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Grape Culture in South Carolina September 9, 1837 This last of Herbemont’s reports to the agricultural press on the status of his vintages conveyed the essential message of his wine-making experience—that despite the usual obstacles (rot and predation), his wines produced with such abundance that good wine was made despite the losses. In this letter, too, Herbemont supplied evidence which suggests that the illness from which he suffered during his final years was malaria. Published in Farmers’ Register 5, no. 6 (October 1837), 378–79. Columbia, South Carolina, Sept. 9th, 1837 To the Editor of the Farmers’ Register Dear Sir—Long indisposition, and much occupation in a small way, have prevented my writing to you sooner; and another cause for delay is, that I wished to have it in my power to give you the result of my vintage, which I have this day terminated, except a small quantity of the grapes called “Bland’s,” which I shall probably gather next week, and which will add 40 or 50 gallons of wine to the amount mentioned below. The culture of the vine is really a strange thing. It produces an excitement somewhat analogous to gaming, though I hope it is more innocent and useful. The rot attacked the grapes, as usual, about the middle of June and beginning of July, so as to threaten disastrous consequences to the crop. The quantity of grapes was very great; but I do not think much more so than they are commonly. This rot, however, stopped without having inflicted on the vines the devastation to which they are often liable. My vines, particularly those in my garden, attracted much notice and admiration. You will not be surprised at this, when I inform you that I obtained from those vines (in my garden one-sixth of an acre,) 460 gallons of wine. I have every reason to believe that it will be of an excellent quality. When such a great quantity of grapes have attained full maturity, and hang from a flat-top arbor like mine, it is difficult to conceive the beauty and richness of the sight. I almost fear to mention the almost incredible product of two of the vines, which I cannot, however , give with great accuracy, for I did not think of measuring it with the gallon measure till it was too late, when I noticed it in the casks, before the grapes of other published letters 242 vines had been gathered. It was, certainly upwards of 130 gallons. The largest of those two vines is mentioned in the fourth vol. of the Farmers’ Register, No. 2, page 89, near the bottom of the page. It is 27 or 28 years old. Take the produce of these two vines, and that of the others in the garden, and I doubt much whether it has ever been excelled in this or in other countries.1 These vines are principally those called Herbemont’s Madeira, and a few of the Lenoir, in all 45 vines. The product of my poor sand-hill vineyard, is nothing to be compared to the above; but yet, it is greater than it has ever been—740 gallons was the result there.2 Not having made any thing of a crop at the farm for several years, the vines had been much neglected, most of them indeed, totally so. I have no doubt, that with a little care and culture, they would have produced at least three or four times the quantity. This neglect of the vines was for the purpose of raising more corn, which the poverty of the soil would not, did not, or rather could not yield. I must, in fairness, state that although the vines in the two arbors in my garden, were planted within a space containing only one-sixth of an acre, taken together, yet the vines extend over head on one side of the larger one about 10 or 12 feet, and those of the other extend the same width on both sides. The part thus covered, however, is in one case taken up by a walk, and, in the other, the ground is cultivated as if it were not thus covered, so that the ground is not in reality taken by the vines. I am also trying the culture of the currant and the gooseberry, (in which I never have succeeded before,) under the vines of the larger arbor. The shade seems to produce the effect I...

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