Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-08-07
Territory eastward to the North
Mountain.

MOunlaln.
Two or three such vineyards
only did / find on later visits to
the Hedgesville district, and to
these only slovenly attention had
seemingly been given with cores
ponding results. One ofthese was
on very small scale in the viii
lage. But there was enough OBJ
servable, in the healthful appear
ance of the vines and the berries,
TO show what might be done, If
some such experts as have ound
success at Lubbock would take hold
there The eastern slopes Of the
North Mountain ought to be cover
ed with the purple clusters Of the
delicious and wholesome fruit un-
der notice All The conditions are
there, and the fruit ought to be
grown in conformity with them,
and it will be SO soon as somebody
with the proper knowledge and en-
terprise opens the way.
With reference to wines, / have
a Renaissance with which | will
close. While enjoying the hospi-
tality Of the Brothers Fuss, the
present proprietofs Of my bi TIL
place, last Summer, / noticed a
small arbor, evidently of the Clin-
ton, where there WAS not even an
fashioned Isabella" vine in
my childhood. So much did the
berries resemble those of the sum
mer grape of the neighborhood,
(ritis &c trails that one of the pro-
prietors said, with q feeling akin
to disgust. that, having bought the
young vines Of a travelling dealer,
he had cause to suspect that he had
defrauded him with the substitu-
tion of wild vines for the improv-
ed sorts which he claimed to be
dispOsing of at fair price. / con-
soled him by saying that it was an
operation that did indeed serve TO
remind one of the saying of the
Englishman about carrying Goals
to Newcastle for sale, but as he
had brought the Clintons to the
home of the parent stock, he might
at least expect them to flourish as
did theancestral native vine there
about.
And now Of the vintage Of the
native grape, | have this to state:
/ have recollections of n barrel OF
most palatabie wine in the liquor
cellar erected by father, near his
distillery, and now used by the
proprietors AS place for the pre-
servation of milk AMI butter and
mountain mutton,' (of which lat
ter / have recent as we'll rs old
time recollections that "make the
mouth water,") and also recollec-
lions of the old familiar proof
bottle'--ah too fami liar for my
safety, for that was the only bev-
erage in that well-filled cellar that
tempted my palate, and it certain
ly did tempt it much while it last
ed. / say while it lasted for
my father had neglected to keep
record of the ingredients, proper
tons and conditions, which result
ed in that SO successful manufacture
of wine from the Summer grape"
of the surrounding hills, and luck
lily for me, if not for him as an ex-
perimenter, he never succecdedsin
duplicating that well-remembered
barrel of "home made wine i
cannot say Faithfully, that.the son
regrets the disappointmeEt,in that
instance at least, felt by the father.
A second barrel of such IA wine as
that, for aught know, might have
confirmed a new born appetite,
which would have called, in flu
ture years, for even the distasteful
products OF the distillery.
j. K. S.
WAsHINGl ON, ID. c.