Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-04-03
Grape Culture in Virginia.


Company at Fineland. and found the grape
growers Of that region all rusY preparing to
resist the inroads of the grape rot, which work
ed such havoc there last yeGr. Covering the
burchcs with paper bags seems 10 BE- the mos:
10 vogue. but Col. Pearson of the Vinel.nd
Vino Co., thinks any shelter like barrow strip
of muslin stretched along over the canes
baaliog tho fruit will DO equally lffec i've,
his theory bticg that the CHEF danger
lies in cxposilg tho fuit to tho dow
Careful study of the disease with the misceo-
scope and practical observation las satisfied
him that tho rot is tho result of fungus, which
is developed 10 moist warm weather, as in the
dews of night, and that the spores ero carried
through the damp air or in the dews and &C.
posted % the ftuit where they take root. pene.
trate the skin ct the grape or leaf and thus pro-
duoo rot.
American wines are becomiog very popular
10 Philadelphia, We learn from our friend Mr..
Charles Born, who is dealing exclusively 10
them at his place (corner Of Sixth and Arch
sreets), and is doing excellent work for our
vineyardiss. Messrs. Rbul 4 Graft arc also
doing very good business in this line.
ln Baltimore, Bowling, Patterson e. Go. is
10 American Wines though there are several Of
| tho higher class ro.ai groccrSman who DO o fair
family trade 10 them.
In Washington tho trade 10 these Wioc5 is
| confined almost wholly to retail srocers.
| At Gordonsville, Va, Whero NO remained
over ono day, We found quite number of grape
| growers nestled away among tho picturesque
| bills 10 tho nelghboI hood Of the town. The
largest operator 10 this lime is DE-. Cadmus,
who has clpaclous Nlle cellar rs 900 to l00..
| 0OO gallons and all the facilities for turping
out large quantity Of wine. If suitable sites
can DO found Tor vineyards thore is an oppor-
| tuDly offered the farmers 10 that Vicncity for
making grape culture profitable, as the Doctor 8
| oallar affords steady and reliable market for
thousands of tons of grapes
| Charlottesville, situate 10 Abeuaro county,
| fourteen miles 10 the south OF the Blue Ridge,
seems to abound in excellent sites for vineyards.
The country is rolling and pre- s,nts many bean
tlul sunny slopes where the grape thrVes 10
| tho greatest perfection. Tho soil on these
slopes, seems 10 ba iioh. rcd. gravl !y or slaty
| loan, with Strong eubs0! ord good uaderdrain
age. The most practical aud successful effort
10 vine culture that has "a yet been made here
has been put forward by tho MCniicalIo Woe
Company.
| he utOutiGcilu w inc tJOulpaDy was OrpAt lG9U
in 1873 through the efforts of w. w. Minor,
sr., thu present president Oscar Ricrson. now
! SECRETARY ami treasurer, AdOlph Russ0H, tho
superintendent, and others, grspe growers 10
and around tho beautifully situated town Of
charlottesville, Va, tho seat CT the University
OF Virginia, ono OF tho inest colleges 10 tho
eoanry, end the pride Ct it, fluUdor, ThoDas
Jefferson. This regio1 Is under high culliva-
lion, sid lta charming topography I'll mountain
| ami valley readers u Que Of thA most beautiful
to DO found 10 Tho Ola Dominion. abounaios as
1t does Id romantic Aid dolly htlu sceucry. The
| D,ue Rldge mOuuiGlGs full ct spIeuGid sltca Tor
new vineyards, tJrms blue rim In tue western
horz IL, reminding onu Of the Pyreuccs Otlcu-
tales 10 Southern France. rou much Praise
caurot be awarded TO Mr. Adulph Ruesow, the
energetic and thorous hgOlog superintendent.
| who ny his energy and pcIsGvcring industry has
contributed largely to the sucatsj Of tho COM
pany.
Tie policy adopted by the conpapy aud
FIRMLY adhered 10 throughout wal the ptoduc-
ton Of absolutely pure wines from cranes grown
| 10 tho vic emily. and. as might he expected. tho
WInes heailng tho compauy's brand, viz: Dala,
ware, Catawba, Virginia Hook. Nortou's Viz
giols Scedllog. CIlaton, Alvey, aud Ives, are
recoRbz ID as supcrisr IN quality, and arc readily
sold TO their CUSTOMERS, who arc only limited by
the capacity OF tho company 10 supply their
demand.
Tho tact that the c,mpaoy j wiaes wcro tho
only ones which received silver medal at tho
Paris Exposition, where tho wines Of all coun-
tries were Jumped together and tested on their
merits, IL tbs strongest proof that the methods
pursued aro OF the best. and 70 FIR towards
solving the promblcm Of successful vino grow
log 10 this couotry. Tho members ct the cou-
pany now have 400 acres 10 hearing, aud arc
planting out 50 acres OF new vineyard tho pres
ent season. The capacity OF tho cellar is about
lO0.O 900 gallons, which can be easily doubled.
Tho establishment o. this cellar has been
OF great benefit to tho farmers Cf the
Vicinity, enabling them to dispose CT their sur.
plus crop not marketed for table grapes, and
has brought several thousand dollars into circu.
latlon about town annually. This fast il be-.
coming appreciated by farmers 10 tho vicinity,
and somo OF the moro shrowd ones are planting
out small vineyards to supply the growing do.
nands OF the Wloe company, as o sort Of insur,
anoe against loss 10 case other crops fail.
The Norton's SeCdliog is tho kind most largo.
~ planted. as 1t makes superior rcd wine of
tho Burgundy sort. more nearly resembling tho
| French Woo OF that name than any grown in
this country. The Delaware and Cstaw5a ara
not planted 10 the valleys add lower levels, but
succeed to perfection Gu tho higher slopes OF
tho Blue Ridge.
Rot is almost unknown here. and milIdew
seldom appears 10 sufficient foc, to work any
damage to the crop,
Gao of tho most enterprising grape growers
in this place is William HOtop who owns
magnificent plantation of over 400 acres, about
40 of which Sre 10 grapes near the vineyards
and cellar OF the company. Mr. Oscar Rier
sou, Messrs. Minor, sr. aud r.. Judge H. Tay.
Tor, Mr.. j. W. Porter, Mr.. b. Ii. Brennan, Mr..
5. N. Gale and others, have Vineyards, the
crops from which, for the most part, arc used
| by the company.
| At Greenwood, 10 miles to the wss., 90 tho
slopes of the Blue Ridge, arc several other
Vineyards, which give proms, of excellent re-
suits; amorg those who arc engaged more
largely are Mi. William Hllocrs. Dr., j. Il.
| Baylor and Fred. Baier.
The soil in this part of the State in red loan,
| sometimes sandy nOd gravely or slaty, some
times clayic. and ia itch 10 phosphates and
iron salts Iron ore croDs nuk frfnuantlu h,r,