Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-02

IN an immense canal which carries several
thousand inches of water, from the Ameri-
can river near Salmon Falls. in Ell Dorado
county. 1t is well to state here that, IN
like the southern portion of the State,
there is no fight between the riparianist
and the irrIgationist God Almighty, in
making this the garden spot of the earth,
in distributing His manifold blessings, did
so with such liberal hand that
THERE Is ENOUGH FOR ALL,
With plenty to spare Especially is that the
case with water While the Natoma and
other companies have taken out
all that is desired for mining, agri-
cultural and manufacturing pur-
poses, a large surplus of clear, pure
water still remains in the stream and flows
laughingly by them as it ripples over the
rocky, pebbly bottom on its onward
course to the sea-" This estate is
divided into three classes, mineral, agri-
cultural and grazing. There are, how
ever, but few acres of it that is not suscep-
tible of a high state of cultivation. OF
their improved land, upwards of 1000
acres are in vineyard, $50 acres in orchard
and 500 acres in hay and grain fields. The
$50 acres of orchard lies just south of the
town of Folsom, and over 800 acres of it is
IN bearing. Thirty acres are in Bartlett
and Winter Ne;lis pears which, owing to
their superior flavor, size and shipping
qualities, are Il very profitable crop. Fifty
acres are In peaches, apricots and prunes
They have seventy-fve acres of French
prunes that will come in bearing this year
The grandest part of this vast estate, how
ever, is its vineyard of 1000 acres. 1t
lies in a comparatively level tract, and the
RAILROAD RUNS THROUGH ITS CENTER
A distance Of three miles and half. while
its width is over mile and a quarter.
The rows were laid out with mathematical
precision by a surveyor, eight feet inter
vening, the vines in the rows being eight
feet apart, making a square so that no mat
ter which way you look the vines present
themselves in straight rows. Every 200
feet there is an avenue 10 feet in width,
which serves as roadway. Six hundred
and twenty vines are set out to an acre,
which makes the number in the vineyard
], 100000. OF this vineyard, $50 acres are
table grapes, the others wine varieties, and
the vineyard turns off annually over TO-
600 tons or 1000 carloads of fruit. The
NlllC NdIlCliGS DOI lIIiSdlSt, II Is IlOl
necessary to their growth, and a forced
growth is not good for wine. Table grapes
need forcing, and consequently the $50
acres of that variety are irrigated, and
clusters grown that will fill an entire
bucket, the berries are as large as plums,
luscious in appearance, and delicious to
the taste. As this at one time was
THE LARGEST VINEYARD
In the United States, and now is second
only to the celebrated Stanford vineyard
at Nina, it will no doubt prove interest
ing to say something about the varieties of
grapes, the cost and mode of cultivation,
the disposition of the product, and some
of its natural advantages.
The principal wine varieties are Zinfan-
del, Black Burgundy, Grenache, Chauche
Noir, Mataro, Trosseau Berger, Caregnane,
Colombian, Charbono, Folle Blanche and
Moselle Riesling. These varieties are all
planted in large and separate tracts. There
are upwards of sixty other varieties of wine
grapes planted in smaller-say from ten to
tifteen-acre-tracts. As might be sup
posed, this company gives employment to
large number Of men. During the plow-
ing last season reporter Of this paper Wis
tied the vineyard and found $50 men at
work. The number of horses in use the
same day running plows was 40. The
Superintendent, c. II. Schussler, says
/ THE AVERAGE COST PER ACRE
To plow harrow and cultivate is less than
70 cents. This looks extremely small, but
when the fact is taken into consideration
that team can walk in one row for three
miles and half without loss of time in
turning, they must necessarily accomplish
a considerable in one day. The vines are
strong, healthy, and of an excellent growth
The ground by constant cultivation is kept
mellow, and in the very best condition
During the fruit season over 200 persons
are constantly engaged in picking and
packing the fruit product of this immense
estate. The residence of the Superintend-
ent is built upon slight eminence in the
southeastern portion of the place, from
which an excellent view can be had of the
entire vineyard-one not surpassed in
beauty by any on the sunny hills of
France, one not rivaled by those on the
far-famed river Rhine. During the past
season this company erected a fermenting-
house of large proportions, sufficiently
large to handle the vintage for many years
to come, and which serves as a storehouse
for the wine manufactured until next
spring, when an immense brick fire-prOof
storehouse will be erected. A large dis
tillery and cooper shop were also put up
this past summer. During the past season
this company shipped 45 carloads of table
grapes to the Eastern market, for which
fancy prices were obtained.