Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-14
ANNUAL REPORT
OF CIiEEp EXECUTIVE YIJICULT.
URAL GEFiCER WHEELER.
The Vine Pests and the Best Way
of DISCRIMINATING Thcn-Pro-
tectiou from Fros.s.

ISIS, puI Is 100 long lor newspaper publIca-
ton in its entirety. An outline of the
principal topics discussed may be given as
follows
The interest in wine-producing is most
concentrated in the bay counties. 1t has
fallen off in a great measure in Los An
geles and surrounding counties, where
raisin-growing has relatively enlarged in
Importance. Fresno county has become
an important raisin-producing center and
a MAJ ked interest in the subject has been
communicated TO the neighboring counties.
The production Of raisins in Iolo county
| continues important-her residents con-
| ceding no superiority to counties in the
south. Yuba, Tehama and Shassa are
| proved raisin counties, while Solano, Sac
| ramento, Placer and other foothill counties
| are producing the bulk of shipping grapes
designed for Eastern markets. The local
! markets are largely supplied by Solano,
| Sonoma and Santa Cruz counties-the
latter being pre-eminently suited for the
production Of table grapes for the late
markets.
The larger part of our wines at present
| come from Napa, Sonoma, Santa Clara,
Alameda and Fresno. Santa Cruz is max
ing rapid strides in this direction, and
some interest is being manifested in the
planting of wine grapes in Ventura, San
Luis Obispo and Monterey counties.
The deterioration of viticulture in Los
| Angeles San Diego and San Bernardino
counties is attributed to the greatly in
| creased values of land, together with the
building of new railroads and their at
tendlnt stations and town sites
The usual visit from the grapevine flea
beetle was observed in MAY. Contempt
raneous with this visitor came the false
chinch-bug, which did not altogether mo-
lest one acre in the State, only appearing
i'll small spots in several sections. The
wiretapper" became formidable in some
sections, while almost disappearing in 9TH
ers. More alarm has been manifested
over the appearance of this pest than
| in any previous season, and certain varie-
ties, viz, the Trousseau, Chance Noir
and Rieslings have been their spe-
cial prey. This insect is exter-
minated with difficulty, because it
derives its nourishment from the sap only,
which We are unable to inoccuate with
the tissue of the leaf NAV he DESTROYED by
Iu- lht IOliEiyIS III al dISGIilt SOIu-
| ton; but for the vine-hopper such resorts
are of no avail. The hopper must be killed
| by mechanical means. Sheep turned into
the vineyard in fall have proved a valua-
| bic auxiliary to other remedies, but it is Il
resort seldom available. Carrying a torch
! through the vineyard at night time has
proved unsatisfactory; likewise some toxi-
! cal solution suitable for destroying other
insects, but availing little with this.
Most of the enemies of the vine feed
directly upon the foliage grasshoppers,
rabbits, squirrels, sphynx-moth worms,
beetles, scribes, false chinch-bug etc.
| Special remedies have been devised for
many of these, prominent among which is
the arsenic-and-bran remedy for the first
three enumerated-an effective antidote
which can hardly be improved upon. The
desirableness, however, of having single
remedy to meet all these parasites is APP
parent to every vineyardist. The old
yes the Oldest remedy, Paris green,
known to be destructive generally,
has been brought into requisition One
pound to 100 gallons of water may be used
to spray the foliage of the vine while the
grapes are small with perfect safety to the
consumer of grapes, wine or raisins pro-
duced therefrom. The efficacy of the rem
| edy as destroyer is not questioned; but
to determine whether-in California,
where summer rains do not fall-it could
| be used with the same safety as in sec
tions where these rains do fall, seemed to
me question important enough to merit
trial. 1t is my pleasure to announce a
perfect success. The products-grapes and
wine-were carefully examined by Pro-
fessor Rising, State Analyst, and proved
safe.
| Mr.. Wheeler has given the subject Of
fruits in California great study during the
| year. and as Il result many of the hereto
/ fore unknown conditions and peculiarities
| are presented. He saws that under Or
binary circumstances vineyards are dam
aged by frost only when the thermometer
marks 30 Fab, or lower. When there is
no wind and frost appears, vineyards of
the lower grounds ordinarily are harmed
| first and most. Sandy soils are more pro-
ductive of frost than clay or gravel
This may be explained in 4 measure by
the fact that the growth made on the
gravel is slow and toughened by the
lack of moisture, while that of the
other is full of water, rich and luxuriant
For this evil nature affords a partial
remedy in causing the vines on the
richer soil to put forth later than those of
the gravel. When the air is moving APP
preciably and frost appears, the uplands
are almost as subject to damage as the bot
| tom lands. Occasions have appeared where
the damage to uplands has been intensified
by the greater advancement of the growth.
Recent experiences demonstrate that the
| N-ipavarIc of Cantral anA Mort ',I
fornia may be damaged by frost as late as
the middle of May Smoking to keep off
! frost has proved inefficient, except where
ing to advocate smoking, except as an
late in the spring. Damp manure, smoth-
cred with weeds, makes the best smudge
and is far ahead of tan or other materials
To light the piles rapidly small amount
of kerosene should be poured on. If the
manure is placed in old sacks or mats it
will be found convenient to move when
cultivating, will keep drier through rainy
weather SO common at the season of frost,
| and may be removed at the end of the sea-
| son for another year. Proper pruning will
also Offset the danger of frost. To do this
prune the vine so that the desired buds
snail remain dormant I'LL the danger Is
past. One method of producing this re-
suit is that of leaving the vine unpruned,
| absolutely, until eight or ten days before
the dangerous period. Where practicable,
this proves an efficient remedy.
| There are, however, but few cases which
| permit of this resort, as the growth of the
previous year becomes so tangled as to re-
quire removal to permit of the ordinary
operations of the vineyard in spring
Young vines of upright growth and those
grown on poor soil will permit of the
remedy, or it may even be carried on by
first tying up the canes to permit of cult
| waiting. Another method is that of
| pruning one-half the spurs (which
are customarily left, leaving the
balance of full length. If laterals
are found on these long canes
SO much the better, as the presence of
the lateral insrres the dormancy of the
bud at its junction with the warm cane
If the frost comes it destroys all this. The
short spurs put forth, and though provid-
ing little fruit, furnish good canes for
next years growth. The large canes
| may now be Invested of laterals and
pruned short immedialy following the