San Andreas independent., 1856-10-18
The Vineyards of Los Angeles.

EUening Bulletin furnishes to that paper
the following interesting facts in relation
to the vineyards and wine manufacture of
Los Angeles:
The California variety of grapevine
was originally introduced by Roman Cath
olic Missionaries-over sixty years since,
and since then this same stock has been
cultivated. In some places old vines are
seen, which are said to have been planted
during the last century. Whether true
or not, one planting answers for one gene
ration-the only kind of fruit that retains
its productive vitality so long.
At the present time, for planting, cut
tings and roots are both used-the former
bearing in three years, the latter the first
year from the planting. Cuttings of four
feet long-in the ground, two feet hori-
zontal and two feet perpendicular-are
much preferable to short twelve inch twigs,
so extensively planted at the north, and
with SO little success. Each vine should
be, at the least, seven feet apart, to allow
nutriment to the roots, and room to gather
the fruit when ripe, and also to ripen the
fruit before the windy season. In Janu-
airy and February is the priming season,
and the lengthy cuttings, from six to ten
feet, are removed, leaving only eight of the
best cuttings, each of the buds. The less
wood remaining on the vine, the more
thrifty the growth and the larger the fruit.
The culture, till fruit time, is the same as
with corn. Irrigation increases the size of
the grape nearly as large again, provided
the vines are kept short. During the first
three years, the vines should be supported
by stakes, to produce regular and beau
tiful vineyard. In this country, vines are
only four feet in height, and are not trailed,
as in the East. Proper attention to culti-
waiting the vine hastens the maturity of
the fruit-oftentimes two weeks earlier
than in adjoining soils in the same place
Like to other fruits, the maturity of the
fruit depends on the soil, whether sandy
or otherwise. The more sand the earlier
the ripening.
Owing to the slow sale of native wines,
owners of vineyards have shipped to San
Francisco nearly all the grapes for the past
four years, thereby preventing the Los
Angeles wines from being brought into
notoriety, like eastern wines. The largest
punches Of grapes are packed for San
Francisco and the mines, while the small
est punches are left for making wine and
brandy. The quantity of each is the
same. To make superior wines, choice
grapes, after being well ripened, are care
fully cleansed of all damaged grapes, and
are dried two days in the sun, before be-
ing put in the wine press. Formerly, it
was the universal custom to tread out
grapes with the feet, without doubt the
best mode, but not very pleasant to think
of when about to drink. Lately, however,
wine presses have been substituted, an
swering the same purpose. The pummies
including the skin and pulp-are fer
mented in casks for eight or nine days
During the fermentation, all impurities are
taken to the top and cast out Red wine
is owing to the coloring matter of the skin,
while white, or clear wine, contains the
juice Of the grape fermented to itself
Wines are light or heavy, according to the
quantity of alcohol they contain, and hence
the necessity of cheap wines selling at low
prices to prevent souring, and also the
necessity Of costly wines possessing more
of the intoxicating ingredient. Besides
the red and the white wines made in this
region, the natives manufacture drink
called Angelica (angels drink consisting
of two-thirds of the juice of the grape and
one-third aguardiente (native brandy,
mixed. 1t is the sweetest of wines, like
cordial, but much more intoxicating A
species of champagne has been attempted,
and reported by judges of good wine to be
equal to the European brands.
The cost of the vineyard and of its cul-
tivation is as follows: An old bearing
vineyard of 5000 vines and over, can be
boug ght. for dollar per vine. Every year
each vine will average from eight to ten
pounds of grapes. The cultivation of
these, during the whole year, costs about
one cent per pound, and under the best
management, much less. From twelve to
fifteen pounds Of grapes produce one gal
lon of wine. The labor of gathering the
grapes is but fraction for large amount.
The cost of casks and barrels is the heav-
lest expense, including the necessary coop
erage, ten cents per gallon making to the
producer of wine total cost of about thir-
ty cents per gallon. To the purchaser of
grapes, the cost of making wine is gene
rally double. The whole cost of new
wines is not great asum, but the keepingof
the wine, for age to improve it, necessarily
adds to the cost, according to the value of