The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-11-20
CALIFORNIA GRAPES.
THEY ARE GROWN IN NEARLY EVERY
PART OF THE STATE.

There Is an Area Of 400. 900 Acres in
Vines In the United states-The Prod
net Is 10000, 900 Gallons of Wine
and $40. 900 Tons of Table Grapes.
II have no doubt that it will surprise
even grape and wine growers themselves
to know that there are invested in vine
yards and wine cellars in the United
States over $i55, ,00O," said Col. H.
Gardner, special agent Of the census
office for the collection of statistics re-
lating to viticulture, branch of agri-
culture which has never before received
any official attention in this country. ~
find by statistics, which are now col
lected for the first time" said Col. Gard
ner, chat there are in round numbers
400, 900 acres of land in this country
planted to vineyards.
"This is an increase of 220. 900 acres in
vineyard area during the past ten years,
and an increase of over SIC, 900, 900 year
in the capital invested. Of the area Of
bearing vines in the country California
alone has 100, 900 acres, including 5000
acres of raisin grapes. That state also
has of the total investment of capital
nearly $7s,0OO,000. Between 10000, 900
and &c, 900, 900 gallons of wine are made
in the United States in year, Of which
California produces more than half.
Seven-eighths of the grapes Of California
go to the wine press. Four-fifths Of the
grapes grown in all the rest of the
United States are for table use Cali
fornia alone grows the raisin grape.
II spent three months in California
giving official attention to its viticultural
interests. Although every county in the
state produces grapes, the principal
counties of the vine are Napa, Sonoma
Fresno, Santa Clara, San Diego. San
Barnardina and Los Angeles. although
there are many others of more or less
importance The counties of Fresno,
San Barnardino, San Diego and Tulare
comprise the great raisin district, and
cure 100000 boxes a year, product
worth at least s. 100000. The grapes
grown for raisins are the Muscat Of
Alexandria and the Muscat del Gardo
Blanco. These counties grow large
quantities Of wine grapes also, and the
sweet wines of California come princi-
paMy from that district. Fresno county
has $4,000 acres of vineyards, Sonoma
81 ,OOt\and Napa 10000.
"The\ grapes grown in California to-
day include every variety that has
made the Vineyards Of Europe famous
The cultivaAian-e of the grape i;sc, 81 G.hiifof
mia dates back to the days of the old
spanish friarsS\ the Franciscan fathers,
who brought with them from their ma
tivA land cuttings of a grape popular
tbere Just what tIhe true name Of the
crane was nobody seSms to know now,
and very few care, foh\ while there are
in hearing today some\of the vineyards
or vines act out by the jolly Franciscans
century o. more ago, the grape is not
in high est EN- nowadays.\ 1t has al
WAYS been tn1wn as the mission grape
.The old mission vineyard supplied
grapes for the tai le and the wine press
in California until comparatively short
time ago. Then 7 Hungarian sVape
known as the Zinfan9el was introduced
This newcomer was handsome, proved
to be generous producer and TOOK the
popular heart.
ut proved to be an unfortunate one
for it seemed 30 easy to grow the Ain1an-
del that everybody planted vineyards
When they began TO bear they bore with
vengeance. The markets became
choked with grapes, and pricss went
down to disastrous figures. 1t %came
apparent that the Zinfandel was x, IN
ferior grape after all, and to cap the ch-
max the phylloxera came down on we
Hungarian importation and bore it away
vineyard after vineyard.
mo new vineyards were replanted
with the Zinfandel, and the vine is be-
ing replaced with the choicest and hardi-
est varieties of wine grapes from the ia
nous districts Of Europe, including Cab
ernet Sauvignon, Carbanet Franc, NAL
book, Tarnat, Merlot and st. Laurent
grapes from the Bordeaux districts;
Mataros grapes from Palos; Semillons
and Sauvignons from Sauterne; Pinot
and Petite Srrah grapes from the Bur
gundy districts; acknowledgements, Ira
miners and Franken Rieslings from the
storied Rhine; Chasselos grapes from
Alsace-Lorraine, and the rich Burgers
from Moselle. It is from these grapes
that the wines of California are pressed.
1.-THE famous Challose and Folls
Blanche, cognac grapes, are also largely
grown, the wine from them being made
into brandy. Then there are the rich
Spanish Muscats and the favorite Hun.
garian table grape, the Flaming Tokay
In no other vine region in the world are
all these splendid grapes found growing
side by side, and they make of Californis
the wonderland Of the vine.
California has the largest vineyard
in the world and the most extensive wine
cellar. The vineyard is in Tehams
county. on Senator Leland Stanford'f
famous $1,000 acre farm. It contains
1000 acres.
among the curiosities of the Califor.