vineyard of America. There has been no elaborate investigation since the geological survey of Professor Swallow. But the familiarity of the facts which his researches developed does not diminish their truthfulness. It is estimated that there are in Southern Missouri 15,000,000 acres adapted to the culture of the grape. This land is situated 1,000 or 1,500 feet above the level of the ocean. Nature has, in many localities, moulded the surface into terraces, as if on purpose to facilitate the labors of the vine-dresser. The composition of the soil is remarkably like that of the celebrated vine lands of Germany and France. Chemical analysis shows that the soil abounds in lime, soda, potash, magnesia, and phosphoric acid; and these are the principal elements which enter into the structure of the vine. The soil is dry and light, the air equable and comparatively vaporless; the water abundant and pure. These are the identical conditions under which the luscious vintages of the Old World attain their perfection. The success of our vineyards has been seriously diminished by the inexperience of our vine-dressers. Unfamiliarity with the best methods of treatment, and ignorance of the varieties best suited to our conditions of climate and soil, have materially lessened the profits of grape-growing in Missouri. Yet the following averages, based upon the statistics of Mr. HUSMANN, in his excellent treatise on "Grapes and Wine," show that, even under the existing disadvantages, the culture of the vine has been highly lucrative. The approximate expense of preparing a vineyard is indicated below. The mean results per acre of one of Mr. HUSMANN's vineyards, from 1849 to 1865 inclusive, are as follow: The cost of 2 acres, planted in 1861, was: 1700 Norton's Virginia, at $20 per 100... 400 Concord, $340.00 100.00 175.00 37.50 25.00 100.00 125.00 .... 375.00 100.00 $1,377.50 50 Cunningham, Other assorted varieties... Expense of preparing land, $50 per acre. Interest on capital. Total.. 2,040 " 2,000 lbs Concord grapes at 16 cts. net.. 320.00 Fifth (6 1,030 gal. Concord, at $2.50 per gal. 2,575.00 1,300 66 Nort. Virg. " 4.00" 5,200.00 The following exhibit shows the annual returns of Mr. M. POESCHEL'S new vineyard: The averages of Mr. POESCHEL's old vineyard, from 1847 to 1863 inclusive, were: The statistics of Mr. WM. POESCHEL'S vineyard are: Price por gal, $1.54 Gross profits. $1,402.50 275.00 375.00 1,846.80 783.50 1,742.12 2,512.00 630.00 8,290.00 .$17,856.92 CORRESPONDENCE. THE origin and design of this pamphlet on the Resources of Missouri are explained by the following letters. To the Editor of the N. Y. Tribune. SIR: At the request of the State Board of Immigration, of which I am President, Professor Waterhouse has prepared the accompanying papers for publication. They will serve to answer thousands of inquiries made from every part of the United States. The public interest manifested in the subject of these papers justifies me in asking their publication in your paper. I am, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, Gov. THOS. C. FLETCHER, THOS. C. FLETCHER. DEAR SIR: The accompanying papers are hasty and informal expositions of the advantages which Missouri offers to the immigrant. In many instances, it has been found impossible to illustrate the resources of this State by recent statistics. For the last six years, no full record of industrial products has been kept. The civil war materially deranged every branch of business. So largely did it interrupt the operations of agriculture, mining and commerce, that the statistics of these departments during the rebellion would, even if they were accessible, convey an altogether erroneous and inadequate impression of the capabilities of Missouri. But time does not impair the force of a fact. If freshness adds to its interest, age does not detract from its truth. A decade of years has not deprived the statistics upon the minerals of Missouri of their power of producing conviction. And, though the facts which are familiar to our citizens may be new to Eastern and Under favorable circumstances, two acres of vines yielded the following results: Deduction of cost, labor and interest... 1,000.00 Net profit of two acres in one year......$13,457.20 These figures exhibit a profit which is certainly ample enough to satisfy every reasonable expectation of gain. In 1865, the value of the grape crop in the vicinity of Hermann was appraised at $150,000. If we may be guided in our estimates by European statistics, the vinelands of Missouri are able to afford a pleasant and remunerative occupation to a population triple the present census of the State, and to yield an annual vintage of at least 1,000,000,000 gallons of wine. The physical structure of Southern Missouri is a prophecy of rich and delicious vintages, which the sagacious enterprise of our citizens should speedily fulfil. Almost all the valuable varieties of forest trees abound in Missouri. The pine, oak, ash, elm, walnut, hickory,, maple, gum, overcup, cottonwood, cypress, chestnut, sycamore, linn, beech, catalpa, and tupelo are found in different portions of the State. The following table, taken from Mr. Parker's suggestive volume, shows the magnitude which some of these trees occasionally reach : Connty.. Tree. Circum. in feet. Height. But I The magnitude of these statements excites distrust. have no means of verifying them. If there is no error in the figures, the existence of such vegetable giants demonstrates a marvelous opulence of soil. Large districts of southern Missouri are heavily covered with timber. For the purposes of ship-building, the live oak of this State is unsurpassed by any that grows in the Mississippi Valley. In the southern counties, there are millions of acres of valuable yellow pine which the hand of man has not touched. Some of these are four feet in diameter, and shoot up to a height of ninety feet.. Energy might easily coin this timber into a fortune. |