The Cultivation of The Native Grape, and Manufacture of American Wines Part 12

PRODUCE FIFTH YEAR.

1,030 gallons Concord at $2.50 $2,575 00 1,300 " Norton's Virginia 4.00 5,200 00 125 " Herbemont 3.00 375 00 30 " Cunningham 4.00 120 00 40 " Delaware 6.00 240 00 10 " Clinton 3.00 30 00 50 " Other Varieties 3.00 150 00 336 " Hartford Prolific Grapes 20 cts. per lb. 67 20 57,000 Plants from cuttings and layers, average price $100 per thousand 5,700 00 --------- $14,457 20

Leaving the product of the first five years $23,305 80

From which deduct expenses for plants, trellis, etc., 1,277 Interest on capital at 5 per cent. 500 Cost of labor 1st. year, 150 2d. " 300 3d. " 400 4th. " 500 5th. " 500 ----- Total Cost $3,627 --------- Leaves clear profit for first five years of $19,679 80

The fourth year, nearly all the fruit buds of the vines had been killed above the snow line, but I made, besides the grapes sold, about $1,500 worth of wine, which was emptied by the rebels in their raid that fall, and consequently lost. The vines were not all in bearing this last season, for reasons already given; and the whole amount of vines bearing, was not more than 2,200--hardly two acres. If my readers will contrast this with the yield of the Catawba vineyard, they will see the difference in yield between varieties suited to the climate and soil, and those unused to it.

The last season--although unfavorable to the Catawba--produced an enormous yield of Concord and Norton's Virginia, and cannot be taken as an average crop. I think about 700 gallons of Norton's Virginia, and 1,200 gallons of Concord would be a fair average estimate per year--which the vines can easily produce, and remain healthy and vigorous.

YIELD OF MR. MICHAEL POESCHEL's VINEYARD.--CATAWBA.

Year after planting. Acres in Vines. Yield. Price.

1847, 2d 5-6 24 gallons 2.00 1848, 3d 3-6 1,000 " 2.00 1849, 4th 2 600 " 1.50 1850, 5th 2 350 " 1.25 1851, 6th 2-1/2 450 " 1.75 1852, 7th 2-1/2 500 " 1.50 1853, 8th 2-1/2 350 " 2.00 1854, 9th 3-1/2 800 " 2.00 1855, 10th 3-1/2 50 " 1.50 1856, 11th 3-1/2 1,000 " 1.25 1857, 12th 6 4,500 " 1.50 1858, 13th 6 1,100 " 1.75 1859, 14th 6 1,500 " 1.50 1860, 15th 6 2,000 " 1.25 1861, 16th 6 250 " 1.00 1862, 17th 6 300 " 1.50 1863, 18th 8 2,000 " 1.15

NEW VINEYARD OF MR. MICHAEL POESCHEL, PLANTED IN 1861, 1863--FIRST PARTIAL CROP.

500 Gallons Norton's Virginia--2 acres, at $3 per gallon $1,500 00 Grapes sold from 1/2 acre of Concords 400 00 Plants from cuttings and layers sold 2,000 00 -------- $3,900 00

1864.--SECOND CROP.--VINES BADLY FROSTED IN WINTER.

2 Acres of Norton's Virginia produced 600 gallons, at $4 50 $2,700 00 2-1/2 Acres of Catawba, produced 400 gallons, at $2 15 850 00 Grapes sold from 1/2 acre of Concord 400 00 Plants sold 1,500 00 -------- $5,450 00

1865--THIRD CROP.

2-3/4 Acres of Norton's Virginia, produced 2,000 gallons at $4 8,000 00 2-1/2 Acres Catawba, produced 450 gallons at $1 75 787 50 1-1/4 Acres Concord, produced 1,000 gallons, at $250 2,500 00 1/2 acre Herbemont produced 400 gallons, at $3 per gallon, 1,200 00 1/2 acre Rulander produced 50 gallons, at $5 250 00 Plants sold, 1,500 00 --------- $14,237 50

This vineyard was trenched at an average cost of $120 dollars to the acre, and most of the vines are planted 55, evidently too close. They are trained to wire trellis, as described in a former part of this work, and receive close attention, and the very best cultivation.

YIELD OF VINEYARD OF MR. WILLIAM POESCHEL--1857.

1-1/2 acres of Catawba produced 1,050 gallons of wine; sold at 1,402 50

1858.

1-3/4 acres of Catawba produced 250 gallons; sold at $1.10 per gallon, 275 00

1859.

1-3/4 acres Catawba produced 300 gallons; sold at $1.25 per gallon, 375 00

1860.

2 acres of Catawba produced 8,843 lbs. of grapes; sold at 10c. per lb., 884 30 120 gallons of wine, at $1.20 per gallon, 144 00 230 " 0.95 " 218 50 Plants sold, 600 00 -------- $1,846 80

1861.

2 acres of Catawba produced 270 gallons, at $1.05 per gallon, 283 50 Plants sold, 500 00 ------ $783 50

1862.

2 acres Catawba produced 6,718 lbs. of grapes; sold at 9 cents per lb., 604 62 225 gallons of wine, sold at $1.25 per gallon, 281 25 75 " of Norton's Virginia, from about 1-10th of an acre, at $2.75 per gallon, 206 25 Plants sold, 650 00 -------- $1,742 12

1863--2-1/4 ACRES IN ALL.

720 gallons of Catawba, at $1.85 per gallon, 1,332 00 60 " Concord, at $2.00 " 120 00 70 " Herbemont, at $2 " 140 00 40 " Norton's Virginia, $3 " 120 00 Plants sold, 800 00 -------- $2,512 00

1864--2-1/4 ACRES IN BEARING; VINES BADLY FROSTED.

45 gallons Catawba, $2.00 per gallon, 90 00 42 " Concord, 2.50 " 105 00 20 " Norton's Virginia and Delaware mixed, at $5.25 per gallon, 105 00 10 " Norton's Virginia, second cla.s.s, at $3 30 00 Plants sold, 300 00 ------ $630 00

1865--5 ACRES IN BEARING.

2-1/2 acre Catawba produced 900 galls., at $1.75, 1,575 00 1/2 " Concord " 700 " 2.50, 1,750 00 1 " Norton's Vir. " 600 " 4.00, 2,400 00 1/3 " Delaware " 120 " 5.00, 600 00 1/2 " Herbemont " 350 " 2.50, 875 00 Balance in other varieties, 150 00 Plants sold, 940 00 -------- $8,290 00

This vineyard has one of the best locations for Catawba and Delaware in the neighborhood, and its proprietor one of the most intelligent and industrious cultivators and wine-manufacturers in the vicinity.

The following are copied from the report of a special committee appointed by the Cincinnati Horticultural Society, to inquire into the condition of vineyards, and report whether or not grape-growing was still profitable. I regret to say that our Cincinnati friends have not, generally speaking, paid as much attention to the introduction and testing of better varieties--and there are but few vineyards in that neighborhood--where any other variety than the Catawba has been planted to any extent. It is to be hoped that the signal failure of that variety last season will do much to open their eyes to the full importance of the subject, and to abandon the Catawba, which evidently will not pay any longer.

But, as we have already said, there are other varieties of grapes being successfully grown in this vicinity, and we have extended our researches to some of those vineyards, and give the results as follows:--

Ives' Seedling is a grape of much promise, not addicted to mildew and rot. Col. WAHRING, of Indian Hill, in this county, has a small vineyard, only two acres in bearing, which made, the past season, 650 gallons of wine. The season previous, only one acre in bearing, yielded 560 gallons. The Colonel makes his account for the past season's business stand as follows:--

650 gallons of wine, sold at $4.10 per gallon, $2,665 00 Sale of cuttings, 1,500 00 -------- $4,165 00 Deduct cost of taking care of vineyard, 100 00 -------- Leaving net product of vineyard, $4,065 00 Or over $2,000 per acre.

Norton's Virginia is another promising grape that is being grown considerably hereabouts.

The Messrs. BOGEN have given us their figures for the product of this grape, as follows:

1863--From 1-1/2 acres, first year in bearing, they made 500 gallons, sold at $3 per gallon, $1,500 00 Sale of cuttings, 400 00 Sale of roots from layers, 800 00 -------- $2,700 00 Deduct from this, for cost of culture, 100 00 -------- Leaves net, $2,600 00 Or $1,733 per acre.

1864--Yield of same in wine and cuttings, 2,300 00 Or about $1,500 per acre.

Delaware is another grape of very great promise and profit, now being extensively grown throughout the country. The Messrs. BOGEN, from one-third of an acre, first bearing year, give us the following figures for the past season:

87 gallons of wine, sold at $6 per gallon, 522 00 Sold cuttings, 450 00 Sold roots from layers, 2,050 00 -------- $3,022 00 Deduct cost of culture, 22 00 -------- $3,000 00 Or $9,000 per acre.

Mr. J. E. MOTTIER gives us, as the result of his Delaware vineyard for the past two years, as follows:

1863--FROM 1-1/2 ACRES.

165 gallons of wine, sold at $5 per gallon, $825 00 Sale of cuttings, 1,630 00 -------- 2,455 00 Deduct expenses, 200 00 -------- Leaving net, $2,255 00 Or $1,504 per acre.