THE direful effects of two sharp night-frosts at the end of last April, in the wine districts of France and Germany, causing the loss of no less than two-thirds of the presumable crop for 1873, together with the oft-repeated failures which assail the vintner of those countries, through early and late frosts, rot, mildew, insects - of which the Phylloxera is no mean individual, naturally raises the above question in the mind of Americans, who would prefer to rely upon the productions of their own country for a gentle and agreeable stimulant. I now propose to examine and answer it to the best of my observations and practical experience, for the satisfaction of my friends who desire to continue in this line of business.

There are a great many progressive undoubters who will be surprised by the caption under which I write. To doubt the ability to grow grapes and to make native wines is something beyond their comprehension, and smacks strongly of - let us say it - a great deal of ignorance, with what has been accomplished within the twenty years. I will say at once, to relieve their mind, that the question is not whether grapes can be grown and wine made, but whether it can be made to pay.

We know but too well that many have been severe losers, others utterly ruined in the laudable effort to nationalize grape culture and wine-making; yet, from experience, I sincerely believe it can be made to pay; in fact I know it. But before I can show how that result, in my estimation and experience, is to be reached, let us consider, briefly, the many causes which have worked detrimentally to retard or arrest the healthy growth of that new branch of business; knowing many of the causes which have been an impediment, we may in a measure guard against their repetition.

Let us begin with the vineyardist, and see the many errors in the vineyard. First, the difficulty to know whether he wanted a wine grape or a table grape for a handy market. The Catawba having already met with a certain success in some portions of the country, was chosen, and planted everywhere, at random - in low lands, side hills and table lands; the risk of the soil being unsuitable was freely taken, in many cases not even inquired into. To supply the demand plants were made of sound or diseased wood, as the case might be; of ripe and green cuttings; the same was done of the many new plants which carried public favor; and, worse than all, as soon as they began to grow they were made to furnish their own quota of plants, weak, feeble, worthless plants. Then they were subjected to a style of pruning, cutting, breaking, slashing, pinching, etc., which only proved the immense energies of the vine; the wonder was and is that they were not killed outright - but to finish them sure, deep plowing, tearing and mangling the roots out of the soil was resorted to, in and out of season, in times of drouth, with a dog-day sun, the soil being baked as hard as a brick - whilst a crop, double the size it should be, was making the reckless attempt to mature on well abused vines.

And people wondered that their vines became sickly, subject to rather light frosts, rot, mildew, insects etc., and in many instances, within the last few years, failed to come up at all, utterly ruined, dead.

Next, with the vintner, the trouble was his inexperience in wine making; grapes not sufficiently ripe, unsuitable or musty barrels; then the pernicious theory of gallizing, which has done more to destroy the reputation of native wines than all or any other causes whatever; wine made with sugar and water, under pretext of reducing the acids and pungent or foxy flavor, making a beverage no longer containing the healthful element - in due proportion - intended by a careful and beneficent nature, and, unless with an excess of alcohol, no longer in a condition to keep, often turning sour on the hands of the vintner, or soon after he sold it, especially if the purchaser kept it on tap, like beer, without ice - which often proved to be the fact instead of having it bottled as all good wines should be. Add to this the natural, however absurd, prejudice of foreigners - our new made citizens, against drinking anything in the shape of wine that in native, preferring their own, often adulterated wines, simply because they are French, German or Italian wines; and our own people being sufficiently foolish to believe that no wine is good or fashionable unless it be European, preferring tea or coffee, the products of foreign climes, for a table drink, and common and poisonous corn whisky for a stimulant - and you have some of the many drawbacks which have caused thousands of acres to be returned to grass or corn.

The picture is not certainly exaggerated. Let us quietly enquire how it could be improved and made to pay? I have now in my mind an experiment which has been carried on for the last six years by an intimate friend, with intelligence to direct and means to establish, and I will refer to him and his vineyards to demonstrate the truths I wish to impress on my readers. The first thing that attracts the attention of the stranger is the admirable selection of soil and situation of these vineyards, known as the White Elk vineyards, and situated some three miles north of Keokuk on the bluffs which skirt the western shore of the Mississippi as far as Montrose, and facing the river, which they almost reach by a steep descent. The scenery of the country is very picturesque and presents a surface strongly rolling and naturally drained; this is no prarie with a level surface and a strong, black, rich vegetable humus, causing a rank vegetation. On the contrary the soil is of a light colored clay loam, with an admixture of sand from the sandy marls of the loess which forms that dry calcareous soil which a long experience has proven to be well adapted to the growth of grapes, as it also contains a sufficient quantity of the oxyds of iron, which ought never to be absent from those wines which have the pretension to be medicinal.

There are seventy-three acres in grapes chiefly Concord, Catawba, Clinton, Ives, Nortons and Delawares. The work is done under different squads of men, everything systematically and at the proper time; there is no slashing, breaking or even pinching done during time of growth; the pruning is done soon after the crop is gathered; the plowing and cultivation is thorough but of a light character; the soil is always loose and no weeds are suffered; and, in.anticipation of mildew, the vines are regularly sulphured by means of De Lavorgue's bellows. No wonder that with this systematic care and treatment the vines are full of vigor and of fruit, notwithstanding the trying weather, and other miseries which vines have had to encounter for the past few years. As a vineyard it is a success; a very limited loss of vines and a great production of fruit, the Concord for a red wine, and the Catawba for a white wine predominating, they being without a doubt our preferred national wines.

The press house and cellars are a model of convenience and neatness; the same orderly spirit which commands over the vineyards is to be seen there; the cellars have a capacity of one hundred thousand gallons. It is the object and pride of the owner of these vineyards to turn out nothing but pure native wines. Dr. Gall has no footing there, the wines are real wines and not like a good deal of stuff in the market, a mere mixture of sugar and water. Those I tasted I esteem a pure well-made article, much to be preferred to many imported wines; they appear to contain sufficient body and the necessary quantities of acid so refreshing to the inner man on warm sultry days. Had such wines been made from the start in this country, instead of that shoddy article known as "gallized," native wines would stand far higher in general estimation than they now do, and only in this way will they have a chance to become appreciated, and resume their position as some of the fair and remarkable wines of the earth.

Most of the wine is neatly bottled, and is sold by the case, thus obviating the risk of having a good wine spoil through the ignorance or carelessness of the buyer; only to wholesale buyers who are known to understand the treatment of wines is it ever sold by the cask. Treated in this way alone will vineyards and native wines pay. The small vintner has had his day; it requires means either single, as in this instance, or by association, to do the subject full justice, to command labor, skill, science and all the necessary machinery to deliver the wines to the trade or to consumers ready for consumption.

Our vast country certainly contains many an excellent position, and soil suitable for grape culture, the climate of this portion of the Mississippi Valley being temperate and healthful, sufficiently warm and genial. The time is probably not far distant when our long line of bluffs, on both sides of the river, will be mostly occupied by vineyards for the production of pure native wines; of grape brandy so preferable, in its moral and physical effects upon man, to common whisky; wine vinegar, so palatable and preferable to other forms of vinegar; of grapes for the table, and raisins which will be largely shipped to less favorable parts of the country, thus creating a safe, steady and important business, which will make of lands hitherto considered the poorest the most productive and valuable in this section of Iowa and Illinois, commanding as much per acre as the test prairie lands. The future lies before us; success is certain to follow the skillful and enterprising. It is certainly within our reach. - E. Baxter, in Rural World.