The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1912-04-01
The EUROPEAN
GRAPE In IDAHO
By FRED A. RECORD, 10.
(From Idaho Country LIFE

In advancing her horticultural in
terests,. Idaho seems to be overlook
ing, to- certain extent, an industry
! that is very important and which
could be made very profitable, namely,
| the growing of the tender foreign va
riety of grapes, the Wits vinifera
This variety is descended from the
wild grape and is cultivated in the
favored sections of Europe, Asia and
Africa for table and raisins, and is
par excellence for wine, but in the
United States it cannot be grown with
any degree of certainty, if at all, east
of the Rocky Mountains. So far Cali
forria has supplied most Of these
grapes to the markets in the northwest
and east, but if the people knew the
requirements for the production of
the vinifera grape, they would not be
surprised to find that the conditions
of the Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater
valleys, as well as other sections in
Idaho, are we'll adapted to the indus
try.
European scientists have deter
mined accurately the temperatures
necessary for blooming, the mean
daily temperatures, and sunshine re-
CURED to produce the highest quality
of grape. According to the Chief
Signal Officer of the United States the
Lewiston-C Charleston valley is not ex-
ceeded in mean temperature from
April to September by but one of the.
famous grape districts of California
and has less relative humidity which in.
itself is an important factor to keep.
in mind the selection of an ideal To-
cality for the vine.
Such men as Robert Schleichcr of
Lewiston, Mr.. Perrine of the Blue
Lakes in Southern Idaho, and others
in the Snake River valley are raising
table grapes which compare favorably
with any that California has, and in
Judging a bottle Of Idaho Sauterne,
Professor George Hussnan of Napa,
California, pronounced it "a very good
wine and equal to any made in Napa
County," which boasts the best dry
wines in the state. If this can be done
D. men having had very little exper-
ence in the art, and made from a
grape which has reputation more
'or table use than for wine it appears
hat Idaho has something very vdlu-
able in her soil and climate for the
growing of the vine. If the grower
las any scruples against the making
If wine he can turn his energies to
70 ,@f fa,
u for the table.
F. #. Bioletti, Viticulturist at the
University of California Experiment
station, and one of the foremost au-
horities on grapes says, IF the. soil
will grow good agricultural crops,
,rapes will also dc. we'll if other
ondition. are right" The vini-
era grape although not resis-
ant to the. phylloxera, the greatest
est we have to deal with, can
dust itself to wide range of
oils preferring, however, sandy,
veil drained soil It has been known
or hundreds Of years that the best
vine grapes were produced near rhe
orthern limits of grape culture and
n slopes Overlooking large bodies Of
yater. All of these requirements are
ound in this state Probably a west
lope with a high bluff behind to keep
ut the early sun, which is so charac-
eristic Of the winding Snake, makes
onditions nearly perfect
With the great strides this state is
laking in development, VINEYARDS
lay be irrigated, which is the most
uccessful way Of getting just the
mount of water needed. sg
Up to the present the few grapes
this species grown in Idaho have
cen restricted to local consumption,
ut with better railroad facilities and
llr rates, which we-are not now get
ng, we could compete with Cali
'rnia in the eastern markets and also
the cities of the northwest, being
'veral hours nearer these places.
In the selection of varieties there
e several that would do we'll, among
hich are the Flame Tokay. Malaga,
Emperor. Muscat of Alex
lder, and the Sweetwater. In speax-
6 Of the latter in an article in the
EN- State Rural, Robert Schleicher
no has had considerable experience
18th many varieties says, eff | were
ven but one variety Of grape to grow
at one would be the Sweetwater."
Although certain difficulties might
Use, there is no reason why these.
ould not be overcome and the grape
dustry in Idaho become very profit
lie, and even though it may never
ach the vast proportions the apple
destined to, it would at least afford
pleasant change for the fruit grower =.
d be made highly re1nunerativc. J
III A