Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-11
OUR WINE INTERESTS,
A Special Census Commissioner APP
pointed for California.

A Special Census Commissioner Ap-
pointed for California.
Colonel 81. Gardner, of New York, Spe.
cial Agent of the Government on Viticult-
ural Statistics for the eleventh census, and
who was appointed specially for the pur-
pose of examining into the viticultural in
terests of California, arrived from the East
yesterday for the purpose of entering upon
his duties. The Colonel, upon being inter-
viewed last evening by RECORD UNION
reporter, said:
Eyes, l am sent out to California for the
purpose of thoroughly examining into and
reporting to the Superintendent of Census
all facts and Data that can be collected with
regard 10 your vlticultural interests l
may say that before leaving Washington L
made an effort to secure some reliable in
formation from the tenth census, as a basis
to work upon, but to my surprise found
no records of any value, although at the
time, as | have learned from other sources,
there was invested in that industry alone
some S50,000,0 900, with an annual output of
$6,000,0 600. The facts are, the grape grow
ing interest of California has become of
such importance, in its relationship to the
industries of the country, that the work
which | am assigned to is to be separate
and independent of that to be performed
by the Supervisors OF Census appointed for
your State.
The most complete information cover
ing the raisin interests, which will be mat
Ter OF special inquiry, will be closely ex.
amined into, also the area and production
OF vineyards, values of property and prod
ucts, profits and investments, distribution
and cost of labor, distribution of varieties.
ETC.
Now" said Colonel Gardner, "we have
two months in which to do this work, and
IN that time, with the assistance which |
expect to receive from your people, ap-
prehend that good showing can be made"
He added further: Few persons have
any idea of the extent of some of our
special industries. 1t is estimated that
during the past ten years the amount of
capital invested in vineyard and grape.
growing has increased over $100, 600,
with an annual product of over S25, 5,O0O,O 900,
and for that reason special investigation
into this rapidly growing branch of horti-
culture has been ordered by the Superin-
tendent of the Census Office through its
division of agriculture in California.
Here" said Colonel Gardner, taking a
letter from large bundle of papers, lis
document from Mortimer Whithead, Lee
turer OF the National Grange, who visited
your city last November, when the Ma
uonal Grange convened here, which will
show you, in part, how l am to proceed
Mr.. Whithead has been commissioned
Chief Special Agent of Agriculture in the
Census Department, and, of course, he hav-
ing recently returned from a trip which,
as understand, extended almost all over
California, saw the importance of this
branch of the work. The letter says, in
part, You will proceed to California, with
your headquarters at Sacramento, from
which point you will make such official
visits to other parts of the State as the i'm
portance of your work may, in your jadg-
ment, be necessary, which VIII include the
northern, western and southern portions
of the State"
Colonel Gardner will visit Folsom to-
morrow, where he goes for the purpose of
consulting with Governor Waterman.