The bulk of the crop (about 80 per cent) is handled by an association of growers. The grapes are graded according to their quality, and the returns from the shipments are "pooled." Each grower gets his pro rata share, after deducting expenses. About 85 per cent of the grapes grown in the Chautauqua belt are of the Concord variety.
The Northern Ohio Vineyards.— Soon after the decay of grape culture in the Ohio River Valley, about Cincinnati, the industry be came established in northern Ohio along Lake Erie. Here, the Catawba grape, which was destroyed by fungus diseases in the former locality, survived and soon became the leading variety. There are large stretches of vineyards all along the Lake Erie shore from Ashtabula to Sandusky. There are also several islands in Lake Erie covered with vines; of which Kelley's Island and Middle Bass Island are the best known. The total area of these vineyards in northern Ohio is estimated at from 8,000 to 10,000 acres. The Michigan grape industry be came of some importance toward the close of the 19th century. It developed mainly in the southern portion of the State, and by 1910 the annual crop was 60,000 tons, valued at over $1,500,000.
Summary.— In the districts above described, the growing of grapes (both for the table and for wine making) is regarded as the chief in dustry. There are considerable vineyard areas in several of the Southern and of the Western States, and these may become important in the near future. New sections are being planted to vines from time to time; for example, of late years there has been quite an increase of vineyards in southern Michigan, and in the Ozark Mountain region of Arkansas and of southwestern Missouri.
Of American grape culture east of the Rocky Mountains two things may here be noted.: First, although some 800 varieties are grown and flourish, yet the bulk of the crop in the leading districts consists of only two or three varieties, namely — the Concord, Catawba and Delaware; secondly, two-thirds of the grapes raised in the East are sold and used for table purposes, while only one-third of the crop is made into wine. It is just the reverse in California, for there two-thirds of the grape crop is turned into wine, the balance being used for raisins and the table. Therefore, not
only in the fact that practically all of the grapes are foreign or European varieties, but in making wine the leading product of the vine yard crop in California is sharply defined from the industry east of the Rocky Mountains.
Grape Culture on the Pacific Coast.— Men tion has already been made of the Spanish Fathers, who planted small patches of vine yards about their missions in southern Cali fornia as early as 1770. The first plantings were at the mission of San Gabriel, and in the course of the next 75 years there were vine yards of from 5 to 25 acres extending from San Diego north as far as Sonoma County. The missions were abolished and their property confiscated in 1845.
The early settlers who began pouring into California in 1849 were more interested in gold than in grapes, and it was not until the year 1858 that a genuine widespread interest in grape growing arose in the new State.During the next three or four years many vineyards were planted, and the industry began to attract considerable attention, so much so that, in 1861, Governor Downey was authorized by the legis lature to appoint three commissioners to report upon the best means and ways to promote the improvement and culture of the grape vine in California." One of the commissioners ap pointed was Col. Agoston Haraszthy, who, by his writings and his efforts, was largely re sponsible for this renewed interest in grape culture. He went to Europe, visited the lead? ing vineyard districts there and secured 100,000 vines embracing 1,400 varieties. These vines and cuttings were distributed from time to time in small lots to growers in different parts of California, and they formed a basis for the viticultural industry in that State.
The first, or experimental, era of the young industry may be said to go from 1861 to 1871. During this period the most popular grape was the old ((Mission? It was hardy, vigorous and a good bearer. The "Mission" yielded a dry wine of rather inferior quality, which for some years prejudiced dealers and buyers against the California product. It will, however, produce a sweet wine, of the sherry type, of good quality.