Arizona republican., 1891-08-04
WINE GRAPES.
It Will Be Found More Profitable to Dry
 Them Than to Make Wine.

are the owners of wine grape vineyards and wine cellars. Turn and twist as they may they can see nothing but ab- solute ruin in the face. The country wine cellars are, as rule, all full to re- pletion with no outlet for the young wine even at prices which would pay to transport it to tide water, or at least to pay anywhere near the cost of produc- tion. This is truly sad state of affairs for great, growing and heretofore profitable and very promising industry.
 Yet 1t has been staring the wine grower directly in the face for the last three or four years. Little or no cooperative effort has been made to remedy the plainly apparent causes of the present stagnation. This is no place in which to go over and explain the mistakes that have been made ill the production and handling of domestic wines. There were many mistakes, especially in the marketing and in seeking recognition for a new product in the worlds markets. But the greatest mistake of all was the belief of the many that we could make common claret wine---the yin ordinaire of France-and ship it to all parts of the world at profit to the grower This is the one great and fatal mistake. It can not be done.
 Cheap, pure and good every day table wines are of value only for domestic use in the country producing them, except 1t be in very small quantities for ship. ment to countries near at hand and by low freight rates and free commerce.. That IS, with low or not excessive duties The cheap wines of France have never been in great demand even in free Eng land, while of her richer finer wine Eng. land has taken vast quantities. Table clarets to be consumed in great quanti- ties by the masses must be very cheap. Another great stumbling block in the path of profitable wine production is tho idea held by many that everyone would use pure good wine habitually in quan- tity if he could buy it at a reasonable price. This is an error. The mass of the 60,00O, 900 of people now in this coun- try are not wine drinkers either from habit or choice. They have no use or taste for wine. Only a very few would use it habitually if placed before them free. Beer is preferred to wine by the people at large Iu San Francisco where the two beverages are before the drinker constantly at the regulation price of 5 cents glass, it is safe to say there are 100 glasses of beer drank to one of wine. Would 1t not be nearer right to say 5002 In the Eastern states a much larger ma jority favor beer, while the minority are patriotic enough to favor corn in the shape of whisky.
 Then what outlet is there for the pro- duct of the wine grapeI This is a ques- tion of vital importance to this coast. We have thousands of vineyards which represent large amount of money. For at least four years past the owners have had hard struggle in simply hanging on to the rim of what the future might bring forth. They,have barely lived and many have actually run behind. And now with all the hopes of relief from the sale of wine dissipated, the future is an absolute blank for one or two years at least and little hope beyond What are they to do?
 There is only one source of relief and even that may be only temporary. The relief is to dry every suitable grape of this years crop. Fortunately the bulk of wine grapes are of the Zinfapdel va- riety. It is an excellent grape for dry ing either for wine making or for culi- nary purposes. As dried grape for cooking, if properly dried and some ef- fort made to open up markets for it, the Eastern states would consume an unlim- ited amount at prices that would net the l grower more than he has been getting for his grapes for wine making. France and England would take great quanti- ties for wine making.
 It was demonstrated by the actual | trade figures two, three and four years | ago that parties in San Francisco were | ready and willing to pay a price for dried wine grapes that would pay the grower at a rate equal to $16 ton de- hvered at the nearest winery. It was clearly shown that S20 a ton could be paid and then leave fair profit for the | buyer. It was also shown that dried | grapes in bags at tide water were worth | a price that would make the fresh grapes | bring the grower s28 ton if handled properly. There are active spectators today rushing around through the wine l grape districts contracting for grapes to | dry. They know what they are about. | Are our grape farmers content to lie in | the shade and let the spectators take the wine and leave them the skins and seeds?
 Grapes may be dried cheaply and | good in many ways. AS good a plan as any, where the soil and climate is dry, is to dry them on the ground by solar heat. Level of space as near the vines as practicable-the roads between the blocks left for hauling out the grapes will give nearly enough room-firm it down with a roller if convenient then spread the grapes thereon, one bunch deep. Let them lay until the upper side is well dried then turn, which can be quickly done either with hands or a common wooden grain rake. When dried thoroughly gather up and place under shelter, Any adherlng soil will do no injry as it can all be cleaned out when stemning and winnowipg before | packing. Another way is to dry them in trays on platforms in dry houses or in hop kilns. For culinary use a goodly portion of the Zinfandels should be dried l when half ripe, therefore tart, and kept separate and labeled, for pie fruit. The remainder should be dried when fully