Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-01-15
The Vine Pest - MIR. j. De Barth
Shorb on the Issue.

White and George E. Freeman, of Fresno,
wrote the HERALD very caustic note
arraigning Mr.. J. De Barth Shorb, OF
this county, for having stated that the
vine pest threatened the viticultural in
terests of the State at large. They were
quite caustic, and one would suppose,
from their confident tone, that anything
like viticultural drawback had never
been heard of in Fresno county. The
matter is of such vital Importance to the
whole of California that we treat it edi-
torially. Below we give the letter of the
Messrs. Freeman and White:
EDITORS HERALD-Our press this morn
ing states that J. De Barth Shorb stated
Yesterday that the same vine disease
that is now troubling your region is ruin
ing the vineyards Of the entire State" i"
Mr.. Shorb could not in honor make such
a sweeping statement without the fullest
knowledge Of the fact. Now the vineyard
lists of Fresno county demand from him
| the proof of this, at least as it relates to
this region. Such a statement without
proof is an outrage against large portions
OF this State. The signers of this note
are two large vineyardists OF Fresno
county, and are doubtless as well ac-
quainted with the state of the vineyards
here as any other persons.
| We have never heard OF such dis
ease in this region, and with careful
and most extensive observation have
never detected the first evidence of it,
and feel certain that it has never been
discerned north of Los Angeles county.
Through your columns we ask Mr.. ,,Shorb
to inform US on what authority he bases
his statement. If it is true We wish to
know it; if false he must at once see the
gross injustice he is doing this and other
parts of the State, and we demand that
he should at once retract such declara
tion. i. q. WHITE.
GEO. E. FREEMAN.
Fresno, January 8, 1889.
Our Los Angeles viticulturist meets
the issue raised with visor closed and
lance couchant, and it must be borne in
mind that he speaks from the stand
point Of authority. He was officially di'
rected by the Viticultural Commission tc
make inquiry into this threatening visi
tation. We give his letter below:
SAN GABRIEL, January -, 1889.
EDITORS Misunderstanding to thu
foregoing open letter, that I ma.
be able to answer it satifac
torily and fully, 1 must ask tina
you republish it. l am sure 1 do no
know what paper those apparently iratt
gentlemen refer to, as "our press" anC
not having the statement before me tt
which they refer, or knowing who hal
quoted me, possibly may fail in giving
Messrs. White and Freeman entire salts
faction, and yet will try.
My authority for saying that 1 believe
"the disease" was unfortunately spread
all over the State, is the microscopic
identification Of the same disease on rine
and leaves sent to US by Mr.. Isaac De
Turk, Commissioner for Sonoma District
for examination and Identification. They
were reported on by Prof. Ethelbrit We
rolen, scientific expert in charge of this
investigation, to the Commissioner
which report is published in full
in the San Francisco Merchan
Of January 4th, by the author
| ity of the State Viticultural Com
mission. l presume these gentlemen
have not seen the San Francisco Mer
chant nor the San Francisco Chronicle
which published this fact some time
about January 1st. During the month
of August last l visited Sonoma county
and observed there very suspicious signs
among the vines; and calling attention
to the same, was assured that what
saw was the result Of "the very hot blast,
and nothing more. AS l have invested
in the Z" must business" along with my
associates about $3.50, 1000, and the plan
is located at Geyseruile, Sonoma County
depending upon the vineyards there tt
supply the grapes for our business, an
surely interested directly in the vint
interest OF that county, and view with
deep concern all that may in any wise
affect the same. Profs. Scribner anc
Viola are reported as saying the same
disease is in Napa; nor does Mr.. Crug
Commissioner for the Napa district
deny that disease at least similar was
located there. AS no leaves nor cane,
have been examined from Napa, this
report lacks scientific determination.
Mr.. G. G. Hagar, of Orange, known by
all in this county as gentleman of grea
intelligence and entire reliability, in.
formed me that Mr.. Robert Mcpherson
of Orange, who has suffered severely from
'the disease" and who has been study.
ing it closely for the past three years in
his own vineyards, had recently returned
from visit to Fresno and reported that
"the disease" Das also there in the zine
CARDS. 1 think mentioned this fact to
Mr.. George West, Commissioner of the
Stockton District, at the semi-annual al
meeting of the Board. He is largely in
terested at Minturn in Fresno county,
and am sure he took no offence at the
statement.
1t Messrs. White and Freeman "never
heard of such a disease" "north of Los
Angeles county," they simply convict
themselves of want of knowledge which
they might easily have obtained in read
ing the Merchant, Examiner or Chronicle.
l believe this answers the "open letter"
and relieves me Of the charge these gen.
tlemen would like to fasten on me, of
making unwarranted statements. l be-
lieve I am sufficiently we'll known In this