The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-05
Hopes of Cultivating the
European Grape.
ORANGE TREES ALL DESTROYED
Agricultural Department. IL Endeavos-
European Grape, Which Has Proved Sue
cessfai i'm California, Except for ship
meat To the Easi-Fsbuieas Prices Re-
ceived for the Fruit i'm the Markets

There is a ray Of hope for the orange
growers of Florida. This nope lies not
alone in the probable change from the alb
normal climatic conditions which have
existed there for the past few years. but
in the very probable successful cultiva-
ton OF an entirely different crop-that of
grapes. European table srapes-for con-
sumption in this country. Ever since the
successive freezes which totally destroyed
the orange trees OF Florida and rendered
penniless many growers of the fruit, the
Agricultural Department has been en-
deayoring to find Some means that will
enable the people o. that State to raise
crop upon which they can reasonably
depend for a livelihood. Experiments
have been made looking 70 the protection
of the orange trees from the killing
freezes OF winter, and while some have re-
suited satisfactorily, they have been such
as involve considerable expense and there
fore afford little relief to the majority of
the owners of orange groves. II the hopes
of the department are realized. the peo-
pie of Florida and the Carolinas Will be
able to produce table grapes OF as fine a
quality as any grown in Europe. and the
northern markets of New York. Phila-
delphia, and other large cities will reap
great benefits therefrorl. From the time
OF the landing Of tbe Pilgrims at James
town efforts have been made to produce
successfully in the open air the European
table grape. but so far they have been in
vain, at least, so far as the Eastern
States are concerned. The European
grape Is acknowledged to be of much finer
quality than the native grape. and not
vithstanding the efforts OF viticulturists
to improve the quality OF the fruit, which
has been done 10 a wonderful extent, we
have never been able TO produce a grape
which can compare with the foreign prod
uct
1t is true that European grapes have
been successfully cultivated in California,
but they have been of such quality as
would not permit of their transportation
to the Eastern markets and the people
OF the East have therefore been COMPEL
ed TO import all their finer table grapes
from Europe. 1t Is well known at what
eytravagant prices these grapes have sold.
From g 10 - a pound is the usual charge
for the fruit in the winter season, and
even at such big prices buyers have often
been unable tc procure the fruit 1t can
easily be understood, therefore, what a
boon il would be to the people of the
East. both North end South, if we could
successfully produce the European grape
in the Southeastern, States. To be able
to produce and market grape that sells
for as much as s. a pound for the COM
pgratively small sum of 80 cents or a
dollar a pound, and probably even lower
than that, is no snail achievement. And
yet this is quite within the bounds Of
probability. In London and Paris fine
table grapes are to be had the year round
for from so cents to 81 per pound.
Ravmyes Of Phylloxera.
In order to accomplish The successful
cultivation Of the European grape in this
country many difficulties haYe TO be over
come. The greatest one aas been in lind