The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-12-14
Grape Culture in California.


terest of California we take from the
Country Gentleman. 1t is ono of a
very interesting series of letters from
that state, being published in that paper /:
Ono Of the questions that troubles the
thoughtful tourist in California is the dis.
position that is to be made of the pro.
ducts of these vineyards. Grapes are
produced on the foot hills and in the
plains with very littlo trouble. The
business of vino growing and wine
making is already we'll established and is
growing IN Importance. California is be.
lieved to be the best grape country in
the world by intelligent cultivators here,
who learned their art in the vineyards of
Europe. The grape region extends from
the southern boundary of the state to
419, nearly 600 miles, with an average
length of one hundred miles. There are
at least 3O,O00,0OO Of grapevines already
planted, and the number is increasing
every year. The capacity of these vines
in full bearing is at least 100000
gallons of wine. The annual product has
reached six OF seven millions of gallons
already. Tho soil and climate are 80
genial that California has great ad.
vantages over all other wine producing
countries. II we may take the testimony
of the men who are engaged in growing
grapes and making wine the vineyards
there yield twice tho quantity of grapes
per acre raised in any other grape dis.
trict. Six tons Of grapes per acre arc as
common as three in France or Germany,
in the valley of the Ohio. Ten tons are
not infrequently reported as the yield of
of an acre. Mr.. Krug, at whose vine
yard our party stopped, informed us that
he had taken fourteen tons, and in one
instance fifteen tons of Ricssling grapes
from an acre. Then the crop here rarely
or never fails, as it does in other lands
There are no severe frosts, 30 hail, no
rain or thunder storms from the time the
grape sets until it is ripe. All these
things make the business uncertain in
other countries. The vineyards are as
yet free from any serious disease and free
from insects which do so much damage in
other lands. The vine here grows with
such luxuriance that it makes stout,
upright stem capable Of sustaining any
amount of fruit that that will grow upon
it, and thus the great expense of poles
and the labor of taking care Of them is
saved.
Then the climate is so warm and so
uniform that fires are not necessary to
regulate the temperature required for
fermentation during the winter. The
finest varieties of European grapes that
can only be cultivated under glass in
New England mature perfectly in the
vineyard here, and are the most profit.
able grapes grown. All the best varic-
ties tina. will thrive in any climate
flourish here. Nature seems to have
done her best in supplying every condi
tion of successful grape culture.
needed hcTe nbso pOwng or trench
ing does not help the yield, Though
the quality of grapes for wine making is
thought to be best upon the higher soil Of
the foot hills, nearly all the vineyards art
planted upon fiat land. There is no ex
pense for manure Labor has been high
but the influx Of the Chinese has re
moved this difficulty, and labor here now
is not so expensive as in the Eastern
states. The Cinnamon soon learn all tht
arts Of raising and handling grapes. Tb'
common price of this labor is dollar {
day without board.
If we should 60 into the vineyard, il
January or February, at the annua
pruning, we would find the vine grower
preparing cuttings for planting. Thes
are about thirty inches long, and whe'
planted two eyes are left above ground
The cuttings are put in nursery rows
about foot apart in the row. The hole
are made with crowbar, and loose eartl
or sand is pressed into the hole aronh'
put cut in psSs ii gfouha uh pftt5eGaP rJfr
vineyard But the better practice is t.
put out cuttings that have stood in tn,
f nursery rows ono year. Unless th
ground is moist it is irrigated immedi
ately after the planting of cuttings or 0
f Yearling vines. A common distance fo
planting vines is in rows eight feet apar
each way, or six and half feet apar
each way, giving in the first case 6S'
vines to the acre, and in the latter / ,00O
But no rule is very strictly adhered tc
Some vineyards have the rows FIVE fee
, apart, and the vines three feet apart i
, the row
, The treatment during the first seaso
D after planting is simply thorough cultiva
t tion and irrigating twice. The vines wi
grow without irrigation, but the growt
is more satisfactory with it and this i
the general practice. The growth fror
o cuttings the first season is not large i
I any event, Occasionally a bunch G
4 grapes will set, which should be re
s moved. The rooted cuttings do not bea
| the first year, as I'll the force of the plan
o is spent in making roots and wood. Th
/ second year the ground is kept loose b
G plowing and hoeing several times to kee
o the soil loose and the surface clear
It Any shoots starting from beneath tn
0 surface arc removed. Only singl
o stem is wanted for future training. TIL
d stem is from three to FIVE feet high in th
;. elder vineyards, but the practice In tb
Y newer vineyards is to keep the stal
"a down to to fifteen or eighteen inches.
is found that the grapes do better to kee
them near the roots they ripen earlis
and are less exposed to frost and wind
d The vines have the same treatment II
n third year as the second. Moro attel
|. tion is paid to pruning Only two {
three twigs are left to grow, and these
4" the fall or winter are cut back to tv
:; eyes each, which are to bear all the fru
rs for the next season. The vines this YET
d may bear threo or four pounds of crap
? each without injury.
10 Sergeant Bates, "The Great Americi
..Nuisance,' has becn preparing, it seem
to invade and harass Canada He tot