulated farmers club,
fairs and good agricultural papers.
Several years before the war, an hon
Ored friend and relative, Josiah Robbins,
Esq, of Marshall county, man of su-
perior intelligence, placed in my hands a
number of agricultural works, in which
I first read articles on fruit growing, and
was attracted by the interesting statistics
they contained on grape and wine cul-
ture. Mr.. Robbins WAS then experiment
ing with fine grapevine quite success
fully, and the frequent interviews with
him, together with what / read on the
subject, determined me to attempt grape
culture on small scale, which expert
ment has eliminated in a success that has
far exceeded my expectations. But to
return. As an agricultural people, we
are compelled by the force of cncumstan-
ces to look for some other crop to cult
Vate, in order that we be paid for cur
investment and labor. Cd things have
passed away and all things have become
new. We must think more closely;
investigate and understand the
new system or crop before we
condemn it as unworthy to be tried.
Grape growing is so new an enterprise in
many portions of the State that the very
newness of it seems to startle the public
mind and excite ridicule as it did in this
county four years ago when we planted
vineyard. But after we have fruitcd
several varieties of grapes, successfully,
for three years in succession, and after
having thousands of visitors during the
time to the vineyards while the vines were
fruiting, we have sold to this county at
this date Is, 600 rooted vines and large
number of cuttings for this fall delivery,
besides about an equal number to other
points. ! mention this to show how