the prairies. Nay, grape-culture bids fair to
extend into Minnesota, a country which was considered too cold for
almost anything except oats, pines, wolves, bears, and specimens of
daring humanity encased in triple wool. We begin to find out that we
have varieties which will stand almost anything if they are only
somewhat protected in winter. It was formerly believed that only
certain favored locations and soils in each State would produce good
grapes--for instance, sunny hillsides along large streams; now we begin
to see that we can grow some varieties of grape on almost any soil. One
of the most flourishing vineyards I have ever seen is on one of the
islands in the Missouri river, where all the varieties planted
there--some six or seven--seemed perfectly at home in the rich, sandy
mould, where it needs no trenching to loosen the soil. _Then_,
grape-growing, with the varieties then in cultivation, was a problem to
be solved; _now_, with the varieties we have proved, it is a certainty
that it is one of the most profitable branches of horticulture, paying
thousands of dollars to the acre every year. _Then_, wine went begging
at a dollar a gallon; _now_ it sells as fast as made at from two
dollars to six dollars a gallon. Instead of the only wine then
considered fit to drink, we number our wine-producing varieties by the
dozen, all better than the Catawba; among the most prominent of which I
will name--of varieties producing white wine, the Herbemont, Delaware,
Cassidy, Taylor, Rulander, Cunningham, and Louisiana; of light-red
wines, the Concord; of dark-red wines, the Norton's Virginia,
Cynthiana, Arkansas and Clinton; so that every palate can be suited.
And California bids fair to outdo us all; for there, I am told, several
kinds of wine are made from the same grape, in the same vineyard, and
in fabulous quantities. To cite an example of the increase in planting:
in 1854 the whole number of vines grown and sold in Hermann did not
exceed two thousand. This season two millions of plants have been grown
and sold, and not half enough to meet the demand. It is said that the
tone of the press is a fair indication of public sentiment. If this is
true what does it prove? Take one of our horticultural periodicals, and
nine-tenths of the advertisements will be "Grape-vines for sale," in
any quantity and at any price, from five dollars to one hundred dollars
per 100, raised North, East, South, and West. Turn to the reading
matter,