WINE-MAKING

MUCH-NEEDED ENTERPRISE.

More About the Projected Richmond Wine Company—Facts and Figures from the Commissioner of Agriculture

To the Editor of the Dispatch :

I think it well once more to call the attention of the citizens of Richmond and its vicinity to this important subject. Some time since great interest was manifested in the project, and now the need of a market for the large .mount of wine-grapes that will probably be produced in the environs of Richmond is much more apparent than it was then. This was forcibly brought to my notice during a flying visit to Albemarle last week. In that county vineyards are being extended and new ones planted every year, and there is every prospect now of a crop far greater than ever before. Talking on this subject. I received a friendly rebuke--a " true word spoken in jest"--because I had advised grapegrowers of other sections that they could find a market for their surplus wine-grapes in Charlottesville, and it was made clear to me that with a fairly good season more grapes will be raised in Albemarle county alone and will seek a market " in Charlottesville than the two wine-cellars there can possibly work up. Then where will be the outlet for the crop of Chesterfield, Henrico, and other counties which have many and flourishing vineyards? Last year the crop in Albemarle was very small, far below an average, not taking into account the immense increase in the number of bearing vines since that time.

This is a question on which the whole community is interested, not grapegrowers alone. Viticulture is on a boom just now, and if it proves profitable will go on developing, become a most important industry, and add much to the general wealth. But let there be s large crop of grapes, and the growers find the market overstocked--no sale for their products. All those who have not the skill or conveniences or capital to work up their grapes into wine will become disgusted, and the new industry receives check from which it will not recover in our time.

In answer to the call for statistics published in the Dispatch, I have received letters from a few vineyardists. They report in the vicinity of Richmond 123 ˝ acres in vines. This is only a fraction of the area, as there is good reason to believe. There were reports also from Amherst Fluvanna. Charles City, James City, and from Spotsylvania.

I hope that some influential citizen will take this matter in hand and give it an impulse. Perhaps that is all that is wanted to make if a success.

SILK-WORMS’ EGGS

This may meet the eye of some one who would like to make an experiment in silk-raising. 1 can supply four or five with a half ounce each of eggs if they will at once communicate with

Yours most respectfully,

Randolph Harrison.

Commissioner of Agriculture.

May 5, 1885.

N B.--Since writing the above I have received a letter from Oscar Rierson, Esq., of Charlottesville dated May 4th), in answer to one of inquiry concerning the wine-cellars of his town. Mr. Rierson is an expert in this business, and secretary and treasurer of the Monticello Wine Company. He says in regard to shipping grapes: "We have for some years had some Norton grapes from Richmond--not any large quantity. To say nothing about objection to so distant a shipment affecting wine properties of fruit --thc freights are too heavy a tax except on expensive grapes--it would be to growers' interest to combine and make wines. This, however, depends on quantity of fruit to be had in good order and at wine prices for grapes."

The storage capacity of the Monticello Company Mr. Rierson states to be "150,000 gallons, that can be increased to 200,000 by the use of larger casks--about 60,000 gallons now on hand."

"Mr. Hotopp has a 50,000-gallon cellar, to which he is now excavating an addition of 70,000."

This last is an interesting statement, as Mr. Hotopp was the pioneer in this business, and confirms the general belief that he has found it profitable.