National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-17
WINE In VIRGINIA.
GRAPE CULTURE IN THE STATE.


formed in the year i5ii from Goochland' II is
situated Ot the eastern base Of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, and contains seven hundred ana
twenty square miles The average price Tor land
in this county is sl2 per acre. The Rnvanna River
flows through the center of the county, cmptying
into the James Two trunk lines Of railroads
traverse 1t from north to south and from east TO
west. The fist
Is the CHESAPEAKE AND ONO,
with lis western connections on the Pacific and Its
eastern at Newport News afordiug traffic acro,s
the continent by ral las;cr time than amy other
trans. continental route, and the Virginia Midland
Railway and It's system Of connections from Boston
10 New Orleans, thus giving outlets Tor passenger
and freight business TO all the markets Of the
world The lands of this county are of n superior
quality, and kept In high state of cultivation by
the energetic farmers living here, II is well
watCred by the James and RavHnua Rivers and
their tributaries The principal agricultural prod
ucts wheat, oats, tobacco, uutl corn, whlch
nTe yielded In great a9undaneG, owing to tue i.r'
nliiy OF the soil and splendid climate
THE FRUITS ARE
apples which grow to greater perfection than In
niy other section of the county; peaches, pears,
cherries, pluns, and grapes. The grape culture Is
cnrrici on 10 a greater extent here Than in any
county in the state. Several varieties Of fine tim.
Der are found Within its borders Minerals are
found to some extent, comprising the following:
Gold, ron, pumbago, slate, and gfantc. Grazing
IS mp dly developing us shown Gy The increase Of
thori hOns llul.tcin, Jets y, and other breeds of
rattle the Pcrchoron horse, and sheep of the
sOuihdUwu, Co,swold, Meriuo, and other kinds
Several large Touring mills cotton aud wooden
mills, and II mufblCzing slate company nrc In
successful operation In the county, producing
goods in quality equal TO any made In the Union.
THE GRAPE couSrY
ofthc Old Dominion, producing the fines, grapes
and naive wines IN lhe United states In
gentlemen IN 1873 formed the Monticello Wine
Conn any, with headquarters at Charlottesville. a
limited amount of grape vines had been planted
by few persons who expected to ship the pro.
ducts for table use. II was found that, while Tor
limited lime each year some kinds would be pro.
ftablc It could moi lie relied on for an entire crop
and all kinds Of grapes. Although the grapes
were healthy ana did well, each man was not
abe TO fit up suitable cellar, and being uninmil
lar with the treatment of wines, hence they
few outsiders took q little stock in the npany,
feeling confident that this was
FINE GRAPE COUNTRY,
and the cultivation of this fruit should be en-.
couragcd rs branch of ihrming, which, how.
ever, could not be done without local market at
fair prices, which wine sellers would create. The
first season the company made $500 gallons of
grew in favor. Now the production of Wine iii
the county Is 5000 gallons. Large quantities are
shipped tOnorthern markets every year.
VARIETIES OF GRAPES.
large number of kinds were tricd at first, many
OF them proving worthless Those engaged iii
graz Q culture have settled down upon the follow
viz: Concord, Ives, Martha, Lady, CatawUa, Della.
ware, Clinton, Norton. Cynthinna, and Cunning
y
vine, the last three prcdominate in favor Catawba
aud Delaware do better on higher elevations.
There are in the county five hundred acres in
bearing this year, three hundred in different
stages OF growth. Two hundred Hcres were set out
this SPRING notwithstanding the high price and
scarcity Of lants of the Kinds wanted. of the
new paintings, one half were Nortons, with fiir
prospSc. fora good crop OF plants this season aud
next year oi I'VE hundred acres III this county.
INDUCEMENTS.
Good grape lands can be bought near local mar.
kcts and iuilroads from SIS TO $50 per acre. Much
cheaper lands can be purchased further out from
transpur alton. The planting :post, wire, nnd
labor up TO bearing -four years. will cost from 500 Ia
Slg5 per acre over 200 per acre has been called
from the crops but air estimate is from $50 to SO
net. This ejaculation Is based oh the prices given
by the Monticello Wine Company, varying from
two to five cents per pound for grapes. For some
kinds and sone seasons these figures are largely
increased hy shipping north for table use, more OF
less of which Is done each year
THE MONTICELLO WINE CoMPASY's CELLARS
were destroyed by fire in the inl OF 1881. Step.
were Immediately taken by this energetic com.
pany TO rebuild aud enlarge ON an improved plan
The following is II practical description of the
new cellar: double arched vault, hre.proOf and
thoroughly ventilated, has the capacity of holding
nge of finished wines; the next story is for max
Ing the wine; the third story is for ieImentng
the must The entire structure is of brick and
granite, the vaults being under ground. Tile
whole structure is perfectly equipped with the
latest and best appliances for handling and
treating the grapes and must until perfected
into marketable wines. The wines are IN
charge Of Monsieur J, Arnaud Of Bordeaux
France, whose entire life has been devoted Il
grape culture aud handling wines in his native
country. The ilr.l four years this company eNpe
iHRe hold of her NATIVE wSs il ISIS tS his vi"
overcome, and probably materially aided, from
the reason thnt the company were awarded Z
that year, the highest award made to American
still wines, At present the productions
ARE READILY DISPOSED or
to the large wine houses in New York nt rcmuner
tics in the State where grapes are CXicnsiyCll
grown and made into GOOD wines But Ills Count;
has taken the lead ON account Of the local market
which has been created at the very doors ol Tia,
vineyard. men by the Monticello Wine Company
When this enterprise was trst started II was pre-
dicled by many of the old "moss- backs" who's,
ideas run in the ruts OF 1850 That ii would be
failure. II is not, but success. In qualification
of what we have said we give the opinions of Mr.
William Saunders, the superintendent of tn,
Agricultural Department of the United States u
culture. Mr. Saunders opinions are entitled L
great consideration. On American
WINES AND GRAPES HE SAYS:
A recent examination Uf American wines ant
the progress of grape culture has impressed IN,
very strongly with regard TO the vast proportion
and importance which this interest Is assuming
the energy and intelligence with which It is boinl
conduc cd and the encouraging prospects that, ii
the main, have so far attended these efforts. Not
Wlhsthnding these encouraging results II is wei
TO keep in view that the subject is still in its in
fancy, nnd in great measure only EXPERIMENTAL
ceCnce, upon which the future value Of his in
tercst must ultimately depend rs II source o
national industry ami wealth, the necessity unt
importance uf careful and systematic observation
in everything relating TO The subject is fOrCb
apparent 50 that If errors exist they may at onct
be corrected and their effects arrested before the!
have become typical or injurious 10 the Characte
Of the products of This interest,
IN THE OLD WORLD,
where there is only one species of the grape. vim
the varieties are very numerous, ana vary con
sderubly In their qualities as to hardness, pro
dugliYcucsS size, flavor, &c. A distinction is ais,
maintained between those varieties IN, s
suitable for table use and those valued iO
the production Of wine. In America there ar
several species, preserving well marked distiuc
tuns both IN nuit and foliage us u.sO, whnt Is O
much Importance In their practical culture, prCu
liaTiCs in their health aud freedom from dis
Cuscs, Az well Us Gduptabity 10 certain climate
and localities, qualities of great Significance, bu
which have been most IL not cntilCly OvCrlO rlCI
ly the maj rtly OF those engaged in their culture
The Cntuwln, one of the oldest cultivated, an
sill one of the best varieties of the Fox nm
Nius lubrusgu), has been the principal win
Erupc Of The Aunniic states, When II rcRchc
Vine sraic, &C., Guitt' i is worthy OF invcsti!a,io
whether the nuit ripeB thoroughly In all lOcali
ties where II Is cultivated as u Wiuc.prOducin
Eiapc. Our Investigations tend TO the belief tina
II does not develop II, true Wine characteristics Il
many localities where 1t Is grown for this pur
pose, though II may reach condition OF ma
turity sufficient for
rAssAHLE TABLE FRUIT,
most OF The yari ti,s Of this class require a lon
und favorable season to soften and break dow
the pCid pulp, of which lhey are largely com
posed, and when we take into consideration TN
tendency to dis asc, both IN the foliage ana tn
fnlit u this spcCits, which slill further rvtArd
growth or huscns apparent ripcning, we hNY
ample reasons Tor the great variety of opinion
constantly disseminated Ms To- the value OF thes
varieties ~ Vine grapes, nud the assumed ucCes
Eity Of uttrmuting 10 add 10y artificial mean,
what nature has leSitma.ely failed e. produce
a class m grapes tGat wl mature under u lowe
If la