The Nevada journal., 1856-05-16

The GRAPE.-The Monterey Sentinel
gives the following hasty notes Of the cul-
tivation of the grape in this State from its
introduction by old Catholic Missionaries
to the present time.
From the first settlement of the country
to our own time, nothing has given cont
mental Europeans, who have visited Cali
fornia, more admiration and surprise than
the extraordinary facility with which diff
ferent species Of the grape have succeeded
in our mellow and fertile soil: Germans,
Frenchmen, Spaniards, Italians, and trav-
elled Englishmen and Americans with con-
current testimony, invariably affirm that
that there is no country of the Meditter-
rean or of interior Europe, which can ex-
eel or even equal California in its adapta-
bility of soil and climate for the cultivation
of this fruit, and the manufacture of every
quality and fineness of wine and brandy
Within the Sierra Nevada with its warm,
dry, sheltered and elevated valleys, may
be found lands adapted to any variety of
grape not even the rare and choice kinds
which make the Tokay, the Johannesburg
the Clarets, the Sauternes, the Amontilla-
das and the Champagnes. In the valleys
of the San Joaquin, and Sacramento will
grow any other species ofthe coarser grape
from whence sbever the5 mag derive their
nativity. Indeed in the bottoms of sever
al of the rivers flowing from the snowy
range on to the great plains, is to be found
a native grape Of excellent flavor. The
European fruit grows in all latitudes of
our State, from the Klamath to San Diego,
and with remarkably little trouble-but
as the Germans and Frenchmen say, more
work, better fruit-better fruit, better
wine-better wine, less brandy and less
drunkenness. Good wine makes the heart
cheerful and men and women gay it is
better than lager-beer, Monongahela, or
London Gin any day. These liquids make
people stupid, beastly and brutal. They
have caused all the crimes and murders in
California.
Since ls4s the cultivation of the grape
has been greatly extended in the valleys
Immediately shelving the bay of San Fran
cisco, at this time there are many fine vine-
yards there planted mostly for the vend-
ing of the fresh grape, which promise this
year, to lower the price materially, and to
test conclusively What species will succeed
best-for the French, American and Ger
man horticulturists have imported most of
the varieties of the fruit to be found in
Europe and the Atlantic States. We
have never heard of its failure of growth
in single instance, when even ordinarily
attended to, in Sonoma, Napa, San Jose
or the Contra Costa, indeed it is almost
impossible for it to fail, where there is
moisture and good fence-and when bugs
and grasshoppers do not devour and de-
stroy. Many fine vineyards have been
set out in the Sacramento country, and
have grown luxuriantly from the Cosum-
mes to Fort Reading. There are now to
be found large and small vineyards in this
section of most promising character, and
it is likely this year they may even furnish
sufficient fresh fruit for the consumption of
the placer population. In time it will
grow there to be an immense business,a
there will be established raisin factories
and wine vats. Abundance OF sweet grapes