Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-01-16

mentation, and may be the very method
essential for making o more slow but
complete one. make this suggestion
for the benefit of the wine makers and
as sn experiment we'll worth trying.
EVERYTHING UNDER ITS TRUE NAME.
1t is Of the first Importance that we
make the best wine possible and that
all make good wine. for one lot Of poor
wine will damage great deal of good.
1t is also important that there shall be
uniformity in the general product of
the State, so that California wine and
brandy will mean something definite to
the consumer This will all come with
time, for II would be hard to find more
wide-awake and intelligent class of men
than the vticulturists of California. Bat
there is still another matter almost
equally important, and that Is that
everything should be pare, made from
the grape alone. and the mere clt arly we
can make this self-evident to the consu.
mer, the surer and greater will be our
under its own name and the labels
should set forth by whom made and by
whom sold. Brandy should be soll in
original package only and all other pro-
ducts. For instance, brandy made from
spirits should show its origin. Adulter-
ated wines made from various concoc-
ticns should show from what they are
made; whisky, pure spirits and alcohol,
all should be sold in original package
only, or if anything is done to
make them appear something else
by making them into gin,
rum or what not, ii should so appear on
the barrel. We have right TO ask from
Congress that it will make laws to pro-
tect us in our honest efforts to sell pure
wine from grapes. 1t il in the Interest
of honesty morals and good health. II
i, right and every honest man in the
world has direct interest 10 this matter.
The man who makes spurious article
has ne reason for complaint # compelled
to sell it for what it is. or be punished,
any more than the man who makes mi
tation jewelry and sells it for real has a
cause to complain because he is put in
Jail for swindling. We do not ask Con-
gress to stop the making of spurious
wines. brandies, gin or any drink what
ever; we only wish the article which is
offered for sale to show for itself what it
is. If it isI Pinohbeck, let the card or
label show that it is Pfnchbeck. Let it
be sold on Its own merits for what it is,
and not BY its imitation mislesd the
buyer and hurt the sale of true gold.
This matter has come up in our Board,
and there has been some effort made to
introduce bill with this end in view,
and o strong move will be made in that
direction, bat it will require the help of
every grape grower in the land, and al
though objections will be made, and we
shall encounter much opposition, yet
the right in the end must prevail, for it
is Justice.
CHANGES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
Since made my first export in 1880,
there have been many great changes in
this county. Vineyard planting has
tripled the acreage of our vine.
yards, and although not in full bearing,
yet the coming year will feel the in
crease in yield. Lands that could have
been bought for ten dollars an acre would
now sell for from fifty to one hundred
dollars. Pleasant homes with vine-clad
cottages are now dotted over our plains
which were formerly grazed by focks of
sheep. The transcontinen!al railroads,
which were then in process OF construc-
ton, are now completed and long lines
of cars are Transporting the products of
every cline, taking our wine, our oranges
and our wheat to the four corners of the
earth.
LAST YEARS PRODUCT
OF grapes was but little short Of the pre-
vious years product. The hot weather
of June made the crop somewhat shorter
than it would have been otherwise, but
we were as little affected as any portion
of the State. The heat continued
throughout the month of June; indeed
it was the hottest June ever remember
here, yet it shows what a wonderful
climate that of California is when SO
much comment is made over small fall
ing of in production. The fact is we are
like spoiled children who are accustomed
10 have everything their own way. We
measure everything by the largest pro-
duction and ii some circumstance occurs
at rare intervals which cuts short, in
some degree, that production, we make
as great an outcry as ii we were ruined
The grape crop in this county, il l may
! Judge by my own crop and from the
crops of some hundred other grape grow
ers in this county, did not fall short
by ten per cent of that of the year
previous. The yield must have been
fully Sc. O00. 900 pounds of grapes. which
| was made into wine and brandy. The
raisn interest has also largely increased.
The quantity of the wine made IN this
district cannot be estimated very closely,
for no one is willing to give an accurate
statement. The quantity of grapes
made into brandy and wine approx
mate by the number Of crushers in the
county and the time they were at
work.
Our wine does not now figure in the
exports OF San Francisco. All our wines
are now shipped by rail, and those
shipped by rail, and those shipped to
New York go by way of New Orleans.
This general prosperity and planting
of vines and trees extends to adjoining
counties, all of which are keeping fully
abreast in that particular with Los An
gelea, San Diego, San Bernardino, and
Santa Barbara. AL are teeming with
life and energy, new people, new hopes
and new homes. L. J. Rose.
Sunny Slope.
State Viticultural Commissioner for
Los Angeles District.