Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-01


ments will be sustained. At this time
some communities are so sensitive on this
subject that it is unsafe to suggest doubt
of the adoption of the local climate to GER
tain preferred and productive grape-Varle-
ties in which heavy investment have been
made; and yet, the longer such delusions
are INDUCED in, the heavier will ultimately
| be the losses from the slow and low sale OF
unsatisfactory products. No one locality
or region can be good for all classes OF
wines, and those who insist on trying to
force the Riesling and The Muscat into
Welding their choicest products on the
same acres of land, will simply find them
selves distanced by prudent competitors
who adapt their efforts to natural condi-
tions. All these things will inevitably
right themselves in the course of time by
the survival of thefttest.
IN THE PROCESS OF EVOLUTION
On this basis, Doubtless good many will
suffer not because the business is over
done" in general, but because their par.
ticular product is drug in the market,
being, from whatever cause, below the
mark of excellence required to secure
profitable returns. They may, upon diff
ferent plane, experience depression like
that of 1875. The fact that immense
quantities of very different wine are con-
sumed in France and Germany will not
avail here, where the laboring masses
rarely touch wine. coed or bad, thus far
preferring beer or strong liquors. 1t is
hardly probable that, for some time to
come, it would pay well to ship yin Ordi-
naire all the way to Europe; and al
though the use of native wines is likely to
increase materially in this country, displac-
ing in measure the lees healthful bever-
ages now consumed, yet this is too slow
process to be relied upon By those now
planting vines. We have very analo-
gous condition of things in
THE CASE OF THE ORCHARD FRUITS,
Which, until lately, have been planted in
a somewhat indiscriminate manner. Orch
ards made up of a few choice varieties
adapted to the locality prove very profit
able, and will doubtless continue to do so,
being in demand for canning and drying;
while Indifferent and mixed fruit becomes
more and more every year a drug in the
market. But in this case the California
grower has to compete with the products
of the East where there are regions whose
orchards, fruits, both fresh and dry, fairly
compete in quality with ours. Not SO in
the case of the grape for California seems
to have, and is likely to retain, from eli
matte causes, the monopoly of the produc-
ton of the European " UiaiterG" grape on
the North American Continent, and with
| it that of the production of wines like
those of the old world, as we'll as of raj.
sins. Thus far, at least, few wines made
| from the grapes of the American stock are
entirely free from the inherent "foxiness"
which, while acceptable by way of a
charge, seems to initiate against tire daily
use of wine, from the same cause that
makes cake unacceptable in place of bread
and the toughness of skin and acidity of
the innermost pulp tell at least equally
i against the making of raisins from the
| American berries. On the other hand,
since the American varieties also succeed
| perfectly in California, our wine-makers
have the opportunity of producing blends
such as have never been attempted as yet
unless quite lately and upon small
scale, in France), and which promise re-
markable results. Considering that when
all the vineyards at present planted shall
be in bearing,
THE ENTIRE PRODUCT OF CALIFORNIA
VIII probably still amount to only
about one thirtieth of the total pro-
duct of France, and will only about
equal that of Russia and Turkey,
which is scarcely heard of in the worlds
commerce that, as a consequence of the
invasion of the phylloxera, the wine product
Of France remains stationary in the face of
an increasing demand and higher prices,
compelling an extensive importation from
other countries to maintain an adequate sup
ply; that the invasion of Spain and Portugal
has but Just begun, and seems to progress
almost unchecked, despite all efforts to
arrest it, having already caused a material
falling off of the wine exports of those
countries, whose somewhat unprogressive
population will be slow to adopt the only
| feasible remedy Of grating on resistent
stocks that the inrOads Of the insect are
! bat just beginning to be felt in the wine
growing districts of Russia and Greece
and finally, that for many years the price
OF wines, especially of the higher grades,
Has been steadily on the increase; it seems
that the prospect of losses in consequence of
OYER.PRODUCTION
| OF good wines in California is too remote
/ to deserve serious consideration at this
time Practically, the same is true, even
IN a higher degree, of the raisin industry.
! Not only is it likely that the European
production of this article will be materially
| decreased for some time to come, but the
probable increase of consumption of an
article so universally liked, bat thus far
| too high. priced to be available to the labor
! ing classes, should also be kept in view. In
this case, as in taat Of wines, high quality
will, however, be needed to maintain
profits. First and second lsss raisins will
not be a drug in the market for many
years to come, nor will there be much diff
ficulty in converting raisin-vineyard into
a wine making one, or vice versa, by graft.
ing, should need arise. There are two other
clouds, apparently more serious at present
than that of over-production, that threaten
the success OF viticulture in this State One
is the presence of the phylloxera the
other, the scarcity of available labor, result
ing through the Exclusion Act"
AS REGARDS THE PHYLLoxERA,
II seems to be gradually but surely spread
ing over the State, in the absence of any
effective system of quarantine other than
such as the grape-growers of certain dis
tricts agree upon, or such as individuals
practice for their own protection. Two
chief causes contribute to this remarkable
indifference toward danger that has
shown such formidable results in Eu.
rope. One is the indisputable fact that
the attacks are not as fatal to the vine in
California as elsewhere, despite the appar-
emily favorable conditions offered by the
climate. Another is the inveterate habit
of Cslifornians to take risks and abide by
! the results. a third may be found in the
great rapidity with which young vineyards
come into bearing, allowing losses TO be
made good in much shorter time than
would be required in Europe. However,
goodly proportion of the new paintings
are now being made of resistent stocks, es.
peciailly in districts already infested, while
others are made with view to permanent
protection by periodic inundation. Alto
gether, the grape. growers have made up
their minds to get along with or without
the phylloxera, as may be necessary.
SCARCITY OF LABOR.
The other threatening difficulty is that of
scarcity OF labor, and for the immediate
| future 1t is certainly serious one. The Elk
ciuson Act is rapidly rendering Chinese Ia
/ Dor unavailable, aud no other as yet appears