Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-30

pertinent inquiries in regard to q matter of
SEINE considerable Importance TO the wine
producing interests of this State at the pres
ent time, and which bids fair in the future TO
become Of much greater interest than at the
present:
SACRAMENTO. July %, 1881.
EDITOR AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT REC
ORD UEIoN-Sir: Queer things come under
persons notice once in . while. incloss
some slips for you TO notice the quserness Of:
Query lists it not queer that with the
many thousands Of acres of vines now culti-
waited for wine That the amount of arg9ls are
imported and not produced by the vi1e-grow-
ers?
Query 2d-Is It not queer that as it is
known tha5 there is q large percentage Of
tanniG contsined IN the grape seed, stems and
skins, and that the Stste institution known
as the State University having Professor Of
Chemistry. that the ranin question of the
residium of the winery has not been invegti-
gated
Query 3d-Would It not be the quearest
thing in the world If it should be ascertained
that the superiority of the leather of French
manufacture for staple or fancy purposes
should be traced to Che residium of the
winery
Query 4th-Is it not queer that with the
immense quantity Of argols, or crude tartar,
imported there Is net a pound Of cream of
tartar reported? and IS the cause Of It that
the argols are duty free and cream Of tartar
weighted with o duty?
Query 5th-ls that protection to home
production to homs manufacture at the
expense Of the producer?
Query 6th-Shouid this thing be looked
after for the benefit OF our vine interests?
QUERIsT.
Accompanying the above inquiries were
some slips Of the Journal Of Commerce Of San
Francisco, Ia which we're printed a statement
of imports Of different articles at the port of
New York for the first six months of the
present year Our special attention was
called to the importation of arsols, or crude
tartar, for that period. The number Of
pounds Of this article imported up TO July 1ss
Is there stated at Z, l5S 6S3. By reference to
The report of the Chief Of the Bureau Of
Statistics of the United States for the year
1880, we find that we imported crude tartar or
srgols from Austria II 1872 pounds from
Bslgium rs S13; from France 1922, 4S5
pounds from Germany $50, 694 pounds
from England / 9l4 sos pounds from Italy
l. 297 53I pounds from Netherlands I45, 53S
pounds and from Portugal G3 $50 pounds
year Il 40 so pounds. The value Of this
importation ct the place Of export was
81, 105, 403 Row this crude tsrsar, or srg0ls,
comes from the iusi3es of wine Casks
in which wine has besn fsrmented and stored
From this msteri8l tie cream of tartar of
commerce and Of everyday domestic Use Is
manufactured. The ars3ls me IN duty
free, and We have looked the list Of imports
through. ard do 1ios fad that the pure or
&C.
all. Thus we fad that the tariff laws IS our
country, enacted no doubb before wine-grow-
ing had grown to he $40 industry Of any igl-
Il0rtanCe, eIe now operating directly a9aiost
those industries and for the benefit Of the
foreign prooUcar5 0f wine. Woila we are
building up great Industry 10 the growing
and manufacturing # wins within our own
country, it Is certainly not only due to that
industry but u the whole country that
all laws that acs - 81 encourage
Inent to cur competitors ia al
other counties should be repealsd and that
laws should be 50 framed ss TO encourag e and
protect our 0Tn people. We Of California
have q special Interest in this matter. and
our representative ia Congress should give
their attention to this branch If orr ravenu
laws as soon as possible. We should not ouly
manufacture, but we should produce our
cream Of tartar. A. 2ny rate, our producers
should not be Discriminate against in this
way. We have not before us copy IF cur
revenue laws, and are not able 20 say what,
If any, the duty Is on pure or manufactured
cream of tartar, bus the same policy that
allows ARGOS to come IL duty free would es-
clUde the manufactured article. As 70 the
other branch OF the iuqniry-the { min o.
fannie acid IN the seeds and skins of the
z,rapes-we -think this matter saoud be
looked after also By those interested. Ii any
of our extensive vine manufacturers win
take the trouble TO send some Of their
residium to Professor Hilgard Of the State
University, wisa q request that the same be
anelyzad 20 agcert1in She per cent. OF fannie
acid sud whether It can be extracted SO as 70
mste the business pra6tab.e, we have Ho
doubt he viii attsnd TO il Tor them.