The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-09-28

growing grapes, for it is one continued success
sion of sunny, fertile slopes, not unlike the vine
yard districts of France. His original purchase
comprised
FIVE HUNDRED ACRES
for which he paid price averaging So per acre
Much of this has since been sold, and two of his
neighbors, one German and the other French
man, are already engaging in grape culture.
They paid Mr.. Dubois as high az $40 per acre
for some of this land, and wouldn't exchange it
now for money at an advance any less than 30
per cent on the purchase price. Their faith in
its future is unbOunded.
But to return to M. A. Joseph Lemoine, the
man in CHARGE who has been left standing just
inside the vineyard gate. He explained that he
was partner of NJ Dubois in another vineyard
at Lake Hall, about four miles north of ITALIA
hassee. With that he was more cOnversant, but
had spent much of his time at Fort San Luis
during the past eighteen months, and could
therefore impart any information desired con-
corning it.
THE BUSINESS OF NJ. DUBOIS
has three distinct features raising and selling
nursery stock marketing grapes, and making
wines. He has ABOUT twenty acres given up to
the industry, and there are cultivated upon them
nearly scventy-five different varieties of grape
vines. The most of these are intended for nur
sery cuttings. During the rpening season thOus-
ands of baskets of DeleWareS, COncOrds and
other varieties are shipped to Philadelphia. New
York and Boston, and some to New Orleans
They are packed in baskets holding about six
pounds of the fruit each, and for them the price
obtained varies from twenty-five 10 forty and
fifty cents per pound this year some small lots
brought only fifteen cents in New Orleans-ths
was the lowest price for which any of the crop
sold, and it was exceptional. When these prices
are compared with those OF Calfornia-four to
six dollars per tOn-the difference is indeed
worth netting.
THE EXPENSE OF CULTIVATION
is comparatively light, the proprietor, assisted
by M. I.emoine, superntends the cultivation and
ordinarily employs only three four negro
hands. During the late spring and early sum-
mer-the picking seaSOn-thiS number is in
creased to fifteen twenty, but this period is a
short one. AS the proprietor was absent, the
exact number of pounds sold could not be
learned, but the year was an unusually profta-
BILE one.
The sale of nursery stock forms an important
part of NJ Dubois business He ships this to
all parts of the State and into Georgia and other
portions of the South
But it was of the winc-producing grapes Of
which the visitors were more eager to learn
Mr.. Lemoine explained as he took them up and
down, back and FORTH through hundreds of rows
of vines that it is the grape known as the Santa
Anna upon which the proprietor relics for his
wines These are small grape but growing
in color and very heavy with juice. Alter ira
versng
UP AND DOWN SUNNY HILLsIDEs
exposed 10 the south and east, covering in The
long walk nearly the whole vineyard, the guide
led the way to the wine presses; but darkness
had Ovetaken the party, and, ii being some dis
lance away from the house where lanterns
might have been obtained, it was decided to 90
directly to the cellars, beneath the house. Here
are stored long rows of barrels containing in all
3 900 gallons of claret wine this years product.
This is placed in the barrels directly from the
presses not drop of alcohol or any other
strengthening or cooring ingredient being added.
THE GUIDE PRECEDED HIS VISITORS
in an exploration of this cellar, holding in his
hand a lamp and talking all the while as he
went. There was strong Odor OF tar in the room,
what mig 1t have been expected in wine Gel
lar; the t'renchman explained that a small borer
had made It's appearance among the casks, and
so rapidly did he put in his work that lie would
bore quite through the slaves in very few
hours 1t had therefore become necessary 10
cover the casks with a preparation OF
coal tar, which was dstasteful to the worm and
into which he invariably refused to bore.
This wine is allowed to remain at least cigh-
teen months in the wood before it is ready for
market; some remains there two years and more
before it is drawn off into bottles NJ. Dubois is
now sending regularly to New York and various
Southern cities the vintage OF the years 1884 and
1885 and part of that of 1886. Shipped in the
wood it brings from dollar to Il dollar and
quarter per gallon; in bottles about $3.50 per
case
NJ LEMoINE WAS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC
over The prospects of larger crops and better
prices as the wine became better known. The
Lake Hall vineyard, in which he has an interest
produces about half of this vintage, but each year
more acreage is being devoted to the St. Annas
The bottles. their straw jackets the cases, stop
pers, etc, are all purchased from regular supply
agencies
Mr. Lemone took from its position upon the
clay floor of the cellar a bottle Of this caret of
last years vintage, and invited his guests into
the parlOr above TO test it. The room was IA
spacious one, but darkened by reason of the alb
sence of the head of the family with his wife and
daughter In one corner stood a fine large en-
craving of Gambetta, and the other ornaments
about the room showed the love of the mother
county which the occupants still possess. Re-
turning with glasses, the wine was served and
found To be OF an excellent quality
IT'S SLIGHTLY ACID FLAVOR
indicating that il had not been sweetened like so
many OF the California carets. 1t is Of excellent
color and remarkably clear.
A pressing invitation was extended to the Wis
itors TO accompany NJ. Lemoine to Lake Hall
the next day, but il could not be accepted, un-
for,u nately. The industry of wine making is
new one in Florida-that is the business of bot
fling and shipping clarets out Of the State,
fine quality of sherry and port is also produced
here, but only limited attention is given to
these.
The ride home in the earv evening was again
between fields OF corn and cation. The katy
dds and the crickets were humming Justify
meanwhile. This wine culture is only one of
the agricultural capabilities of old Leon under
intelligent and enterprising management.
Bronson Times Levy, though not
very wealthy county, is one of the most
independent in the State, so far as the ne
cessaries of life are concerned We pro-