The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-04-17
dhe 5arMler.
oRApR CULTURE
visIr 70 FAlavIEw vINnYAnDl

"a.
Correspondence Of ne Rallimors 1ma'3caa.
HooDs Mus, October s.
While the agriculturists Of the West
hli the halls IL Legislatures with their
complaints nt the injurious determinations
and cxactions &c the railway companies, II
Is ra1e shing to find Maryland farmer
making snch accusations, although it is
emily ~ great discrimination on the part
Of The railroads in favor Of the Western
shipper that be Is enabled to send his grain
past the gates Of the Maryland farmer into
tho same market aud to the exclusion Of
his produce. The consequences have been
seriops;to Maryland. Year by year il be-
comes more apparent that the agricultural
classes cannot prosper BY the cultivation
Of cereals. The s'only hope for the agri'
cultural interests Of farmers tilling lands
ii the Atlantic shed is the introduction Of
new articles for profitable culture.
haye recently had my attention called
to the cultivation Of the grape as horti-
cultural pursuit for which Maryland is we'll
adapted, and which opens large field to
enterprise, aud have received some infor-
nation upon the subject which may be
worthy Of tho public attention. That the
soil Of Maryland must present some notable
fitness for such a use, is attesled in this
case BY the fact that an amateur hortieul-
inrist residing in another State was SO
strongly impressed with il that he backed
his opinions with considerable investment
Of capital.
Colonel j. H. Sullivan was formerly in
terssted in railway matters in Ohio. He
resided in GAINESVILLE, which was also the
former resident Of Sunset Cox, the &C.
NAL wit Of the House Of Representatives,
who is nephew Of the Colonel. The
builder Of the Central Ohio road, the first
connecting link Of the Baltimore aud Ohio,
Colonel Sullivan, was It's President for a
number Of years, until It was absorbed
by the Baltimore and Ohio road. Since
then he has been interested in various
manufacturing enterprises, aud at present
resides at Bellaire, Ohio, where he carries
on large glass factory. A man Of seien-
tiac attainments, he has also strong pre-
detection to horticulture. Some years ago be
purchased farm in Howard county in
this State, and established extensive vine
yards, to whose care he devoted great
attention | had recently an opportunity
Of inspecting these Vineyards and received
the explanations which form the material
for this letter.
Colonel Sulliyan's place is situated about
two miles west Of the line Of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, between Sykesyille
aud Hoods Mills, on the main stem Of the
Baltimore and Ohio Road. The country
along the valley Of the patapsco is very
billy. The place known as Fairyiew vine
yard is beautifully situated, aud the sur
rounding landscape is full Of picturesque
beauty. Something over a year ago Col.
sullivan sustained severe loss in the
destruction BY FIRE, in his absence, Of his
house, containing valuable library and
costly furniture, and the building of new
house is just finishing There are mum
Der Of outbuildings, and improvements In
this respect are projected, the growth Of
the industry requiring increased facilities.
| was fortunate in meeting Col. Sullivan
himself, who had come on from Ohio to
superintend the gathering Of the grapes
He is an elderly gentleman of exceedingly
courteous address, and an enthusiast in
+ horticulture.
There are two indigenous stocks Of the
grape in this country the rifis kabrgca,
commonly known as the fox grape, and
the rifts aestiealis, or chicken grape. The
cultivation Of these two stocks have pro
'duced large number Of varieties, such as
from the fox grape, the Concord, Catawba,
Isabella, Ives, Venango, and other large
juicy grapes; and from the chicken grapes,
the Norton's Virginia, Delaware, Clinton,
Herbamont, Taylor's Built, and other
kinds Of small grapes, many of them light
in color and possessing delicate favor
A large number Of varieties have been
produced by hybridization with the Asiatic
grape, there being some fifty-three yarie-
ties Of the Rogers Hybrids alone, but al
though the results already obtained by
hybridization are such as give rise to ex-
pectation that some very valuable varic-
ties viii be produced, Colonel Sullivans
experience with his Maryland vineyard
goes to prove that the Hybrids are deficient
in vitality, and are not advantageous for
profitable culture. OF the varieties produ-
ced from the native stocks by cultivation,
the Concord is most widely known, and is
one Of the most valuable, as il is suited to
almost any climate, is exceedingly prolific
and very hardy No part of the world
can furnish so great number Of varieties
as America, and there is no country which
Is so rich 10 possibilities of grape growing
and wine making. The European grape,
from which the finest wines in the world /
are now produced, is not indigenous, but
is thought to have been introduced from
Asia. Centuries Of culture and acclima-
tization have elaborated numberless varie-
ties from tho original stock, and brought
them to the pitch Of excellence which they
now maintain. Their juice is more deli
cate in favor than our grapes and frcer
from tannin, giving them a greater softness
and smoothness Difference of climate
have produced marked dissimiarities 10
the varieties of diverse localities making
the widely differing kinds Of wine, from
the dark and heavy.bodied Port to the
thin pale Rhcnish, It cannot be doubted
that the culture Of the grape in this coun-
try will, in process Of time, afford similar
results, as tho warm sum Of the South
win elaborate the large proportion Of grape
sugar which gives the strong body of the
heavy wines, while farther North, culture
win obtain from the grape the delicate
hayors Of the light wines Of France and
the Rhine As il Is, the yarieties Of the
native grape already grown have many
valuable sinous traits, and some Of the
wines have hygienic properties which make
them estiinabie for medicinal use.
Col Sullivan's vineyard has an extent
of fifty acres in bearing, the vines being
from four 10 nine years old. II is four
years before the vines begin to bear, and
although additional vineyards have been
set ont they do not Is yet yield any crop.
The principal crop is ifom the Concord
and Ives varieties, although some fifty va.
rieties are cultivated. At the time Of my
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