Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-08-07
REMIN ISCENC ES.
WRITTEN FOR THE NARrIssBuac IsDEPExDEsr
BY A BERKELEY BOY.
Grape Culture in West Virginia.

The cultivation of grapes was
unknown in Berkeley in my boy
hood ! regret to say it has scarce.
ly found place yet there, what
ever may be the case in other Sec
tons of what we used to call sWes-
tern Virginia. 1t may safely be
classed as new interest in cur
new State. / propose to take a
glance at the situation, trusting
that 1t will not be forgotten at the
approaching Agricultural Fair.
Passing along f street, I have
frequently noticed a sign reading
''West Virginia Wine Depot -
And yesterday, the additional an
nouncement attracted my atten-
ton, Selling off below cost, to
close business For some time,
had intended to drop in, although
not swine-bibber," and not spe-
cialIy interested in the manufac-
ture of our grapes into beverages.
especially before we have enough,
and to spare, for the tables of all
elias. es, which implies lower prices
than grapes bring in our markets.
My purpose was to become infor-
med as to any and all things relat-
ing to the Old Dominion, but par
ticularly that section of it for
whose every interest, material as
we'll as otherwise, NATURALLY have
a warm heart--side.
AS the wines at the Depot are
nearly all sold, and the gentleman
in charge finding but little appre-
citation of his beverages here, is
about to shake the dust from his
feet against this city, l will not be
suspected, because of this notice,
of having any special axe, or even
Ratchet, to grind in the interest
Of the firm he represents, where
fore / have the promise of liberal
potalions in return for "pufs,' as
newspaper men are sometimes sus-
pected of arranging quid-pro-quos.
The significance of the sign re-
ferred to is this About ten years
ago, a number of migrants from
the vine-growing borders of the
Rhine, with a ready appreciation
of the adaptation Of the soil and
climate of the Ohio border of our
State for the pursuit herewith
they were already familiar, pur-
chased tract of land in Wood
county, not far from Parkersburg.
With this speciality in view, they
planted out about eighty acres
in grapes. These were mostly
of the varieties adapted to the
wine press rather than the table,
with " NCrton's Virginia !" in the
lead, not forgetting that other off
spring of one of the varieties of our
wild grapes, the Clinton, as indeed
is the Norton and several of the
other favorable wine producing
sorts. They tried the Catawba,
but did not find it, success at
Lubbock, for that is the imported
name of their headquarters.
The name Of the Teutonic firm
that made this important and
hopeful venture in West Virginia,
is II. and l.. Muenchmeyer, and
their agents, here, are Messrs.
Luders and Thornberg. Hereafter
Pittsburg is to be their head
quarters, the people there drink
ing much wine, and the peoples in
Washington not much, as the gen.
tlemen in charge on Z street put
The case, and hence the closure
of the depot there
There are Il number of smaller
vineyards dotting the Virginia
side of the Ohio, with encouraging
results, uniting with the eighty
acre one under more particular
notice in the demonstration of the
fact that the soiland climate there
are well adapted to the growth of
the vine-the climatic question
being the more important one. In
deed, this is the case all along the
Ohio. But not only there does
the mountain State present fields
for profitable enterprise in the
grape-growing line. AT Piedmont
clustering about the dwellings,
and even the railroad station, re-
member to have noticed produc-
tive vines. when last passed over
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad,
several years ago. All about Pied
mont, If vineyards have not been
planted, they ought to be. The
eastern slopes there, having just
the sort OF shelter requisite, are
admirably adapted for that pur-
pose. What has been done with
eminent success by Western Mary
landers, at Cumberland and else
where, ought to be done by the
West Virginians among the noun
tains, not at the locality just re-
ferred 20, but among the hills In
the long stretch or West Virginia