The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-09
he history of its grape culture.


decisive, but they should enter into {
consideration of the possibility of success:
in making vine-growing an establish
cd industry.
But what would be q success? Anc
what tribunal should sit in judgment
1t might be harbinger of success il
our vine would compare favorably with
European specimens. In 1873, at the
Industrial Exhibition held at Vienna
eighty-two specimens were offered by
twelve exhibitors. The opinions of the
British, French and Swiss Commissioners
are published, and should, it is supposed
fix the grades of American wines. Bu
the awards us issued convey no idea oi
the value of the wines, nor of any 9th.
er American products exhibited for there
were 442 awards granted to 654 exhibi.
tors. Ofthesc none were of the first grade
for wines. Of medals for progress,
that is for improvement over former ex.
hibits, four were awarded, three for the
class of "merit," and diplomas comforting
honorable mention were issued to the ex.
hibitors, there being nine awards tc
twelve exhibitors of wine.
In the abstract Of the report of the
commissioners, we find no high estimate
placed on the wines, to which these
awards were granted (; in almost every in.
stance there is an open sneer, or con.
cealed sarcasm in alluding to them
while the Editor of the reports in com.
miseration for our deficiency "has moi
hesitated to omit all that was plainly
erroneous, or which appeared prejudiced.'
Thus, with the best opportunity we have
had before the world, we have made no
position for our wines.
Some of the wines on exhibition were
possibly pure and natural, but probably
the greater number of them were of the
class we have called fabricated" The
standard wines, those from the drinking
Of which the experts had acquired their
taste, may have been of similar grades,
some natural, some fabricated. How
worthless must have been such test.
We know we can make good imitation
of wine, q substitute, but we wish to
know if we can with certainty and profit
make such as the Son of God blessed,
and for which no fabricated article can
be substituted.
To make the true, natural wine
its constituents must exist in the grape.
As variable as are wines in flavor,
strength and durability, to be good Of
their class the grapes should have in
them water, sugar, acid, salts of potash
and lime, and tannin in proper proper
tions. If we examine green grape we
find in it an intensely sour fluid, with
some pulpy matter around the seeds.
This, by gentle changes in the laboratory
of nature, is in time in great part con-
vertcd into pleasantly sweet and slight
ly acid juice. If this change is effected
to but limited extent, the fermented
juice makes weak sour wine, but if the
ripening of the fruit has progressed ia
vorably we may have an agreeable
wine.
The ripening and perfection of the
fault is the sine ia qnon, and this process,
complicated as it is, has to be studied and
guided to q successful conclusion before
an assured success can be hoped for. The
acid of the grape is mostly tartaric; this
acid is very soluble in water, but when
brought into combination with potash
and lime it forms chemical compounds
but slightly soluble in cold water. In
the process of ripening the tartaric acid
gives up some of its component parts to
the potash and lime in the grape, while
the uncombined parts of the acid seek q
new combination with other constituents
of the grape and assist in the formation
of sugar. If, however, the potash and
lime should not be in the proper guam
tity and in place at the proper time to
enter into combination with the tartaric
acid, the wine will be unpleasantly sour,
and from the scarcity of sugar there will
be q corresponding deficiency of alco-
hol.
1t may be regarded as automatic that
vital processes, persistently interfered
with, either through deficient or supera-
bundant nutrition, will result in disease,
perhaps in death. 1t is possible that the
comparatively short lives of some vines,
and the diseases and imperfections of the
plant, are in great degree attributable to
something of the kind. If the soil can
not supply the proper amount of the
necessary inorganic matters to perfect
the organic constitutions of the plant,
the production must be deficient in quail
ity or quantity, or derhaps in both.
True, natural wines have been produc-
ed in greatest perfection on volcanic for
nations, and in localities were potash
and lime are available constituents of
the soil; the use Of manure containing
them has been practiced in all countries.
Their application, however, to soils in
which they are deficient, must not eX-
clude from consideration other chemical
and vital influences. Wines are stron-
ger, more durable and less acid in hot
regions than in cold ones; while the dis
tance of few PAGES make a great differ
ence in the product, explicable by change
in the constituents of the soil, radiation
of headt hygrometrical condition, texture
Of the soil, drainage, or some undiscover-
ed cause. On the Determination of these
matters the treatment of the vine de-
pends. In earths which yield in excess
potash and lime the vine may succeed
best if allowed to run riot in the trees,
but if the supply is scant and the greater
part of it is absorbed by the wood Of the
plant the dose or charge for the season
may be so fixed that it is not available at
the period of ripening; to antagonize this
close pruning should be practiced. The
depth to which the roots should pene-
trate the ground is at the same time to be
determined in part by the constituents of
the soil as available at variable depths.
1 say available, for although the guam
ty of lime, potash and other inorganic
substances may be sufficient to last eight
to six hundred years, still if these sub
stances are in such chemical combination
that the plant cannot absorb them
in sufficient quantity they are useless.
As well might we expect vine to flour.
ish in a glass tumbler filled with foul
water and marble chips, the potash in the
glass and the lime in the marble being
unavailable.
The experience of the past establishes