Grape Cultivation Questionnaire Completed by Thomas Ashby, undated

Please State, as much in detail as may be convenient, on this paper,-

I. The varieties of Grapes best adapted to Piedmont Virg.

1. For the Market-- Concord- [Hailford's?] Prolific, Calawba. [Jues.?] Delaware

2. For Wine. Ives. Nortons Virginia, Calawba, Delaware. Diana. Iona

II. The number of plants proper to be set on an acre, especially of Concord, Delaware, & Diana respectively.

4 feet by 4 feet-- 2729 vines per acre 6 " " 6 " -- 1742 " " " 8 " " 8 " -- 680 " " " 10 " " 10 " -- 430 " " "

III. The Expense, per acre, of planting & cultivating. concords and Delawares (for example), respectively, and the Income likely to arise from each, (making the largest Estimate of Expense & least of Income for each successive year until they come into full bearing.

Concords- per Acre 1st Year. Expense.

The ground having been properly prepared - $5.00 or $6.00 will pay for setting the roots upon an acre 7 by 7 feet. If close it will cost more. If wider apart, less- Three good ploughings the first year, with two working with the hoe- in clearing the grass & weeds from the hills will do-- The tillage after 2nd years- especially near the vines had better be done with the hoe the [?] might bear a shallow ploughing [?] their middle - so as not to distint

Delawares- per Acre. 1st Year- Expense.

The cuttings from the vines, will be worth the ex pense of cultivation, taken off the vines of the 'Ives Iona's Delawares & Concords- to those desiring to propagate- that's a branch of the business, however, not suited to every person.

VIII. Whether Sugar, or any other foreign [?] client is necessary to convert tho juice of grape into marketable wine, and if so what, and how much,

Unless you have a cellar, prepared for [?] wine, which should be some 20 [fat?] under ground- and your grapes permitted to become very [?]- hanging on the vines till the last of Sept- I think it safer to add from one to two pound of sugar [?] each gallon of the gallon of the Must [?] juice0 I have [?] that mode & my Vines has been consider good.

IX. After what time (turn the press) is the wine- prod uct fit for market,- and the [?] of prices.

It may be sold in six months- Better to give it more age, unless you sell it as Must. I am not prepared to give the price at this time-

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