The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-03-20

ulOps expressed inc oPihi>" . ~,
valley of the Ohio would rival Tn
8 Rhine In the production of wine as 500
as it was settled. These early predie
: lions about wine-production in tn
e country were very slow in being verlh
. ed. But little was done in ralsln!
a large quantities of grapes and making
. wine till within the past twenty-five
years. Since that time great progress
| has been made in several parts OF th'
country, especially in California, ONO
and Missouri. In several other state:
good vineyards have been planted anc
excellent wine manufactured.
|. Still the business of ne-making is
in It's infancy. 1t is admitted that the
territory in the United States adapted
to the production of grapes suitable
for the manufacture OF wine is larger
than that in all the wine-producing
countries in Europe. 1t includes a
large portion of the state of California,
much of the territory east OF the
Allegheny mountains, considerable
portion of Missouri, Kansas, and Ar
kansas, and large districts in all the
states lying directly north of the Ohio
river. That large part of the land
in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and
Indian Territory is adapted to the
growth of the vine is obvious to the
traveller. Native vines of large size,
many of them producing excellent
grapes, are found in great abundance.
The climate is specially favorable to
the production of grapes.
The vines require no protection.
a. 4 10 ,ua1l rbap ara,r
they are planted. They are more pro-
ductive than in almost any part of the
world. They are exempt from the
diseases that have become common ID
the old wine-producing countries in
Europe. Land for vineyards can DO
obtained at a nominal price, and re-
liable laborers can be secured at low
wages. The atmospheric conditions
are very favorable to preserving the
grapes on TIE vines for long time
after they have become ripe, thus
making the harvesting comparatively
easy.
There are many reasons why the
people of the United States have not
improved their opportunities to raise
grapes and make wine. Most of them
are unacquainted with the business.
There have been few opportunities for
learning the art. A large proportion
of those who have been engaged in
any department of husbandry have not
had sufficient means to enable them
to plant large vineyards and to culti-
vate them till a crop would be secur-
ed. They have been obliged to de-
vote their land to crops that would
give immediate returns. They had
not sufficient capital to purchase vines,
TO cultivate them for several years,
and during the same time to support |
their families. Perhaps many of them
would have planted small vineyards
lad they been sure of a market for
heir grapes. But there have been no
parties ready to purchase the grapes
or the purpose of making wine. As
t takes some time to bring young
ines into bearing condition, SO it
axes considerable time for new wine
o become fitted tor the market Our
,eople have not had the capital to al
ow them to wait for slow returns.
They desired to produce crops that
would mature IN few weeks, and be
eady Tor the market as soon as har-
Iested. As consequence they haze
neglected an industry that has been a
,reat source of wealth to countries
aving poorer natural advantages than
his.
The time has now come when the
aising of grapes and the manufacture
f wine can be undertaken with prom
Sc of success. A large proportion of
fa haun fbn tn |
base vines and to cultivate them till
hey are of size to produce crops.
hey can combine grape growing with
eneral farming. Concert of action
ill be required to provide means for l
laking wine and storing it till it be- t
ONES ready for the market. The G
rape growers in a neighborhood can a
rganize a company to erect suitable v
uildIngs, prepare cellars, and engage a
| the manufacture of wine. They A
IN adopt the same course that dairy
len did few years ago in relation to
utter and cheese factories. They can
AXE arrangements with capitalists to ]
lrnish the means to make and store a
lie wine. They can find parties hav- 1t
g capital and possessed of skill n
wine-making who will enter into a p
'ntract to purchase the grapes at a d
ipulated price per ton. With little U
,ubt, the time will come when there II
i'll be vast vineyards in this country. ii
there are in France and Germany. n
vned and managed by individuals Of
ho manufacture the wine and dis c.
use of it. Until the industry of wine p
aking is well established, however, p
nall grape-growers will find it to a
cir advantage to form associations or b.
sell their grapes to persons who I'M W
,rstand the making of wine and who m
we the means to enable them to hold M
till such times as it is in a condition b'
SELL Chicago Times. "