The union Democrat., 1870-03-12
Vine Culture In oar Foothills.


German wines generally do not contain
sufficient spirits of wine To be used 10 advau-
| tace in cistiIlerieS for the purpose Of making
hrandies. Those Of the southern parts Of
France contain one-thir3 os brandy those in
the centre only one-sixth, and those in the
northern part not over one-tenth. Il is gen
orally known thas the crane hrandjes are
/ characterized bv o spicy m;ldrcSs and purity
/ of flavor in this they vary, however, as 10
variety of grapes and their places Of produc-
ton. In Germany, French hrandies are
mostly known by the name os '.Cegrae."
As to the California grapes. they are said to
contain still moro spirits than those of the
! Southern part of France
The grape region of California extends
ato3t six hundred miles from north to SOUTH
with an average breadth from east to west Of
about one hundred miles. The Los Angeles
district IS a0 omen nlna about seventy miles
long and reaching back thirty miles from the
ocean. The Sonoma, Napa ard Santa Clara
grape districts are in fiat. narrow valleys.
shut in by stems. rugged ridges OF the Coast
mountains. The Sacramento grape district
is in fiat valley about half way between the
mountain ranges, fifty miles apart.
| The vine was first brought to California
hv the Spanish missionaries about the year
ITO. only one variety-that now called Los
Angeles grapes.
The Sonoma Crane is said to make p light
wine. resembling claret; the Los Angeles
grape makes strong wine, resembling port
and sherry. The two grapes are classed as
the "Mission native" or California craues,
and were the only varieties cultivated here
previous to 1858.
! Flavor and frultuess are not less needed in
| fruit for wire than in fruit TO be eaten fresh
at the table. The lack of fruitness is the
great misfortune of the wine made from Cali
fornia grapes, and the evil was only to be
| remedieG by the use of foreign grapes, of
which there are about 200 varieties now chi
tivatet.
| need not speak of the great many advan-
| tages which California has over other coun-
tries for the cultivation of the grape; they
are generally known. | will however men
ton few lst. In Europe 200 gallons of
wine per acre is considered good yield,
whilst for California 500 gallons is claimed
ID. The grape crop never fails, and grape
sickness is scarcely thought of 3D.. Vine
yards in other countries require far more
labor. Here the stalk stands alone, whilst
in Europe the vine is trained with a stalk
four feet high, and supported by pole which
has to be set every year. 4th. The great
difference in the price of land fit for vine
yards, etc.
The disadvantage of California, however,
consists in the high price of labor, the ignor-
ance of the people Of the arts of vine growing
and wine making, the dearness of casks. etc.
In Europe the wines from the fiat lands
are generally of an inferior quality. We
cannot vet tell, however, which are our best
grape soils or how they differ from one an
other in their influence on the wine. | feel,
however, much inclined to think that the
preference one day will be given to our foot
hills. The great similarity of their soil (san-
dy or gravelly and rather poor,l with that in
Europe, where their best table wines are
grown. as "yohannisberger. in Germany,
and Chateau Lafitts," in France. made me
come to this conclusion and the flavor Of the
grapes now grown in our own foothills, far
superior of all others, leaves but little doubt
in this respect in my mind. In Europe also,
hills are preferred. and in Germany the
for vineyard is weinberg, "a vine hill.
So much then for vine growing and wine
making. Let US now examine why, with all
these advantages, so little is done in this re-
spect in our own foothills. The answer is
near at hand. It is because thers is no
market, no sale whatever, neither for grapes
nor wines, spirits nor brandies, in their vci-
nifty nor here in Marys-ille, and therefore no
real profit attached to it, nor encouragement
offered to an industry of this kind There
should be in Marysviie an establishment for
wine making, united with distillery fo9 the
purpose of making spirits of wine, brandies.
etc. Sach an establishments as there are al
ready several in San Franci>co-whose bust
ness in this country and N the East is said to
amount in the aggregate already to millions
of dollars annually, and their profits are
known to be exceedingly large. Through
them the wine-growers in their vicinity have
ready sale for all their grapes, wines and
spirits Of wine, etc.. for these establishments
have the necessary means and REQUESTS
knowledge and experience to prepare and fix
all things in such n share and in so many
different forms as to suit all customers and
consumers here ard at the East.
Provided only that good man, possessing
the necessary requirements or knowledge and
experience. could be procured. the requisite
pecuniary means might perhaps more easily
be raised for the people cannes fail to feel
convinced Of the practicabilty of such an en-
terprise and its undoubted immediate sue
cess s-COr M1rUSri7le 1,,peoI