Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-19
GRAPE CULTURE-NO. n.

LO AufNoiS VI Olilbtt anu AlutIlCdUs
The facts that large fortunes have been
made from the cultivation of the grape and
the great success that has crowned the eff
forts Of grape culturists generally, have in
vested this subject with an extraordinary
interest in the United States. Multitudes
are planting vineyards in all parts of the
country. Hundreds of new nurseries are
springing into observation-disclosures from
every direction come teeming with ''grape
vines for SALE" and yet it is thought the de-
mand will be fully equal to, if not greater
than the supply. This branch of industry
is destined to exert controlling influence
in the wealth of the nation. Surely the
results of to-day viii warrant this conclu-
sion. Look for moment at its progress.
About the year 1920, the London Company
established a vineyard in Virginia and
seemed to have had some success for ten or
twelve years, but failed after that time.
William Penn in 1888 made an unsuceess-
full attempt to establish a vineyard near
Philadelphia. Subsequently Mr.. Tasker,
of Maryland, and Mr.. Anti, of New Jersey,
met with some success. These crude expert
ments in grape culture continued until the
year 1896, when the French settlers in Illinois
manufactured wine from native grapes. In
1790a colony ofSwiss was founded in Jessa-
mine county Ky, for the purpose of grape
growing, but like those that preceded
them, planted the foreign vine and failed.
But in 1901 they removed to Indiana
planted native vines and succeeded.
About fifty years ago Major Album of
Georgetown, d. c., introduced the Catawba
grape, and We may look to that period as
fixing the date of the first successful efforts
and for laying sure foundation for future
success in grape culture in this country.
The late Mr.. n. Longworth, of Cincinnati.
who was one of the founders of American
grape, commenced the cultivation on a large
scale of the Catawba, and in 1858 the whole
number of acres planted in grapes around
Cincinnati was estimated at I,200. and az
this time it will probably reach over 5000
acres. | see it estimated by Hussman thai
the vineyards of the whole country in 1915
did not probably exceed 200 acres, and in
ten years time they reached two million
acres-that the varieties of grapes then
known were ten, all told, and now they are
counted by the hundreds. And that in 1876
grape growing was confined to only few
settlements; now there is not
State in the Union from Maine
to California but has its vineyards. With
such rapid increase it is impossible
for the mind to overestimate the magnitude
of this interest in the future. Vines attain
a great age. The ancients gave them a life
of six hundred years. Redding, says the
age to which the vine lives well is from
sixty to seventy years or more, and III the
common course of things it is six or seven
before it is in full leaving. In parts of the
Gironde department in France the vine
does not bear well beyond forty years. In
others, on a sandy soil it will live and bear
well to one hundred and fifty OF more.
Bose says a vine in Burgundy had reached
four hundred years and in some Italian
vineyards vines three hundred years old
still flourish and bear.
They also attain to an immense size and
bearing capacity. have authentic accounts
before me of vines in the Persian province
of Ghilan that are twelve feet in circum-
ference and that the columns in
Juno's temple at Metapont, and also
statue of Jupiter for the city of Apolloniun,
were made from the wood of the vine. The
great doors of the Cathedral at Ravenna are
made of vine planks, some of which are
twelve feet long and fifteen inches broad.
The Hampton Court vine, says Strong, is
the most famous in England. 1t was plant
ed in 1869 and now covers over twenty-five
hundred square feet; having stem thirty
inches in circumference three feet from the
ground, and having an annual crop of about
ton Of Black Hamburg grapes. The main
cane is one hundred and twenty feet long.
In the HOrticultlTiSt is described a vine
near Burlington, n. j., measuring six feet
and one inch in circumference at three feet
from the ground. ats giant folds run over
and cover four trees, one Of which is full
sized oak and the others are quite large"
The Southern CuItirdtOr describes Soup
pernong vines in Georgia as covering much
larger area than any other Occount l have
seen. IT, Altd Californian gives an ac-
count of vine at Monticito, four miles
from Santa Barbara, that is ten feet in cir
conference, and the estimated yield of this
vine was eighteen thousand pounds of fruit.
Many other accounts of vines of eXtraordin-
airy age and size might be referred to, but
the foregoing is deemed sufficient for the
present purpose, as they show conclusively
that the vine is permanent institution"
In the articles that follow, it viii be my
purpose to give in detail, and in quite
plain, practical way, all the information in
my power relative to grape culture, so as
the common farmer can understand and
apply the facts present to his own selec-
ton and preparation of soil, planting, cult
waiting, pruning, etc, OF the vine.