The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1920-12-16
GROWING GRAPES
IN WASHINGTON
INWARD HISTORY READ BY
ROBERT T. REID AT sPo.
KANE MEETING
Suggests Greater Grape Acreage
to Washington State Horticul.
tural Association.

Commercial growing of American
grapes dates back to the year 1910 but
owing to the susceptibility of the vine
to frost injury coupled with the nat.
ural antipathy of most varieties to eli.
matte conditions of the South ii is still
confined to relatively small areas in
the Northern states and the Southwest.
1t is generally believes that neither
these nor the European varieties can
be successfully grown west Of the Cas-
cade Mountains. This impression
doubtless grew out of the unsuccess.
full effort on the part of the earlier
settlers to grow Concords and other
varieties selected from nursery lists,
nearly all of which were found to
ripen unsatisfactory. This failure
was presumed to be due to the early
fall rains and uniformly low temper.
atures prevailing in this region, at
Prior to the year 1890 no extensive
paintings were made but in that year
Mr.. Adam Eckart, who moved from
the grape belt of Northern New York
to Puget Sound. proceeded to estab-
lish vineyard some eight or nine
acres in extent, the location selected
being small island located in an
arm of the Sound on the west side
of Mason County. His planting con.
sisted largely of Concords but after
several years of painstaking effort it
was found that this variety was ex-
tremely unreliable. The vines we're
hardy and free from disease. however.
and as none of the insect pests COM
mon to Eastern vineyards were pres
ent to add to the troubles of the win.
yardist, Mr.. Eckert hoped to find a
variety that would mature and which
was also a desirable grape for the
local markets. Some ten years later
his efforts in this direction were
crowned with success as one or two
vines in his Concord vineyard never
failed to mature their fruit. These
vines bear a striking resemblance to
the Concord, being a blue grape
whose clusters are large and compact,
usually shouldered and the berries
rather larger than the Concord. Its
flavor is decidedly that OF the Concord
but ordinarily it is not quite so
sweet. On this account it is in high
favor for the manufacture OF infer
mented juice. Mr.. Eckert made dill
gent effort to ascertain the name OF
this grape but without success and
finally gave it the name Island Belle
by which it is now universally known.
Having satisfied himself that the
early ripening habit Of this grape
might be depended upon Mr.. Eckert
grated it's scicns onto his entire vine
ward of Concord roots as rapidly as
possible and thus has continued to
grow the variety successfully for the
past fifteen years. Other vineyards
have been established adjacent to that
of Mr.. Eckert, there being fifty OF
more acres devoted to this fruit at
present, and the paintings are in
creasing rapidly. For considerable
time it was thought that the success
full growing of grapes in this region
was due largely to the fact that the
vineyards were located near salt wa
ter which had a tendency to lessen
the danger of frost injury but this
theory has been proven incorrect by
the write who in 1914 planted several
hundred vines on hillside on the east
shore of Lake Washington in Rims
County. about half a mile inland
where the fruit natures equally well
Certain other varieties among which
are the Vergennes. Green Mountain
and Welaware, also do very well bul
are less desirable than the island
Belle for local markets largely on &C
count, of their color, which is red OF
green. As large percentage o.
Western Washington logged-of timber
land is billy and unsuitable for the
ordinary uses, Mr.. Eckert's untirint
effort and skill has been OF fncalcu
able benefit to the state, as these hill
sides are peculiarly adapted to grap'
culture and it is predicted that thi
will become one Of the prineipa
sources of revenue Of many OF GU
farmers and orchardists.
The following brief suggestions ma!
be of value to persons contemplatinl
planting a vineyard. The vine is hard.
and is in no danger Of injury by fros
where the temperature does not fal
below five or six degrees below zero
In colder climates the vine should b
nrotected in winter by covering o
straw. Any hillside where the soil
light and stony is suitable for grape
provided it has an easterly, southern
or westerly exposure. the vine
sbould be planted in rows running mort
and south, or in such direction as t
allow the morning and afternoon su