PDF (20 MB) - Virtual Library of the Public Library of Cincinnati

406 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
prove conclusively that the seven pioneers of the Grange builded better
than they knew.
According to the census of 1910, in that year Erie County raised
337,972 bushels of Avheat, 5,895 bushels of rye, 6,262 bushels of buckwheat,
527,274 bushels of oats, 1,049 bushels of winter barley and
5,050 bushels of spring barley, 556,485 bushels of corn, 52,042 tons of
sugar corn, 8,197 bushels of tomatoes, 1,700 bushels of peas, 470,810
bushels of Irish potatoes, 2,290 bushels of onions, 462,628 dozen eggs,
400 pounds maple sugar and 2,400 gallons of maple syrup, 2,146,302
pounds of grapes, 54,021 bushels of apples, 48,835 bushels of peaches.
The county consists of 114,752 acres of land, of which 65,571 are
under cultivation, Avith 34,847 acres of pasture.
The county has 4,809 horses, 6,765 head of cattle, 5,612 hogs:.
GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE MAKING
These interests, when carried to any considerable extent, are necessarily
closely related. Grape raising on a very small scale was begun
on the islands in this vicinity some years before grapes were produced
in such quantities that it became necessary to convert them into Avine
for want of an accessible and profitable market.
Mr. Charles Carpenter, of Kelleys Island, is credited with being the
first to foresee the great future in store for this uncommonly favored
grape producing section. He came to the island in 1842, and noticing
the few vines growing in gardens there, he was struck with the superiority
of the fruit over that of the same varieties in the East. Mr. D. Kelley
brought cuttings of Catawba and Isabella from Elyria in 1843, and, setting
them in his garden, Avas much gratified at the result, as the Catawba,
which ripens so imperfectly in inland places, matured to perfection here
because of the protection afforded from frost by the waters of the lake.
In 1845 Mr. Carpenter began planting in limited quantities, on account
of the scarcity of vines, but by 1850 he had increased his vineyard
to an acre. This Avas quite the most extensive vineyard to be found in
this vicinity at that time. In the latter named year he pressed two small
casks of Avine (one each of Catawba and Isabella), which \yhen it was a
year old Avas pronounced by Cincinnatians the best wine they had ever
tasted.
Planting in a small Avay soon became quite general, and a ready
market Avas found for the fruit at from 10 to 15 cents a pound, a price
that Avould make millionaires in a few seasons of some of our present
grape raisers, who are making very comfortable incomes by selling their
fruit at from 1 to 3 cents. Vineyards increased in size A'ery gradually,
there being considerable skepticism manifested with regard to a market
Avhen all should come into bearing. Mr. Carpenter, Avhen asked if he
thought it safe to plant as much as a quarter of an acre, replied that
almost any quantity could be sold as soon as general attention was
attracted by the planting of large vineyards.