The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-05-23
kfN YORK VINEYARDS.
grape Culture In the Lake Region OF the
state.


The best table grapes in the United
States are grown in tina portion OF New
York state known as the lake region,
which comprises the country rouhd
four big lakes-Keul1a, Canandalgha,
Seneca and Cayuga. This is the lahd
of VINEYARDS. There are about 32,oo9
acres of vines in this lake country. here
perhaps are grown more and better
varieties of table grapes than elsewhere
on the continent; here also are produced
the light, delicate table and sparkling
wines that may yet make the New 1ork
lake districtas famous as the champagne
district of France.
When the writer visited the Lake
Keuka VINEYARDS he found the story OF
the grape written all over the land.
The lake is shaped like badly formed
Y. 1T the base of this Y, in what IS
called Pleasant Valley, is the quaint
little village Of Hammondsport, ltwas
here that arape-culture took root nearly
80 years ago, when the first outdoor
grapes that found their way TO the New
York city market were sent by way OF
the Erie canal.
Of course the best time to see these
beautiful vineyards is during the vint-
age. when the vines are being plundered
of their clusters of luscious fruit
.. Every season hath its pleasures;
Spring may boast her flowers prime.
Yet the vineyards ruby treasures
Brighten autumn's sob'rcr time
In September and early October, then,
the vineyards look their best; big
punches of grapes of exquisite tint and
color shine through the leaves, which
are turning brown and yellowish-browh.
The vintage begins when the early
varieties, as Delawares and Concords,
are ripe, and it ends with the picking OF
the late varieties, as Catawbas and Nj
agaras. So from the first of Septem-
Der till the middle of October the grape
harvest gives employment to small
army of people. The majority of the
workers are women, who become mos;
expert in the picking and packing OF
grapes. Girls in their teens, rosy
checked maidens, and gray haired moth
ers flock to the vineyards from the
neighboring farms and villages.
The punches of grapes are cut from
the stems by shears which have coiled
spring in the handle. The fruit is laid
carefully in boxes, which, when filed
are carried to the end of the row. The
boxes are gathered two or three times
day and taken to the paeking-house
Here the clusters are sorted over, dam
aged or imperfect berries are removed
and unripe fruit set aside. The grapes
are packed III five and ten pound baskets
Just as it takes woman to stow away
whole wardrobe in a Saratoga trunk
so it requires feminine fingers to pack
ten pounds of grapes into nine-pound
basket. 1t is surprising how many
punches of grapes can be pressed tight.
ly yet tenderly into such small space.
The number of baskets of grapes sent
annually from the New York lake region
is enormous. A modest estimation oil
the grape crop places it at about 10000
tons, or 40 goo 900 pounds. This will re-
quire about 1900 cars for Transports
ton, and as each ear holds about 2,50j
baskets, the reader can readily figure
that 100000 baskets is not an over-esti
mate of the number sent to market
The bulk of the New York lake grapes
is shipped to eastern cities-to New
York, Boston, Philadelphia and Wash
ington. 1t is sent by fast freight, tho
rate being 80 cents per 100 pounds.
Markets for New York grapes are now
being opened in the west and northwest
Grapes are shipped by carloads to Chi
cago, St. Louis, Kansas City, ST. Paul
and even as far as Winnipeg, Manitoba
-IIarper's Weekly.