The experiments made at Harmony in Pennsylvania, at Vevay, on the Ohio, and Harmony, on the Ouabache, both in Indiana, merit the utmost attention of the United States. It appears that in the present uncleared and uncultivated state of the country, Harmony, on the Ohio, in Penn. was probably too far north for making wine, though not for fruit. That Vevay and Harmony, in Indiana, are more suitable climes for the wines, will appear from the following letter from a respectable gentleman at Vevay to a very respectable friend of his, lately on a visit to Philadelphia. It is dated the 28th of August, 1819. The intelligent and experienced writer from Vevay, thus expresses himself: He "thinks the whole of Alabama doubtless better adapted to the culture of vines than the more northern country of the United States;[19] because the only two species of grapes that succeed in the United States are of the late sort, having not time at Vevay, (Ind.) to ripen. The Alabama season, being longer, will give more time, especially the Madeira grape, which gives the best wine of the two, where it can ripen and yields most. But it will not do at all at Vevay; and does better at Glasgow,[20] Ky. The various gardeners at Kentucky can furnish some. Vine dressers would go to new vineyards from Vevay. They have had 500 gallons of wine per acre at Vevay; more often 150; and 260 is a good crop. The Madeira grape would give more than the Cape of Good Hope grape, where it would prosper, but must have time to ripen, to be good. Of the labour, much may be done by women. They do about half. The men trim, make layers to fill vacancies, plough, harrow, hoe, and carry the grapes, and make the wine. None of those works are heavy. But trimming requires attention and discernment, for the vine-dresser must look two years before him, when he cuts each scion; women never do it, though light work. He has seen many women do it as well as any man. A little work in vineyards is to be done by night with lamps. When the grapes have got their size, the crickets, (not of the house or field) eat, in the night, the bark of the stem of the bunches, and ring or girdle them so that they die. They injure the bunches rapidly. They must be watched and searched for with lamps, by night, and destroyed. He says the native vines will not do to graft good kinds of grapes on: he has tried it often, without success. Grape vines grafted on the same kinds do well, yet they are a different tree, being dioic, while the vineferous kinds are hermaphrodites. I have found the same wild vines in Switzerland, and the kind called sour grapes makes pretty good wines; but are a smaller bearer than the grape vines. They are in Morerod's vineyard, at Glasgow, Kentucky. The Spanish grapes of Mexico and South America should be tried. They have been long cultivated. He is raising grape vines from the seed, to obtain flavour and quantity of wine. The vine is of long life, but it is ten or fifteen years before it bears fully from the seed. Variety, however, is an object. Vines planted by cuttings, which have taken root freely in the first year, bear fruit in three years: in five they are in full force. He has considered and inspected the vineyards of Europe, and the cultivation by the plough and otherwise. It is to be studied to save labour and make the greatest crops. If the fendant vert will grow as well here as in Switzerland, 800 gallons per acre might be made. They cultivate by the plough in Languedoc, about Montpelier and Lunel. We make wine here to be like Madeira, and sell it at 371⁄2 cents per quart, and $1 25 per gallon; but cannot make enough to send abroad, or to keep for ripening. Morerod made a cask of 800 gallons, full of wine, of last vintage, to be kept eighteen months or two years. He has seen wine (made of grapes like Vevay) at Glasgow, (in Barren county, Kentucky,) better than Vevay wine. The grapes were gathered a fortnight before the Vevay grapes. It is probable that wine of the banks of Tennessee will make 1-4 brandy; if of Cape of Good Hope grapes, common proof; Vevay yielded 1-5th; the best cider 1-10th; so do the best Burgundy wine, and that of the border of the lake of Geneva, in good years. The strongest of all the wines that I know of, is that of the south of France and Spain, which yields 1-3d brandy. The peculiar mode of vine cultivation at Vevay, Indiana, is worthy of attention, being a combination of various European modes, and American improvements adapted to the country. Some young men, bred at Vevay, would be useful in other places. Mr. D. thinks the blacks may be taught to cultivate vines." So runs and concludes the letter from the judicious writer, at Vevay of the United States, settled by persons from the original Vevay of Switzerland. It is very instructive and would seem to prove, as so much of our country continues in the wood and forest state, and with many undrained swamps, making a humid atmosphere, and a moist soil. Vevay, in 38° 30', is not yet perfectly so favourable, as the vicinity of Glasgow, in Kentucky, where a dry, hard soil, occasions the grape to be freer from injury by moisture of the earth, and of the air. Glasgow is about one degree and one half more southern than Vevay. These indications are distinct, nice, clear, and strong in regard to the vine climate of our country, at present and in prospect.
In the hilly Spanish colonial country of North America, about the 29th degree of north latitude, south of the Rio bravo del Norte, there is authentic evidence, in a report to the government, that the vine grows well, though its culture was forbidden by the crown, produces good crops of fine wine, and supplies the province and its neighbours. That country being as far south as any part of the Floridas, it is ascertained that, where this country has become, or shall be made dry enough and cleared, the vine region runs to the southern limits of the United States, even if we should maintain our right to Louisiana in extenso, in consequence of the apparent frustration of our offer to limit ourselves by the Sabine.
The most distinguished wine of Spain is the true and best Xeres, or Sherry of the district around the city of Xeres de la Frontera, in Andalusia. The vineyards of that district are, in situations corresponding in temperature with the most extreme southern parts of East Florida and Louisiana. It is interesting to our inquiry, that all the Portuguese European wines are produced in situations north of Xeres, such as those called by us the Lisbon, the Careavella, the red and the white Port, or Oporto. It is observable, also, that the Malaga, or sweet and dry mountain wines of Spain, long highly esteemed by medical men, those of Alicante and Catalonia, which three kinds we principally import, and all the Spanish brandies we consume, come from districts as far north as that of Xeres. The wines of Castile, and other interior districts of Spain which are consumed at home, and are not exported, are from places also north of Xeres. We can have no reason to doubt, then, that, as our country now is, and shall in future be cleared and drained, and if ridges, hills, and mountain sides, with south exposures, shall be carefully selected, the most southern of our states, territories, and districts, will be as suitable for the vine, its wines, and dried fruits, as the most proper and fruitful parts of the peninsula of Spain and Portugal. The works of travellers, agriculturists, and men of distinction in the arts and sciences, upon the subject of the vine, and wines, and dried grapes of Spain and Portugal, are therefore strongly recommended, by our best interests, to the attention of our citizens, especially concerning the vineyards of Xeres, St. Lucar, Malaga, and Oporto. The Portuguese send to us no brandy; the Spaniards a little of that spirit which is not estimated as good. It seems, from the excellence of the French Cognac brandy, the best, and the farthest north of any denomination of brandy which we know, that the extreme south is not the most favourable for the delicacy, though it is for the quantity of that spirit. The Cette brandy of France is not liked here, but it has been said that much Armagnac brandy is used in Paris. The celebrated French chemist[21] of the grape and of distilled and fermented wine spirits, was a native of Montpelier, and took very great pains to improve the vine, and all its liquors, in that southern region.
A Friend to the National Industry.
Philadelphia, Nov. 1, 1819.
A Wild Goose Chase.
At the early dawn of Thanksgiving day, Mr. Eliphalet Thayer, of Dorcester, (Massachusetts,) took his gun and went to Neponset river for the purpose of getting a shot at gulls. He saw seven wild geese in the river, at which he fired, and hit the gander so as to break his wing. The other geese immediately flew; but the call of the gander brought them down again, so that he had the chance of firing again, and killed the old goose, and one of the young; the four others rose, but the wounded gander by his calls served as a decoy, and they again alighted by him. The third shot crippled another.—Mr. T. then took a boat, and from it killed two as they rose to fly; and soon after shot the seventh. He returned home to his breakfast, about nine o'clock, bringing his seven geese, which weighed about eight pounds each, and produced him above 3 lbs. of feather.
[Salem Gazette.