The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-07-27
NEW YORK
VINEYARDS
How the Vast Fruit Crop of
the Empire State is Grown.
Immense CannerieS and How
the Vegetable Crops are
Preserved.
Life and Conditions in Rural
New York as Seen by a
Journal Representative,

hh pAIo slhle, Inc Delt eNtenuh from
Buffalo to Cleveland, distance of 100
miles,and has an average width of about
4 miles. Grapes is the principal crop
grown here, being of the same impor-
tance commercially to this section that
the hop industry is to the Willamette
valley.
Vineyards are generally small, averag
ing about 20 acres, but there is single
vineyard near here OF 300 acres. The
care and cultivation Of the crop 10 not
unlike that Of a hop yard. Atthe age of
two years yard will produce an aver.
age yield. The vines are trained on
system OF three parallel wires to height
OF about five feet, the rows being from 8
to 10 feet apart. Thorough cultivation
is essential to successful grape culture.
While the crop will grow on land that lie
not productive Of other vegetation, still
the vines will thrive proportionately on
more fertile land, particularly sidehills
that afford protection from the severe
winter weather and receive the advan
tage Of the suns rays. Land that will
produce good corn is also adapted to
grape culture.
An acre of grapes will average three
tons and will net the vineyardist from
$40 to $50. To market the crop involves
a cost Of from o to cents per pound
basket. Ayard that will yield 800 to
1000 baskets per acre is considered pay
ing property. Until the general in
PRODUCTION Of grape culture into the
Great Lakes section materially reduced
the field Of market and increased com
petition, growers OF the grape belt dis
trict in their vineyards possessed
veritable gold mine, but now they are
compelled TO enter into competition
with an increased acreage and reduced
consumption with the result that the
market value Of the product has greatly
deprecated. The Concord variety 10
the principal crop raised. less than a
fourth OF the acreage being given to the
Niagras, choice table grape. Itis from
this immediate locality that the Pacific
coast market is supplied every fall with
imported grapes, many basket OF choice
Concords from this country having been
retaled in Salem. Az one time growers
sold their grapes at 30 and 95 cents per
basket, for which was las year realized
only 8 and 8 cents.
But with the reduced market valua.
tion has come cheap labor, In 1900
100000 Italians landed on the Atlantic
Coast and they have very generally re-
placed with laborers on the railroads
md in the vineyards Both the men
md women find employment in the
'ards where they work for 75 cents 10
Il per day.
With each succeeding year the prop.
'sition Of the crop that is converted in
o wine increases. There are innumer-
ible wineries hereabouts aud new ones
Beng constructed, A single plant last
all manufactured 10000 gallons Of
vine. The beverage following it's first
Itags Of fermentation, retails at for 10
md ~ cents per gallon while later on in
he season the price advances to l6 cents
Der gallon while later on the season the
,rice advances TO AZ cents. Growers can
n this way dispose OF their crop drecl
rom the yard without the expense of
packing. They receive from tl4 totl6I
'er ton for their fruit. A ton OF grapes
viii make 1865 gallons OF wine. The
'ioking Of the crop commences about
goth and for the ensuing six
week, the yineyArdists are kept ex.
remedy busy. Good improved grape
ands here can be had iof 800 per acre.
ieueral farming land is quoted fromt35 |
0 $50 per acre, according improvements
Two large canneries are op-
rated here, particular attention
'eing given 10 the preserya
ion Of vegetables. An enormous acre
ge Of peas and beets are grown this
ear to supply he plants. Ths farmer
nows his pea vince With a scythe and |
auls them 70 ths cannery, where they |
70 ahelled, and for which no receives a. ,
er 100 pounds. The farmer Is permit
sd 10 take his pea vines after the
The vines are cured in the
anne manner as hay and stored away
pr wiz ter COW feed, proving unsurpassed
Ddder Tor the faithful bovine. Au acre
'ill yield from a ton 20 ton aud hail
{ sheiled peas, netting the farmer from
40 10 so per acre For the season OF
300, each canneTy put up OO.OOO ca ~
I peas. All iruils aud vegetables are
AIMED ia their season.
FrsdOnia is not large city, having q
OpClatiOn oi about 1910, but in many
sspecis II is an ideal plsee Ia which Ia
We. IL is situated IN Deautiiul basin
bout 40 miles sonlhWest Of Bnfialo and
.iihin thier miles ol Lake Efi~, fact
bat makes a summer reason appreci
ly moderate aud delightful
sireat. from The larg,r cities,
here the heat for tho same
eriod Is quite oppressive. BY popular
ote il is "nOlieense" city and has
smained such for several years The
municipality oWns its own electric light
nd water systems aud the service Of
9th departments 10 not only remark
bly, economical bat give eminent