Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-21
THE Rancho.
AGRICULTURAL. HORTICULTURAL
AND VITICULTURAL.
The Watch for Rain-Ca1ifornia
Prunes-Vines and Wines,
and Other Subjects.

The tull crop report from All portlonS
of the State, published in these columns
last week, presented the fact that while
rain was needed in all sections, no damage
had thus far resulted from the dry weather,
and would not for week or ten days
longer There was considerable anxiety,
however, noticeable. This has been al
ready somewhat relieved by timely show
ers in many parts of the State, and with
the prospects for more at this writing. 1t
is proverbial that the people of Califor-
mia are ever on the watch for disastrous
drought, whenever 1t is not raining, but
Rae fact that such a drought seldom occurs
after all, should have more influence than
it does in allaying fears. 1t is now so
dry in most places that blowing for sum-
mer fallow cannot be done, and many who
were doing .late blowing for spring sowing
have been compelled to defer until suffi-
cient rain falls to wet the ground to suita-
BILE depth. The recent north winds have
had their usual effect, and left but little
moisture near the surface. All the weather
prophets are expecting rain the coming
week con account of the sun crossing the
Equator" and if these representations
prove correct, it will give great confidence
that the season will be one of prosperity.
CALIFORNIA PRUNEs.
In their annual report of California
dried fruits and nuts, recently issued,
George w. Meade & Co, of San Francisco,
State The production of over ], 100000
pounds of California French prunes IN
1884, as against 100000 pounds in 1888,
will show the great increase in this favor
tie industry. Unfortunately, however,
with large crop in France, dull times
and tight money East, the usual large or
ders for these goods from our Eastern
friends have been sadly missed, and at this
writing we regret to say that fair portion
OF this stock is still in the hands of pro-
ducers, unsold and we must repeat the
suggestion made in former years, that until
our prunes are properly graded by num-
bers to the pound, as they are in France,
we cannot expect, except in the most
favorable years, to induce the Eastern
trade to buy largely. They will have
prunes packed in the French style, and
until we adopt this custom California
prunes are bound to be taken sparinglv
and under protest. French prune graders
are very simple and inexpensive con-
trivance, but they assert the fruit into
40, 30, 60, 20, 80 or 100 to the pound,
and these different sizes are sold at
prices accordingly. In this shape the
dealer knows exactly what he is buy
ing, and while the appearance, flavor,
and quality of our prunes are well
liked East, the complaint (and Justly
SOY is that the goods are all packed
indiscriminately, large and small
together, which gives the retailer
very great cause for dissatisfaction.
a new factor has appeared this
last campaign; in the way of Cali
fornia German prunes-a most excel
lent fruit, clearly, free from sugar,
and superior in every way to the i'm
ported Turkish or German prlIne Our
product of this fruit for 1884 aggregates
$4,000 pounds, and to show what a
small figure this cuts and what a ire
mendous field for operation we have before
us, we may mention that the consumption
of the German, Turkish, Bohemian and
that grade of prunes in the United States
for 1888 Appropriated 60,000000 pounds,
every pound of which, of course, was i'm
ported from abroad. While prices for our
own product have ruled low this year, and
the demand slow, our growers must not get
discouraged, for, with thousands of square
miles in this State adapted to the raising
of this fruit in its perfection, and with the
present rate of increase, the time is not so
far distant as some may imagine when we
shall supply the United States with this
cheap yet palatable and much-called-fo
table food
PLANTING AND WINE-MAKING.
| would like to ask some of our most
practical wine-makers how long it will
take us California wine-makers to raise
grapes intelligently, and make different
brands of wine according to the different
kinds of wine in different sections? The
soil of Cloverdale differs somewhat from
that of Healdsburg, Santa Rosa or Glen
Ellen Sebastopol is entirely at variance
with either, while the soil of ST. Helena
is quite distinctive from that of Oakville
and Napa City There is also much dis
parity in the climate. Fresno and Los
Angeles differ. We may say there are
more than a thousand localities, each of
which will, some day, excel in some va
riety of wine. | think we have at least
80 kinds each of black and white grapes,
which make alone 100 varieties. 1t is
very easy TO get of each white and black
grape 80 or 800 blends. Grapes grown
on different soils, and in different climates
on the same kind of soil, Will vary in
quality. So at a glance we can see that
wine-makers have chance to learn and
improve for at least 100 years. | advocate
that each section form viticultural
society, and that each society dig a
tunnel in some hill, or build a cellar suit
able for maturing wines; that small pack
ages of all the different kinds and blends
be stored therein, and a record of each
package be kept Thus, when we find a
failure we can discard it, and when
we find success we can try it again.
1t would be advisable for each grower to
plant small quantity of the many yarie-
ties, so that their virtues may be tested,
with small expense to each, and perhaps
with better results than if tried on a par
ticular place with the expense borne By
iHC puC. tlltS iiCdliS L tlllilh VT NslIl
accomplish rs much by the wear 1900 as
we will in century if we continue selling
our grapes to large wineries, where those
from red, black or sandy soils, Hill or valley
land, half-ripe, ripe and oyer-ripe, are
crushed and dumped into one tank, and nc
record is kept of them, and the result is
sold for Zinfandel, Charbono or whatever
the buyer wants the most. | we'll know
and many thanks to them-that there are
quite number of unselfsh men in the
State, who at great expense of mind, body
and purse are doing a great good in exper.
imenting. But | think each section car
best test its own varied resources. By
planting many varieties, and thus testing
them, we will sooner be able to answer tho
great questions now asked by nearly all
"What shalt plant?" and How can
make wine intelligently ?"-[J. G. Head
in San Francisco Merchant.
SUGGESTIONS ABOUT GRATING.