The record-union., 1896-11-23
Biennial Report Of the State Commis-
SiOnerS.
A VOluminous Document-Data Con-
corning the Vintages of the
Years 1S04-5.

some engaged in the culture or the
grape, and especially in wine-making.
In his letter of transmittal to Presl-
dent Martin Kellogg, Professor L. w.
Hilgard, Director, says:
President Martin Kellogg: transmit
herewith the report Of vfucultural work
done since the last report was issued,
up to and including the vintage or
1895, so far as the latter can at pres
ent be usefully reported upon; 1nclud-
Ing, also a summary report on the
white-wine grapes under cultivation IN
California, and their wtne-maklng
qualities, being the continuation and
conclusion of the report already pub
lished In 1892, on the red-wine grapes
grown in the State.
The publication of this report has
been purposely delayed, for the rea-
son that the depression of the wine IN
dustry in the State, and the conse-
quent lack Of interest on the part OF
grape growers, seemed to render such
publication inexpedient for the time.
Now that that industry Is again be-
coming more profitable. and Is likely
to be placed upon more ra-
tional basis than been the case
heretofore, it seems proper to place be-
fore those interested all the facts and
results which may conduce to a better
understanding both of the methods of
Wine-making, and of the materials en-
ployed therein. This seems the more
appropriate since, by an Act passed at
the last session Of the Legislature, the
technical work of the State Vlticutural
Commission was transferred to the Col
lege of Agriculture, thereby materially
changing the scope of the work to be
prosecuted hereafter.
Up to the time when this Act and
the appropriation accompanying It, be-
came effective, the viticultural work OF
this department was necessarily almost
wholly confined to the laboratory and
office, as there were no funds avail
able for travelling, and for field and
winery experiments. Although the ap-
preparation accompanying the Act Of
transfer is quite small (being only one
fourth to one-fifth of the amount an
nually expended by the late Viticult-
ural Commission), it permits of suffi-
cient expansion to change materially
the scope Of the work; and for this rea-
son alone it seems proper to make
final report upon what was done on
the old plan.
That work has now progressed SO far
as 10 form a solid and definite basis of
facts for guidance In the preparation
of the several classes and grades Of
wines, by ascertaining experimentally.
Us well as chemically, the pecuharitaes
OF each variety Of grapes cultivated ON
a commercial scale In the State. II Is
merely a question of time when, instead
Of the confusion thus far prevailing in
the classification of California wines,
conformity to the commercial stand
ards recognized all over the world VIII
he established. That, In order that this
may be accomplished, the investigation
Of the fundamental qualities Qncluding
the chemical composition) of each vari-
ETY. of grapes is a prerequisite, hardly
requires discussion.
1t Is high time that the haphazard
methods even yet so commonly pursued
in this State should be discarded, and
that the experience had, whether In the
winery or in the laboratory. should be
gathered into a definite form, as
guide to the rational wine maker, SO
that hereafter California wines may ap-
pear on the worlds market under their
own labels, instead of being, as has
heretofore been too largely the case,
disguised under foreign ones, when OF
good quality, while the poorer quail
ties were sure to be placed upon the
market with the true statement Of their
California origin California wine
makers must now avail themselves Of
the rapid and important progress made
in Europe in the preparation of the best
wines possible from a given material.
They must. above all, avail themselves
1.sa ~
climates similar to ours, instead Of at
tempting each one to pursue the meth
DDS Of his own country, no matter how
different In climatic and soil condi-
lions.
It is high time that the pernicious
axiom once promulgated to the public
that amy fool can make Wine" should
be discarded by the viticulturist for
the conviction that wine-making Is
technical branch requiring special
knowledge Of no mean order, particu-
larly when the industry is pursued un-
der new conditions. such as prevail in
California: and that while the expert
ence of their forefathers has enabled
European peasant wine makers to pro-
duce good wines by following a definite
procedure in certain localities, ii viii
not do for US TO blindly follow their
lead.
As a matter Of fact the Introduction
of scientific methods in European wine
making has increased enormously the
amount of good wines now available in
the Worlds market, and II we want TO
compete with these II will be neces-
sarv TO avail ourselves of the same pro-
gressive methods.
4 very notable Improvement in the
average quality of our wines has oc-
Cured within the last five or six years.
and the high excellence OF the product
obtained in 50 many cases renders any
further continuance Of slipshodl meth
DDS inexcusable.
what has been done once can be done
again; and, with the organization of
era growers and wine-makers now
baDnily effected. il is reasonably TO be
expected that pecuniary reward win
follow the application Of rational prin-
ciples In wine making. In that respect
the chemical work at this station has
been very instructive. as VIII be seen
from inspection of the tables. The
same varieties in different localities,
such as Mission San Jose on one hand
and Tulare on the other, show so
widely different composition as to rem
der the same variety wholly unadapted
TO one place while eminently fitted for
the other.
1t is now generally understood that
the same grape-variety grown In hot
southern localities increases in sugar
and loses in acid, as compared with
northern one; but the extent to which
this occurs varies exceedingly with diff
ferent grapes. In some the variation
is very slight. while in the case OF 9TH
ers the deterioration of wine making