The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-09
ANGRY WINE MEN.
The Commission Does Not
Want to Step Out.
THAT ST. HELENA DISPATCH.
Secretary Scott and Arpad HarasZthy
Give Their Views on the
Matter.


never been Of any use or service 10 the pro-
Queer, but, on the contrary, has been a useless
exp nse ia the way of taxation. And II they fail
In abolishing said commission that they use
their best endeayOrs TO prevent any approDlia-
lien for It's support.
When the dispatch was read large num-
Der of wine men hurried TO the rooms OF
the Viticutural Commission, on Pine
street, and discussed the situation.
The resolution Of the Napa wine-growers
came upon them like thunderbolt.
Many could not understand the cause Of
the antaCnnism. while others stated they
could easily explain the reason.
The verdict of all the wine men who
called at the Viticultural Commission yes
terday was that the resolution of the Napa
County men was ill-adysed and calculated
10 injure one of the great Industries of the
State.
ACAIL representative saw Winfield Scott,
the secretary Of the commission. and asked
him what he had to say about the dispatch.
1T was revelation 10 US. SAID Mr.. Scott
"as we had no notification of the meeting,
and had no idea of what was going 10 trans
pire. -,
amount 10 much, as the meeting which
4
largely attended.
a. know of many prominent wine-grow-
ers Of the county who did not attend The
meeting.
The fact is that there is coterie Of
wine growers in Napa County who DO not
like the commission, for the reason that the
commissioners recently. through one Of
their experts. issued a pamphlet on the con-
ditiOn Of the vineyards IN Napa County
which showed The prospects to be very dis
/ cOuraging.
The experts Of the commission. A. War
rem Robinson of NaDa MAIDS The lnyestlga-
ton and simply told the truth.
That IS what this commission was estab-
/ lished for and why il Is support ed by the
/ winemakers of the State.
The following extract Will give an idea
! Of the nature OF The report, and explain the
! animus Of the Napa County men against
! the commission:
County reported is. 229 acres planted IN vines.
The present report shows l6,G5Il2 acres. 1t
VIII mus be seen that the decrease has been very
considerable.
The phyIloxera is reported 10 have reached a
/ point about Three miles above ST. Helena. and Il
/ can be but question OF 4 short lime until The
| Calistoga vineyards suffer as have those OF The
At present there are 5O7 vineyards reported
IN NapA Couu y aOd OF these PA, or nearly hail,
report the ,XIsteBce OF pbylloXera. THIS VIII
give an idea If What can be eXDecJed 10 occur o
the vineyards OF tie entire valley within lew
years bereyer TeSistants have not been
planted tile death Of The vines appears only 4
question Of a short time.
$50 it is evident" said Mr.. Scott. that
the Napa wine-maker has some ground Tor
kicking But what Was done in Napa Will
be done Ia every county Of the State where
grapes are grown and wine made.
"A similar investigation is being made OF
wiue-gT0wing IN AmadUr County and The
work viii be continued.
Now, in regard to the charge that the
Viticultural Commission has done EOthing,"
said Secretary Scott, 1T is ne more than
justice that a little should be said on this
subject.
Since the organization of the commission
in 1880 il has published an amount Of spe-
cial literature GU wine subjects sufficient TO
| stock a library.
These publications have been OH the
subjects Of wine, grape-groNlng, cellar-WoTk
/ and distillatOn.
at has compiled statistics Of the amount
/ OF grapes grown and manufactured into vine
/ in the State and the shipments and develop
ment Of the market abroad.
These have been OF great value 10 the
| wine-grOwers.
! 1T has brought about what might be
/ called a thorough recognition Of the wine
! industry Of the State.
Take even its work In the last two years.
"In the first place, IL has adopted the
policy OF forcing the recognition OF Vine
yard brands Of vine aud placed them on the
market, many Of them being from NaDa
/ County
1T has published what has proved the
standard work in the English language on
| the subject of brandy distilation.
'It has complied aud published a COM
pleje directory Of the gTape-grOwers and
Winemakers Of the State.
1T has continued in its investigation into
/ ba Aft ial an in d
| eTn California, but as is the case with the
| United States Department of Agriculture
its efforts have failrd to fiud the true cause
! OF the disease and the remedy for its exiting
| ton.
at was largely owing TO the efforts OF the
commission that the sweet-wue bill was
| passed by Congress. and the commission
| has been for tile last year using every
| effort 10 prevent several contemplated
amendments to the law by which corn
| spirits could be used for fertilization in
stead oil Crane spirits.
The commission has published It's
work on the condition Of vineyards in Napa
| County, which has caused the kick, ana IL is
now at work on similar investigation in
| Amador County.
The commission has established expert
mental stations in Napa, SOnoma ana other
counties where phyliHxrTa exists 10 test the
| using Of resistant vines with the view OF
aseertaining their adaptabdiiy 10 the differ
| ent soils. and Of learning which resistant
stock succeeds best and what gratis succeed
| on the different stocks.
The commission has now under cOnsid-
| Grafton the preparation # national pure
/ VINE bill. which VIII become OF great value
TO the wine-groweT as soon as il will again
! paw to make artificial wines IN the East
| with corn spirits as a basis.
During the past few years pure wines
have been so cheap that it has hardly paid
| to manufacture artificial wines, using corn
| spirits a A basis. A soon as there is a
rising market for California wines the art-
hcia-wine makers viii again start, but the
! VlticutuTal Commission proposes to again
fight the artiicial-wine men.
The Tight will commence very soon, and
there are already indications Of its necessity.
| 'In the matter Of legislation alone the
commission has more than paid for itself,
to say nothing of the value Of its reports
The commission has now In the hands
! of the State Printer complete and original
work on the manufacture OF grape syrup.
This is product for the table which
! has an excellence as distinctive and pc
cuisr as maple syrup. This VIII be another
industry for the State.
sit is proposed, ia Fresno and other
counties producing raisin grapes. to use up
their second crops of Muscat grapes ia the
| manufacture Of grape syrup.
1.-The commission proposes to publish
| shortly a complete treatise on the insects
| which attack the vines in this State.
1.-The commission has taken a leading part
| in getting Up an exhibit Of wines for the
Worlds Fair 1T Chicago, and has already
| made most Of the arrangements"
Arpad HaraZthy. one of the most prom
| inent wineIuen in the State, was seen In re-
gard to the dispatch from ST. Helena, and
| be said:
"Why. the resolution of the Napa wine
men is nOnsensical and absurd. 1t was
narrOY-miDded and little, and calculated 10
injure one of the great Interests OF the
| State.
"The Vlticntural Commission has been
Of inealcuable value to the wine-growers.
Before its existence there were nc
treatises on wine in the English Language
or wine-maknG Of any great value.
"The works published by the commission
would alone justify paying many times the