Traditional Muzzleloading Association
The Center of Camp => People of the Times => Topic started by: Uncle Russ on October 12, 2016, 03:57:01 PM
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Texas Roots
During the winter of 1888, Thomas Volney Munson led an expedition into the Texas hills between Bexar and Bell Counties. The fruit of his efforts would be fifteen wagon loads of sticks and one knighthood.
The reason behind Munson's great twig hunt had it's roots five thousand miles away.
In the late 1860s, a mysterious sickness began killing French grape vines. By 1884 over 60% of the grape vines in France had been wiped out and more were being destroyed every year. Unless something was done, French viticulture would not see the twentieth century.
And it was not just France that was losing it's grapes. Vineyards in Italy and Germany were also being devastated.
The government of France offered 300,000 francs in gold for anyone who could produce a cure.
Everything from bovine urine to sealing wax to volcanic ash was tried, but nothing slowed the creeping death. In one place several miles of railroad track was torn up because it was theorized that iron leaching from the rails was the culprit.
It was finally determined the responsible party was Phylloxera Vastatrix, a type of aphid. The critter was American and had invaded France on the roots of vines imported from the New World for grafting experiments in the 1850s.
Phylloxera Vastatrix
American vines had been introduced to France earlier, but those plants had come on sailing vessels which crossed the Atlantic at a speed slow enough to break the insect's life cycle. The vines responsible for this plague had crossed on steamships.
Back to Texas and T. V. Munson.
He was a horticulturist from Denison famous for his work in collecting in identifying wild grape species. Known as the Grape Man of Texas, in his travels he had identified several species resistant to Phylloxera Vastatrix.
Which is what brought him to the south central part of the state that winter. Munson and his team were gathering dormant cuttings of Vitis Berlandieri (Winter Grape or Spanish Grape), Vitis Cordifolia (Riverbank Grape or Frost Grape) and Vitis Cinerea (Sweet Winter Grape.)
Those fifteen wagon loads of Texas grape cutting were sent to France, where they provided the resistant rootstock for European wine grape species to grow from.
A grateful French nation awarded Munson the Legion of Honor and knighted him Chevalier du Merite Agricole. But he didn't get the gold.
Growing French vines on Texas roots didn't meet the technical definition of a cure. That award would go to whoever could kill the bug. It is yet to be collected. Nothing kills Phylloxera Vastatrix.
If you have an old family recipe, you might want to try for the prize. But even if you have no mind for bugicide, it's fun to note that all those fancy French wines have Texas roots.
???????
And it's not just the French wines.
The sacramental wine used by the Pope when he celebrates mass in Rome is made from Vitis Vinifera grapes grown on vines sustained by Texas roots.
(Cut & Paste from Texas History.)
Uncle Russ...
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Texas Roots
During the winter of 1888, Thomas Volney Munson led an expedition into the Texas hills between Bexar and Bell Counties. The fruit of his efforts would be fifteen wagon loads of sticks and one knighthood.
The reason behind Munson's great twig hunt had it's roots five thousand miles away.
In the late 1860s, a mysterious sickness began killing French grape vines. By 1884 over 60% of the grape vines in France had been wiped out and more were being destroyed every year. Unless something was done, French viticulture would not see the twentieth century.
And it was not just France that was losing it's grapes. Vineyards in Italy and Germany were also being devastated.
The government of France offered 300,000 francs in gold for anyone who could produce a cure.
Everything from bovine urine to sealing wax to volcanic ash was tried, but nothing slowed the creeping death. In one place several miles of railroad track was torn up because it was theorized that iron leaching from the rails was the culprit.
It was finally determined the responsible party was Phylloxera Vastatrix, a type of aphid. The critter was American and had invaded France on the roots of vines imported from the New World for grafting experiments in the 1850s.
Phylloxera Vastatrix
American vines had been introduced to France earlier, but those plants had come on sailing vessels which crossed the Atlantic at a speed slow enough to break the insect's life cycle. The vines responsible for this plague had crossed on steamships.
Back to Texas and T. V. Munson.
He was a horticulturist from Denison famous for his work in collecting in identifying wild grape species. Known as the Grape Man of Texas, in his travels he had identified several species resistant to Phylloxera Vastatrix.
Which is what brought him to the south central part of the state that winter. Munson and his team were gathering dormant cuttings of Vitis Berlandieri (Winter Grape or Spanish Grape), Vitis Cordifolia (Riverbank Grape or Frost Grape) and Vitis Cinerea (Sweet Winter Grape.)
Those fifteen wagon loads of Texas grape cutting were sent to France, where they provided the resistant rootstock for European wine grape species to grow from.
A grateful French nation awarded Munson the Legion of Honor and knighted him Chevalier du Merite Agricole. But he didn't get the gold.
Growing French vines on Texas roots didn't meet the technical definition of a cure. That award would go to whoever could kill the bug. It is yet to be collected. Nothing kills Phylloxera Vastatrix.
If you have an old family recipe, you might want to try for the prize. But even if you have no mind for bugicide, it's fun to note that all those fancy French wines have Texas roots.
???????
And it's not just the French wines.
The sacramental wine used by the Pope when he celebrates mass in Rome is made from Vitis Vinifera grapes grown on vines sustained by Texas roots.
(Cut & Paste from Texas History.)
Uncle Russ...
Spent the entire day yesterday driving through the Texas Hill Country. I couldn't believe the great number of vineyard and wineries. One normally equates Texas with barbecue, beans and beer...but Texas wines are coming on strong. Reading the history lesson from Russ really added to my appreciation of Texas grape juice.
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Thanks Russ,.... that was interesting. :hairy :applaud
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TEXAS raises a few ribeye steaks also!! :yessir:
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Not only wines and steaks, but Texas is also growing in the production of bourbon and vodka as well. Garrison Brothers Distillery makes some of the best tasting bourbon in the world!
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I like this one better.
https://benmilamwhiskey.com
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Fascinateing Uncle Russ, thanks for sharing this.
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Didnt know about that one. I'll definitely visit it next time we are down that way.
I like this one better.
https://benmilamwhiskey.com
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Didnt know about that one. I'll definitely visit it next time we are down that way.
I like this one better.
https://benmilamwhiskey.com
Yup, just around the corner and down the road from Hye! Easy to find! :bl th up
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Not only wines and steaks, but Texas is also growing in the production of bourbon and vodka as well. Garrison Brothers Distillery makes some of the best tasting bourbon in the world!
Hey Bull. You are right on about the bourbon and the vodka. My wife discovered a Texas-made grapefuit-infused vodka while she was in San Antonio that she thought was so good she brought home two fifths.
I am currently at my cabin on Snake Mountain, but when I get back home I will get the brand name and post it.
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Not only wines and steaks, but Texas is also growing in the production of bourbon and vodka as well. Garrison Brothers Distillery makes some of the best tasting bourbon in the world!
Hey Bull. You are right on about the bourbon and the vodka. My wife discovered a Texas-made grapefuit-infused vodka while she was in San Antonio that she thought was so good she brought home two fifths.
I am currently at my cabin on Snake Mountain, but when I get back home I will get the brand name and post it.
Deep Eddy out of Austin?
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Not only wines and steaks, but Texas is also growing in the production of bourbon and vodka as well. Garrison Brothers Distillery makes some of the best tasting bourbon in the world!
Hey Bull. You are right on about the bourbon and the vodka. My wife discovered a Texas-made grapefuit-infused vodka while she was in San Antonio that she thought was so good she brought home two fifths.
I am currently at my cabin on Snake Mountain, but when I get back home I will get the brand name and post it.
Deep Eddy out of Austin?
Give the man a cigar! It is indeed Deep Eddy out of Austin. And I have to admit it's damned good stuff. :lol sign
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Deep Eddy and Tito’s from Austin are about the two most popular. Tito is a gun person. Used to come into the shop I worked at all the time.
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tito's is what i have been drinking since it first made the stage. It's definitely good...and it's from TEXAS.... :hairy