The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-12-29

ing gradually the following years to 900,
4,70O, $500. $4,000, and in 1879, 5000
gallons. with present prospect of running
up to 10000 in $780, A wonderful rev.
olution has taken place the last three
ears as to the use OF native wines. In
1874 1t was difficult to get a dealer to
even examine them; now they are in
general use, largely to the exclusion OF
the imported article, with constant ten
dency to drive the foreigner out, except
AS to some of the more costly and superior
brands This was not wholly arbitrary
prejudice. A number OF individuals
made their own little lots of wine; some
of them good. but with no assurance that
next lot would be the same. Most made
"a horrld cordial, with two to four pounds
sugar to q gallon Others gallized, Gre
ating thin vapid stuff The result was
that no dealer could rely upon adopting
these for want of uniformity This must
be remedied, and has been largely by the
use OF properly constructed cellars, under
the management of some competent per-
son, without which good wines cannot be
expected of uniform standard, no mat
ter how properly handled Without ar
rogantly claiming any superiority over
others, submit that when by sending
one case Twelve quart bottles) to the
Agricultural Department at Washington
in March, 1878, of which they took
charge, and put up at the Paris Exhibi-
ton, where it was awarded the only sill
yer medal Con the 10th September, 1879
without any one being interested to bring
this pitiful dozen, surrounded as it was
by splendid pyramids of casks, cases and
bottles of other exhibitors, to the atten-
ton of any one, it has thus passed the
crucial test, under the most untavorable
circumstances. 1t certainly not only es-
tablished itself, but drew attention to this
section of country as one eminently fit for
grape culture. 1t put new life into our
own people on the subject, and stimulated
grape planting, of which the tobacco-rut-
ted Virginians were and are shy, as
sort of bidding, that does not comport
with the blue blooded independence of
their high-sprung ancestors.
William Hotopp, two miles out from
Charlottesville, has forty acre vineyard
in bearing, and makes wine from FIVE to
ten thousand gallons per annum, with
market for its sale. He is now building
an addition to cellar. Dr. Cadmus, at
Gordonsville, has about sixty acres in
vines and a good brick cellar. Lentz &
Co., at Montreal station, Nelson county,
have neat little cellar attached to their
thirty-acre vineyard, and last year made
some three thousand gallons of fair wine,
without any established market as yet.
+. Baier, on slope of the Blue Ridge
near Greenfield, Nelson county, makes
three and four thousand gallons per an
mum of good quality, fair sale, though too
inconvenient from railroad (ffteen miles
from Atom to do as well as he otherwise
would
The acreage is largely increasing
Northern men having commenced to
plant out, each intending to run it up to
one hundred acres, near town. The out
look for the present crop is exceptionally
fine. Last was an extra heavy crop,
and we expect but moderate one this
year. 1t will be as good, however, in
quantity, earlier ripening with the finest
wood for next years bearing ever seen.
From this you may draw some ideas of
the value or interest involved in grape
culture Mr.. A. R. Blakey, of this place,
now with Piedmont & Arlington Lite
Insurance Co., has laboriously gathered
vast quantity of information on the
culture of grapes, climatic requirements,
facts as to the wine producing regions in
Europe, and comparing these with Pied
mont Virginia it is his object to have
this published and translated into Ger
man and French, if he can get the neces-
sary assistance to accomplish it and dis
tribute it, so as to draw attention to Vir-
GINA as grape country, both at home
and abroad. Could not you and he work
this up together, each being of service to
the other? The State really should be
glad to have this done at her expense,
but 1 do not suppose the last Legislature
did much for your Department.
LIST. Table grapes best suited to Pied
mont section.
Martha, Lady, Delaware, Ives, and
Hartford Prolific are also shipped for
table. Of the last, Hartford is the ear
Hest, but loose on the bunch Ives color
about same time, and shipped when
really unfit to eat, though good when full
ripe; they have strong skin, and keep
well in boxes. Concords ripen latter,
well favored, but cannot ordinarily be
relied on for table use, at remunerative
prices, except for a very short time