The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-06-04
BY W. w. JAMES, s'THE RAMBLER"


1t has been generally known by actual expert
ment for nearly half dozen years past, that q
good shipping and otherwise marketable grape,
aside from the Scuppernong, could be grown In
the northern section of the State, but it was re-
served for a much later date for the citizens OF
South Florida to become acquainted with the
fact that many choice varieties could be grown
with ease and profit in their midst.
In verifcation of this statement so far as GER
tain varieties of grapes (and one in particularly it
is now our pleasant duty, without solicitation OF
any kind and in the total absence Of any reward.
a purely sefimposed task, to refer to the indus
try as we find it in the vineyards of Messrs.
HAYNES, YOUNG & BAILEY
near Orlando in Orange county, and who are the
pioneers of the business in this section OF the
commonwealth. These gentlemen came here No
vember 90, 1885, and by the middle OF the ensuing
month had set out $50 vines of the White Niagara
variety, which they had found by long experience
to be a perfect success at Lockport, N. Y. The
encouragement they received from the neghbOrs
was not very inspiriting; they denounced the en-
terprise as a foolish waste of time and said;
"Grapes excepting the Scuppernong, will not
grow in South Florida Nothing daunted, how
ever, the firm merely replied: owe are going to
try it any how, make or break" The result is
for them to-day splendid victoryin the destruc-
ton of a foolish theory, which none previously
seemed to have the courage to attack by prac-
tcal, scientific test.
HOW 1T WAS DONE,
it is now our business to tell though first of all it
may be stated in q general way that during the
past four years they have increased, by subse-
quent paintings, from $50 vines, covering less
than one-seventh of acre, to eleven acres and
the product last year alone was four tons Of
grapes, hence proving that other than the native
varieties be grown in abundance by 1ntell-
gent and skillful attention. Thus is mere as
sumption vanquished by the truth.
Even SO far back one year ago last May
EIGHTEEN HoUNDRED POUNDS OF GRAPES
from 900 of the vines planted fiveacres Of land
which we're allowed to bear or two pounds to the
vine from one years setting. In the Northern
States there would have been no fruit to amount
to any thing until the fourth year The settings
are from two-y ear- old vines grown in Northern
nurseries, emphasizing the statement OF the firm
that the Northern root has at least four times
the vigor of varieties grated ON native Florida
stock-a position that will probably be assailed
in future issues of this journal This stronger and
better growth from cuttings" they contend, is
a fact of much weight and it seems to be amply
illustrated in the vineyard of the firm it appears
so plain in fact that she who runs may read"
What they have at present under cultivation
reaches area of eleven acres six of which are
in bearing, above intimated-these notes hav-
ing been taken from January 1st of the present
year. This space of eleven acres contains about
$500 vines, 500 to this Of this large num-
Der but about 1, 100 have been permitted to bear
fruit, for fear of impairing their value in coming
years by the premature development of their
growth and product. Like a precocious child,
they need holding back.
You ask, "Can any one do all this?" Well, no;
not without season of probation in learning
how The knowledge and skill that produces
such results is the outcome of long practice. Still
any wide-awake, progressive farmer who does not