The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-01-28
THE NAPA VALLEY.

SOAbuAO 10 Will tC0 OA NSA O1>1OA
sively in Napa Valley. People are
going in for raising grapes more
than anything else where the land
is suitable. 1t takes land that is
well drained and as free from frost
as they can we'll get it. The acre
age of vineyard is increasing very
fast. l will try to give the readers
some idea about how fast it is in
creasing. In the year 1880 the
county of Napa contained some
thing over IL, 900 acres. Now Napa
Valley alone, which is only a part
of of Napa county contains about
10000 acres. There are other val
leys in Napa county about as well
adapted to grape culture as Napa.
AS general thing the vineyards
are laid off eight feet each way,
with avenues every fourteen are six
teen rows for wagons to drive
through after the grapes, which are
picked generally by Cinnamon and
set along the avenues in boxes
holding fifty poundss The driver
drives along the avenue and gath
ers up the boxes and crates away to
the wine cellar, and the wagon is
driven on the scales where it is
weighed, and the grapes are thrown
into the elevator which carries them
swiftly to the crusher which chews
them up quickly and sends them
down into the large tanks which
which are IN readiness on a lower
floor. They are allowed to stand
until they are well fermented, then
by different processes are made into
wines. When they wish to make
white wine they take the stems out
OF the grapes, and when they want
the wine to be red they leave the
stems in them. After the juice is
pressed from the grapes, then they
are again thrown into the tanks
and water is put with them, where
they are allowed to stand a few
days; then the water is drawn of
and distilled into brandy. After
going through all this process they
are splendid feed for hogs, / mean
by that the seed are good for hogs
On the vineyard that 1 worked in
they raised nearly Is tons to the
acre on a part of 1t and got $26 pei
ton for the grapes. There can bC
nothing more beautiful to the,eye OIL
more pleasant to the sense of smell.
( ing than a well cultivated vineyard
OF several hundred acres in full
bloom. If any one wants to satisfy
his appetite or sample the many va
rieties of grapes of the most excel
lent qualities, just let him walk int
a vineyard where the fruit is well.
matured. You will find SO many
varieties and each variety of a diff
! ferent color, you will not be able II
stop eating until you have disobey
ed one of the laws of nature by eat
ing too much. When times ar,
good the best vineyard sells a
about 81 600 per acre. Grapes sci
from about SIS to $50 per ton &C
cording to the quality.
1t may be that the reader woulC
like to know something about tn
timber of Napa Valley. The tree
are all small save an occasIena
pine that seems to be one of ma
lures pets, receiving more nourish
ment, causing its head to stand IA
above its neighbOrs. The principa
growth is a scrubby oak which GOV
ers the mountain sides where tn,
soil is good; not growing over 20 Of
80 feet high land spreading GU
with tops like an apple tree. Thi
scrubby oak is what the people ge
their wood from, and you can mag
inc how troublesome it is to ge
wood from such trees when they ar,
generally very rough. Occasionally
you will see q north bill covered
with beautiful pine but not very
large. There are a great many
small trees and bushes of various
color to sbe found on thu
mountains. Some of them have
beautiful flowers. Taking every
thing into consideration the scene
ry in and around Napa Valley il
hard to surpass.
Now we will talk a little about
the people. In California you car
find people of nearly every national
ity you can think of. You know
that among so many different ma
tionalitles it is hard to describe so
ciety. In Napa Valley the people
as a general thing are very sociable
and and kind, but / don't think
they are as sociable as they are
here, but 1 may be partial to the
Giles county people, and ! don't
care if l am. Here you may hap
pen at a mans gate close to meal
time and he is almost sure to ask
you to get down and partake of the
best he has. The people in Napa
as general thing will learn what
you want and let you go quietly on
about your business. A great many
of them never think any more about
going to church on Sunday than a
mule would. Infidels don't believe
in going to church, and a great
many prefer going bird hunting,
deer hunting or fishing. Sunday is
the big sporting day with many
people. have seen men in the
fields at work on Sunday, and
heard the blacksmith's anvil ring
ing as loud as any day in the week.
do not want to leave the impress
sion that there no religious people
in Napa Valley, for there are a
great many noble, good people. 1
will attempt to describe the climate
in my next letter.
RoBT. GRIGsBY.