Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-12
NATOMA VINEYARD.
WEALTH FROM THE S0IL-FRUIT
ORCHARDS.
And the Hop Yards Along the
American River Unsurpassed
Immense Yields.

The soil along the American river from
this city to the town of Folsom, distance
of upwards of 25 miles, is as productive
and remuneratiye as any land of like ex-
tent upon the coast Il IS rich bottom for
some distance back from the river and the
land on the bench above and fo- distance
of a couple miles back, IS rich alluvial soil
capable of producing, and does produce an
nually large crops Of the finest fruits in
great variety. Here it was that the first
orchards in this State were set out, COM
nencing with the famous Smiths gardens
lust beyond the city limits, where the pro-
prietors way back n the ffties cleared an
nually for several years. it is said, 500 900.
Here every kind of fruit that grows in the
temperate zone grows TO perfection, while
semi tropical fruits flourish and produce in
abundance. A magnificent estate, eighteen
miles from the city on the line of the Sac
ramento and Placerville road, IS the
Natoma vineyard the property Of the
Eatoma Water and Mining Company. The
Directors Of this Incorporation are II;
Schussler, H Bendel. c. W. Howard and
Deuerwand, Secretary, and Alfred Borel &
Co., Treasures. c. H. Schussler is Super
intendent and H. Plate, accountant. The
Office is located on a side track of the Sac
ramento Valley Railroad, four miles this
side of Folsom, and contains a post and
express Office. This corporation orig nally
Was organized for the purpose of furnish
ing water TO placer mines around Folsom,
Salisbury, White Rock, GAINESVILLE, Nor
mon Island and other places in that sec
fion. They have a large main canal
capable of carrying
SEVERAL THOUSAND INCHES OF WArEG
Which is taken out of the South Fork of
the American river, near Salmon Falls. in
EI Dorado county. Some years since the
company began to see the value of the
lands in the vicinity of Folsom for grape
culture, and purchased 5000 acres for that
purpose. This large tract completely sur
rounds the town of Folsom and extends
some miles along the American this way.
This company also owns large number of
town lots in Folsom, many of which are
well improved. This company comes IN
der the head of riparianists and appropria-
tors both However, in their case, the irri-
CATION problem is a matter of no import
ance, for the American is ever flu OF an
abundant supply of pure clear water
enough to supply all with all they want
and allow large surplus, at all seasons of
the year, to flow by them to the sea- A
large acreage of their land is what is termed
mineral, while considerable is denoni-
mated grazing. OF their improved land,
1000 acres are in vineyard, $50 acres in Or
chard, and 800 acres in hay and grain. The
net proceeds of their water sales nearly all
for mining, are about $40 600 per annun.
The $50 acres of orchard lie near the town
OF Folsom, and nearly all OF it bearing.
Last year the crop of fruit, which vas mar
keted, amounted 70 nearly 750 tons. Thirty
acres are in Bartlett and winter Nellis
pears-a very profitable crop. Fifty acres
are in peaches, apricots and prunes, and
seventy-tive acres in green gage ard various
kinds of shipping plums. During the past
year nearly all the green gage plums have
been grated with French primes, the latter
being one of the most profitable fruits cul-
tiyated in this section.
AN IMMENSE vINEyAaD.
The grandest part of this vast estate IS
It's vineyard of 1000 acres. It les oa
comparatively level tract, and the railroad
runs through its center, distance Of three
miles and half, while its width IS about
mile and a quarter. The rows were aid out
with mathematical precision by a surveyor
eight feet intervening, the vines II The
rows eight feet apart, making square, so
that, no matter which way you look the
vines are always in rows Every eco feet
there is an avenue 16 feet wide, which
serves the purpose of a roadway. SIX
hundred and twenty vines are set cut to ar
acre, which makes the number N the vine
yard 1,40,000. Over 1900 acres are in
bearing this year, including about 25C acres
of old vineyard of table grapes. The en-
tire vineyard will be Old enough to bear
next year. and wien they get TO Producing
well will turn off 10 600 tons, or I,o0o car
loads, of fruit. The grapes planted for
vine are not irrigated-it is not necessary
to their growth, and irrigation is not good
for wine varieties. Table grapes need fore
ing and consequently the $50 acres Of that
variety are irrigated, producing large clus-
ters. AS this is the
LARGEST VINEYARD IN TIE UNITED STATES
Except two, that of Governor Stanford at
VIVA and another recently set out n San
Bernardino, it will no doubt prove inter
esting to say something about the varieties
of the grapes, the cost and mode of cult
walton, the disposition Of the product, and
some of its natural advantages.
The principal wine varieties are Tin
fandel, Black Burgundy, Grenache,
Chauche Noir, Mataro Trosseau Berger,
Carignane, COLOMBIAN, Charbonol Folle
Blanche and Mossell Riesling. These va
rieties are all planted in large AID separate
tracts. There are upwards of sixty other
varieties of wine grapes planted n smaller
say from ten to ffteen-acre tracts. As
might naturally be supposed, this company,
or corporation, gives employment to
large number ofmen. On visit to their
place during the month Of May reporter
found $50 men at work. The number of
in ha ia MI
cultivators and harrows was tt0 The
Superintendent says the average cost per
acre to pillow, harrow and cultivate IS less
than IS cents. This looks extremely small,
but when the fact is taken into consider
alton that team can walk IN ore row for
three miles and half, without loss Of tine
by turning, they must necessarily accom-
plish considerable in one day. The vines
look strong and healthy, are Of excellent
growth, a bright green color, ana the
ground by constant cultivation IS Kept
mellow and in the very best condition.
FRUIT FOR THE ORIENT.
This company shipped to Chicago, S..
Louis, Denver, New Orleans a1G other
Eastern cities 300 tons of table grapes last
year, and the shipment this year viii be
almost, if not quite double, that quantity.
Grapes for shipment are packed n crates,
vi either lOII VI SlSllt IdShSL-r d-U tIS
packing, handling and shipping of this
fruit alone gives employment for several
weeks to $50 persons. The table grape
varieties most sought after II the market
are the Muscat, Flaming Tokay. Blue Ma
Iaga, Emperor and Black Fer-a-a. The
entire crop of table grapes is sold TO ". Z.
Strong IL Co.. of this city, fo- Eastern ship
Uent. The wine grapes, it IS estimated
will produce 1 500 tons this season. The
entire crop is sold to Kohler & Van Ber-
gen. and will be delivered at their winery
at Guthries station, 8 nile southeast
of this city. Thus it viii be seen
that the grape crop of this immense estate
this season will load a train of go cars
exclusive of the train loads of other green
dried and cured fruits. The buildings on
the place are new and substantial strUc-
lures The residence of the Superiatend-
ent is built upon slight eninenoe in the
southeastern portion of the place, from
L L. Is -