The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-21
WINE PRODUCTION IN KANSAS.

Ihero are other interesting Items In
the list of Kansas crops ana products,
and although ilgurss are drv, 1 venture
TO reproduce some more because, IKE
pictures. they tell story in their own
any other manner. Ihs value of oats in
the STATE for 1887 was nearly 81, 900, 0O0
Irish and sweet potstoes. S2, 60O, ,O00; I;
millet, e, COO. 900; sorghum, Kaiiir corn
and maize for fodder. 80. 600, 900; tams
grasses 50. GOO, 900; prairie grasses, ~, 800, :
900; horticulture, garden products and
vino, $1,000. 600. The wine in this list
is the greatest surprise of nll for 1t must
be remsin bersd that Kansas Is prohibit
tion state In theory. am sorry that the
item ESCAPED my notice until after had
left the state, SO that il was too late TO
the valuation is put on 1t II 1t is not sold
in the state.
/ find. however. by the report of the
secretary OF tho boaru of agriculture,
issued early in January of this year, that
wine was made in no less than SO of ths
yards number 7l2l; that the number OF
gallons of wine produced was 23l, 36i,
which. at 70 cents gallon, was worth
Sl73. b23-a neat littls sum for such an
industry in prohibition state! Closer
examination of the tables shows that the
county raising the most vino is Doniphan,
which has record of 497 vineyards, pro-
ducing 40, sg2 gallons of wine, worth
S37, 4l9. An examination of the map OF
Kansas shows that DoDiphan county IL
In the very northeastern corner of the
state, adjoining the states of Nebraska
and Missouri. Nebraska and Miss ouri
are not prohibition states, and il this
fact has any relation to Doniphan county s
wine production OTTER than mere coin
cldence, OF course, that Is another story.
Perhaps one hint rs to the consump D.
tion of Kansas wine may be found from
an experience had at supper in hotel
in Marysville, in tho northern central
part of the state one evening. 1 noticed
u deoanter in the centre OF the table tllsd
with something red, and said to the
waiter girl:
"What is In that decanter!"
81 don't know, sir. f"
"Is 1t winep"
81 don't know, sir"
"well it's something to drinkf'
at looks that way"
sis it given away with the meals
hereY''
'Sse hers, mister, 1 think you had
better taste some of that, and IL you are
the kind Of man you look. you won {
ask any more questions CT me In this
prohibition state.
Although 1 was squelched, l did follow
directions. It was n fair brand of port
wine, and although IL may b. style
known only In kansas to furnish such q
product at supper, 1 purposely refrain
from mentioning the name Of the hotel
1 was told that they had free sherry for
breakfast IL was in that sans town
that / found big wooden sign stretch
ing clear across the sidewalk from build
ing 60 the curb, on the busiest block in
the main street, which read, "Are you
dryr" Then hand with finger
pointed straight at tho door of n saloon
in full blast l went in and found that
In no way did tho pla CO differ from,
saloons IN other states. There were six
saloons In that town of COCO persons. aud
the monthly fines, In lieu of license. went
a great ways toward the support of the
schools and other institutions Franklin
Matthews i'm Harper's Weekly.