Los Angeles herald., 1891-02-22
CALIFORNIA GRAPES.
rraEv ARE GROWN IN NEARLY EVERY
PART OF THE STATE.

THEY ARE GROWN IN NEAHlY EVERY
PART OF THE STATE.
4hers 4 an Area Of 400, 900 Acres in
yynss in the United states-The Prod
uce Il 40, 0OO, 900 Gallons of Wine
and SEQ, 900 Tons of Table Grapes.
4 II have no doubt that it will surprise
sven grape and wine growers themselves
b know that there are invested in vine
yards and wine cellars in the United
atates over $155, ,00O, ,000," said Col. H.
Gardner, special agent Of the census
o6lce for the collection of statistics re-
hating to viticulture, branch of agri-
culture which has never before received
any official attention in this country. 81
find by statistics, which are now col
1ected for the first time" said Col. Gard
ner, ''that there are in round numbers
400, 600 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,
andan increase Of over SIC, 900, 900 year
IN the capital invested. OF the area of
bearing vines in the country California
alone has 150, 900 acres, including $4,000
acres Of raisin grapes. That state also
has of the total investment of capital
nearly $78, ,0O0, 900. Between sc, 200, 900
and 70, ,0O0, 900 gallons of wine are made
in the United States in year, of which
California produces more than half.
6even-eighths Of the grapes of California
60 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
Baxnardina 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 year, product
worth at least $3,OO0,00O. The grapes
Alexandria and the Muscat del Gardo
Blanco. These counties grow large
quantities Of wine grapes also, and the
sweet wines of California come princi-
pally from that district. Fresno county
has *, 900 acres Of vineyards, Sonoma
81 600 and Napa 10000.
''The grapes grown in California to-
day include every variety that has
made the vineyards OF Europe famous
Thecultiyation of the grape in Califor-
MIA dates back to the days of the old
Spanish hiars, the Franciscan fathers,
who brought with them from their ma
tive land cuttings of grape popular
there. Just what the true name of the
grape was nobody seems to know now,
and very few care, for while there are
in bearing today some of the vineyards
or vines set out by the jolly Franciscans
acentny or more ago, the grape is not
in high esteem nowadays. 1t has al
wayssbeen known as the mission grape
1.-The old mission vineyard supplied
grapes for the table and the wine press
in California until comparatively short
known as the 1infandel was introduced.
This newcomer was handsome, proved
to be generous producer, and took the
popular heart.
''It proved to be an unfortunate one,
for it seemed SO easy to grow the Zinfan-
del that everybody planted vineyards.
When they began to bear they bore with
q vengeance. The markets became
choked with grapes, and prices went
down to disastrous figures. 1t became
apparent that the Zinfandel was an in
ferior grape after all, and to cap the eli
max the phyloxera came down on the
Hungarian importation and bore it away,
vineyard after vineyard.
mo new vineyards were replanted
with the Zinfandel, and the'vine is be-
ing replaced thechoicest and hardi-
est varieties of wine grapes from the ia
nous districts of Europe, including Cab
ernet Sauvignpn, Carbanet Franc, NAL
book, Tarnat, Merlot and st. Laurent
grapes from the Bordeaux districts;
M&taros grapes from Paaos; Semillons
and Ssuvignons from Santerne; Pinot
1AsAA & 6OsAS0-%oAAnA SAd4Co AAO4A UuC Dul-
gumdy districts; Johannisbergers, Ira
miners and Frsnken Riesings from the
storied Rhine; Chasselos grapes from
A1sace- Lorraine, and the rich Burgers
frem Moeelle. It is from these grapes
that the wines of California are pressed.
t 'sThe famous Challose and Fol]e
Bl&nche, cognac grapes, are also largely
grown, the wine from them being made
into brandy. Then there are the rich
Spanish. .Mrscats and the,favorite Hun
gaxian. 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 California
the wonderland of the vine.
California has the largest vineyard
in tho world andthe'most extensive wine
ceIlar. The vineyard is in Tehama
county, on Senator Leland Stanford's
famous $1,000 acre farm. 1t contains
600 acres.
"Among the curiosities of the Califor-
mia grape region is a vineyard that may
wen be ecalled the smallest in che world
as regards the number of vines, for it
has but. one vine. That is most re-
markahle one, however, for its branches
extend. over space of $4,000 feet, the
cane being foot in diameter. This ex-
10 ruar cavaptv vaarc old