The herald., 1893-08-28
PERIL TO GRAPE CROP
FINANCIAL AID Is REQUIRED BY
THE vINEYkRDIsTs.
The Banks Are Requested to SEQ That
valuable California Production
IL Not sacrifioed-The
Situation.

The grape growers OF California are
now In danger Of losing their crops and
with 1t the labor of year, while the
state will suffer TO the extent OF several
millions in the annual revenue from
home productions. says the San Fran
cisco Post.
The crop of grapes 10 fair one all
over the state, but both the vineyardist
and the winemaker lack the funds neces-
sary to take advantage of.it. They are
appealing to the banka for the financial
aid required, but so far with poor sue
cess.
There never was safer investment.
At no time in the history OF California
has there ever been loss on any loan
effected on California wine at the rate OF
9 cents per gallon. Even under the
most unfavorable circumstances wine
can always be distilled into brandy,
which will bring more than its equiva-
lent OF the cents loaned on the wine.
Looking at it from this aspect wine
may be regarded az a raw material for
manufacturing into brandy If the worst
comes to the worst, the same as wheat
can be turned into -four. ~
This is something that cannot be said
about canned goods OF all kinds, in
which at times losses have been made.
The grape product is one OF the most
important in the state. In 1892 there
were shipped abroad wine ana brandies
to the value Of $1,000, 600. equal TO one
third the value OF the wheat exports
and twice the value Of the salmon ex-
ports, and much greater than the total
value OF the canned fruit trade.
But 1t requires capital to handle the
crops. The merchants cay that they
have not the money to spare this year.
The winemakers OF the interior and
grspegrowers have scarcely enough
funds to pick the grapes. let alone carry
on the manufacture OF wines.
The banks are very reluctant to lend
money even to these who have hereto
fore made a success, but II they do not
change their ideas very soon one OF the
most valuable productions in the state
will be largely neglected this year.
So far as is known just now there is
but one winemaker who has definitely
stated his intention to purchase on a
large scale. This is F. Albertz OF Clover
dale, who will handle about 5000 tons OF
grapes, for which he will pay IS per ton.
The American Concentrated Must
company will also handle about 5000
tons, but no price has yet been an
nounced. None OF the other large wine-
makers, such as O. Carpy OF Napa and
San Jose, George West & Son Of Stock
ton and Minturn, l. De Turk OF Santa
Rosa, and others, have made any propo-
sition, or stated their intention of enter
| ing the market, SO that unless the banks
come to the rescue IL will only be
question of cooperation between the
grape grower and winemaker If the crop
is to be saved.
What the banks should do to help the
producers out would be to advance $2 5O
per ton to pick and ferment the grapes,
and on or about the 1st of December ad-
vance about cents per gallon on the
wine. This would make O total of 9
cents in all, which would enable the
winemekers to handle their crop, and
between now and spring they would add
materially to the revenue Of the state by
putting many additional millions in cir
culation.
r ,Haretofore the local banks have re-
fused to take wine, except in some
special cases, because they feared it
night turn into vinegar. As the latter
commodity is worth at present much
more than the wine itself they would
not be eImuch out OF pocket by the in
vestmsnt. Brandy in warehouses; has.
| however, always been an acceptable Sc
curity, owing to the ready sale which
always exists for it.
From all accounts the grape crop for
the ear will be well up to last years
average, but the wine product can only
be estimated with any degree OF correct
ness when it is known what the grape-
growers of Fresno propose to do with
their product.