Rudesheim (rü´ ds-hm) is in Prussia on the Rhine River, opposite Bingen. It is a town of about 5,000 people, and its chief industry is wine making. The best farm land in Germany is in the Rhine Valley, and every bit of the ground is tilled. The hillsides and the mountain sides are covered with well-kept vineyards. On many of the steepest mountain sides walls have been built of stone to keep the earth from washing down. In this way great terraces are built, and each terrace is covered with grapevines. The vines are carefully cultivated, trimmed, and tied to stakes, as you see here. Men, women, and children work in these vineyards from early morning until late at night. But most of the work is done by the women and children, for most of the men are in the armies or in the military schools. Observe how straight the rows are, and how well trimmed are the vines. Note that the hillsides in the distance are as carefully tended as the level ground. The tall building you see in the background is the National Monument. One of the chief reasons why terraces are built on the mountain sides for grapevines, is that the grapes may get the sunshine they need. There is one mountain slope near Rudesheim that produces so much wine that the vineyards are valued at $7,000 per acre. The earth here is held in place by stone walls which make such steep terraces that horses cannot be used to cultivate the vines. The earth is carried up in baskets, strapped to the backs of men and women, and all the work in the vineyards is done by hand. Some of these vineyards have been producing grapes for centuries. Italy and Switzerland also have many terrace vineyards. Keystone ID: 10352 Note: All titles, descriptions, and location coordinates are from the original Keystone Slide documentation as supplied by the Keystone View Company. No text has been edited or changed.