SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR, V26, No.10, October 1868, P.308

HO! THE SCUPPERNONGS.
        I have been a regular subscriber to the SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR
since 1856, except during the war; and although not engaged in
tilling the soil as an occupation, I have been well repaid for all
the time and money I have devoted to it. I am happy to testify that
it has lost nothing in interest or usefulness by the war. But, on the
contrary,is keeping pace with the progress of the age, in all the
various branches of Agriculture. The many able and well written
communications, from various Southern States indicate that our people
are not lacking in their appreciation of the greatest interest of our
desolated land.  During the long time I have been reading your paper,
I have never trespassed on its columns with a communication of any
kind.  And, hope, if after reading ten or twelve years, I should
undertake to write a word or two, I shall not be accused of having a
"cacoethes scribendi."  Especially, if that word is in relation to the
last excitement.  The fact is I have strong symptoms of "scuppernong on
the brain," and, I think, perhaps a little ventilation may be good
for me.

        Several of your correspondents have called for all the
information that can be given, through your columns, and I too, want
"more light."  I am a perfect tyro in 'scuppernongology, and do not
calculate to edify anybody. I am preparing to start a little vineyard
and shall be governed by the directions of Wyche, Van Buren, Butner,
and other correspondents of the CULTIVATOR.  In accordance with the
example of James Moore, of Meridian, Mississippi, and others; and in
compliance with his request, and that of Jennings, Cook, and others,
I propose to give the history of one hundred vines, purchased of
D' Dedmond, and planted in this vicinity, (one mile east of the Mobile
and Ohio R.R. and ten miles South of Corinth in the year 1859.
These vines were planted in a loamy soil, twenty five feet apart each
way, no manure, or fertilizer of any kind being used.  Stakes three
feet high were stuck up by each plant.  The ground was cultivated in
Irish potatoes, and pintlars.  Vines grew to top of stakes.  The second
year the stakes were replaced by others eight or ten feet high, and
the ground cultivated in corn. The vines grew that year to the top of
the stakes again, and branched considerably. They were pruned
closely. The third year, about half the ground was left uncultivated
and the balance planted in corn. The uncultivated portion grew up in
grass, weeds and briars. The stakes were not renewed, and the vines
not pruned. They bore some fruit. The fourth year the land was bedded
up, and the entire vineyard (if it is worthy of the name) planted in
English peas.  No attention whatever was given to the stakes or the
vines. The latter grew rapidly- branched out very much, and many of
them fell to the ground, yet they bore freely.  It was during that
summer that the Confederates evacuated Corinth, and abandoned this
entire country to the "grand army" of Halleck, Rosencrans et al. A
strong camp, outpost of Corinth, was located during the whole fruit
season, in a few miles of the vineyard. It would be superfluous to
state to Southern readers what occurred there, from soldiers and
citizens, with no one to let or hinder.  Thus deserted the vines,
such as had not fallen down, were pulled down, tramped over, and
otherwise abused. The vineyard grew up in broom sedge, weeds, briars
and bushes.  A few of the vines have caught hold of neighboring bushes,
and a few of the old stakes which are yet standing - thus receiving a
partial support.

        Owing to causes which most of your readers, Messrs. Editors,
will readily appreciate, nothing has been done, up to the present
time, except to cover with earth some of the vines as they lie on the
ground, for layers. Even in this condition the vines have borne
freely every year. Gentlemen seeing them last year, when the fruit
was ripe, estimated some of the vires to have from three to five
bushels of grapes on them, and this year, the prospects are flattering
for a greater yield than ever before. The vines have grown more
than in any former year, and the blooms are more profuse. No disease
of any kind, either of the vines, or of the berries, has ever been
noticed- Good fruit has been gathered, lying flat on the ground, and
even partially covered in sand - also where the broom sedge is
growing thick. Some of the vines, growing on red clay, where the top
soil has all washed off, are looking well, and bear excellent fruit.

        Thus it will be seen, that these vines, planted out nine years
ago, without any adequate support since the second year, without any
manure or fertilizer of any kind, without any special cultivation any
time, and entirely neglected since the fourth year; walked over -
tramped on, and pulled about rudely by anybody who chose to come
after grapes; are yet thrifty and vigorous, and have borne freely
every year since the third.  What would they have done with proper
attention?  The fact once established, that a good market wine can be
made out of the Scuppernong, there can be no doubt that it is a
source of wealth superior to any other in the South. That the fruit
can be raised in any abundance, with less labor and expense than
any other product of the soil, is established by proof piled up high.
And we have the testimony of some of the first men of the country,
that the wine is "nonpareil."  Does their enthusiasm blind them, or is
it really true?  For one, though proverbially wary and slow to take
hold of new things, I am disposed to regard the Scuppernong as a "dei
donum magnum" (great gitt of the gods,) to the sunny South. In
accordance with this opinion, I design, as soon as possible, to
commence a little vineyard upon correct principles.  It must be a
little one. The stern and unrelenting tyrant, Poverty, together
with cruel and unfeeling tyrants at Washington and Jackson, will not
let it be otherwise.  Appropos of poverty and tyranny, allow me to
state, that I have paid since the first day of May four taxes, and the
fifth is now demanded.  All this is done in the name of the government!
Yet I am told, by the highest authority in the land, that I have no
government.

                                J . M. TAYLOR

Rienzi. Mississippi
June 10th, 1868

------------------------------------------

Personal Notes:

  "Cacoethes scribendi" - Latin, "Insatiable desire for writing"

  "Nonpareil" - French, "Unequaled, superb"

  "Tyro" - French, "Novice, beginner"



This copy of Dr.Taylor's letter was transcribed from a very poor
microfilm copy of the original publication located in the Mississippi
State University Library.  I am indebted to my friend Dr. B.J.
Stojanovic, Head of the A.B.McKay Food and Enology Laboratory at
Mississippi State, for locating this letter for me after a
considerable search.

Dr. Taylor's letter was interesting to me from several historical
aspects.  First, his observations on the agricultural promise of the
muscadine grape for the state of Mississippi were far ahead of their
time.  In 1976 over 100 years after this letter was written, the
"Mississippi Native Wine Law" was passed with the purpose of promoting
commercial grape growing and wine making.  The foundation for this
native wine industry is wine made from the muscadine, a distinctive
type of grape of which scuppernong is one variety.

Secondly, from reading this letter it was fairly obvious that Dr.
Taylor was a very well educated man with a keen sense of
observation and wide ranging interests in many fields of endeavor -
medical, agricultural, and probably others as well.  At this time,
Alcorn County and the Northeast corner of the state of Mississippi
were very rural and sparsely populated.  In Corinth where Dr. Taylor
practiced medicine, the population in 1875 was approximately 700
persons.

Thirdly, my attention could not help but be drawn to the undercurrent
of bitterness in Dr. Taylor's remarks about "cruel and unfeeling
tyrants" as well as references to hardships unstated which he assumed
all readers would have knowledge of without his repeating the
details.  In historic perspective, the War Between The States and the
extensive damage to the people of the South was recent history at the
time of this letter.  The extent to which these feelings of bitterness
and oppression influence Dr. Taylor's writing may be modern day clues
to explain some of the South's social turmoil and problems which
occurred over the next 100 years.


                        Milton Sandy, Jr, CPA
                        Corinth, Mississippi

                        May 15, 1983

------------------------------------------------------

                              BIOGRAPHY

                       Dr. James Marcus Taylor


        James Marcus Taylor was a pioneer physician, army surgeon, and
farmer of Alcorn County, formerly part of Tishomingo County,
Mississippi.  James Marcus Taylor was born January 12, 1827, in Jackson
County, Georgia and died December 27, 1895, in Corinth, Alcorn County,
Mississippi where the Taylor Family migrated in 1839. The youngest of
thirteen children, James Marcus Taylor was educated by family members
and briefly in local private schools. J.M. Taylor's early education
included the subjects of astronomy, philosophy, Greek and Latin. He
attended the University of Louisville, Kentucky and graduated from
Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

        In 1851, Dr. Taylor married Mary Cox of Georgia. She died in
1865 after their fourth child was born.  By his second wife,
Sallie Murray, Dr. Taylor had three children. The Taylors moved
from Rienzi to Corinth In 1870.

        During the Civil War, J. M. Taylor served as surgeon of the
26th Mississippi Regiment, Confederate States of America.  Captured by
the Federals at Bowling Green, Kentucky, J. M. Taylor was imprisoned
in several enemy camps where he served as a camp physician.  At the and
of the conflict, he was released from the camp at Lake Erie and was
assisted by Federals in his return home to Rienzi.

        Dr. Taylor had a general practice, however, he gave special
attention to surgery and gynecology.  Medical services included
litothomy, tracheotomy, hemitomy, resection of bones, cataract,
excision of tumors and plastic surgery.  Dr. Taylor was particularly
proud of the twelve medical students who lived and studied under
him.  His professional activities also extended into interest in
medical societies. Dr. Taylor was active in the initial organization
of the old Tishomingo County Medical Society (1860), the
Mississippi State Medical Association (1873), and the Mississippi
State Board of Health (1877).

        In his mid-sixties, James Marcus Taylor wrote a biography
of his father's family which included reminiscences of the early
development of "Old" Tishomingo County.


Compiled by:

  Stephanie L.Sandy, Genealogist
  May 15, 1983, Corinth, Miss.

---------------------------------------------------------

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

Adams, Leon D. THE WINES OF AMERICA. 2nd ed. San Francisco: McGraw
        Hill Book Company. 1978; pp. 62.

Alcorn County, Mississippi. "Deed Books." Office of Chancery Clerk,
        Corinth, Alcorn County, Miss, (Key--Book:Page) R:338; U:499;
        V:360, 565; W:46, 571, 577;  Y:289; AA:94.

Alcorn County, Mississippi "License Book #2, 1882." Office of
        Chancery Clerk, Corinth, Alcorn County, Miss.

Alcorn County, Mississippi. "Will Book #A, 1854-1921." Office of
        Chancery Clerk, Corinth, Alcorn County, Miss. pp. 492-4.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL MEMORIES OF MISSISSIPPI. Chicago: The
        Goodspeed Publishing Company. 1891. Vol. 2, Tome 3. pp.
        882-4.

Price, Beulah M. "Some Corinthians of Today and Yesterday." Corinth,
        Miss.: 1950, pp. 273-4. Typed copy held by Northeast Miss.
        Regional Library.

Taylor, C. M. "Brief Sketch of Dr. James Marcus Taylor."  HISTORY
        OF THE MISSISSIPPI STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 2nd ed,
        1949. pp. 58.

Taylor, J. M. "Biographical Sketches of John Taylor and His Family
        with Reminiscents and Random Reflections of the Early
        Settlement and Development of Old Tishomingo County: Written
        by the Youngest Member of His family In His Sixty-eight Year
        of Age."  Unpublished, 1894. Typed copy held by the Northeast
        Miss. Regional Library, Vertical File #2- Local Genealogy,
        Calvin Taylor Family Records (1983).

Taylor, J. M. "City, County, State & National1 Boards of Health: Their
        Proper Organization, & Objects--including the Registration of
        Marriages, Births, and Deaths." FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
        MISSISSIPPI STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.  Jackson: Power & Barksdale,
        State Printer. 1877.

Taylor, J. M. "Ho! The Scuppernongs." SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. Vol. 26,
        No.10, October 1868. pp. 308. Microfilm copyheld by Mississippi
        State University Library (1983).

U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, "1860 Population
        Census of Tishomingo County, Mississippi. " Original Page No.
        162., Visit No. 1071.

Vine, Richard P. COMMERCIAL WINEMAKING: PROCESSINGS AND CONTROLS.
        Westport, Conn.: AVI Publishing Company, Inc. 1981. pp. 20.

Williams, Rosemary T. CROSS CITY CHRONICLE: A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF
        ARCHITECTURE IN CORINTH & ALCORN COUNTY.  Corinth: Junior
        Auxiliary.  1976.


Compiled by:

  Stephanie L.Sandy, Genealogist
  May 15, 1983, Corinth, Miss.


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