The San Francisco call., 1904-03-26
GRAPE GROWERS
OF STATE UNITE
Organize California VIII
cultural Club to Protect
and Foster the Industry
CONSTITUTION Is BRIEF
Well Known Wine Makers
Are Present-Meet To-Day
for Practical Discussion

|
| The need the grape growers of Cali
fornia have long felt of an organiza-
ton to further their interests and to
promote the scientific study of viticul-
| ture among the vineyardists of the
State led to the formation yesterday of
the California Viticultural Club. Sew
eral score of leading growers from the
different grape producing counties met
| in the lecture room of the Mechanics
Institute and after selecting the vet
| eran John SWEET of Martinez as tenn
| porary chairman and Professor E. H.
Twight of the Department Of Viticul-
ture at the University Of California as
temporary secretary. formed per-
manent organization. The club will
continue in session this morning, when
number of practical questions will be
discussed by experts. Among those
present were:
Burton A. Towne Lodi; G. H. Matter.
Wss oonI sono countT Anarea sbar
boro San Francisco: John SWEET ana Frank
T. Swett, Martinez: Dr. 4 Liliencranz, Aptos;
Percy T. Morgan president of the Grea.
Western Vineyards Company and OF the Cali
fornia Wine Association c. NJ. Wooster. San
wescott Concorda: A. W. J. Gibbs. Santa
Cruz County: r.. T. Pierce. Santa Clara J.
Helena; a? r. d. Read Marine: c. F. seitz.
Healdsburg; Richard Wheeler, San Fran
cisco; William Maitland. Santa Cruz County;
John Isaac Sacramento; Z. NJ. Ehrhorn. San
Jose; A. ]. Galloway. Healdsburg.
Short addresses favoring the pro-
posed organization were made on the
opening of the meeting by Messrs.
John SWEET. Sbarboro, Morgan, Rossi
and others. During the discussion much
attention was given to the two bills
now before Congress affecting the Cali
fornia viticulturists and wine makers,
both of which are known as the Hep
burn bills. One of these, the pure food
bill, has the support Of the men en-
gagged in the industry in this State,
but the other, which aims to prohibit
the importation of wines into any
State having prohibition laws, is op
posed as being detrimental to the in
terests of California.
GOVERNMENT AIDS.
Close attention was given to the re-
marks of Professor George c. Hus-
mann, formerly of this State, but now
of Washington, d. c., who Is visiting
J California on behalf of the viticultural
! Investigations of the Department of
Agriculture. He explained the work
of the nine experimental farms the
Government has established in Cali
forna. The three larger stations are at
Oakville, Napa County. where all the
conditions affecting wine grape cul-
ture are studied: at Fresno, where the
raisin industry is especially investi-
! gated, and at Cucamonga, San Bernar-
dino County, where the department is
| looking into the possibilities of the
| desert sections of the West. The six
smaller stations are scattered all over
! the State, and on them tests and ex-
periments are made of local conditions
! in soil and climate. Professor Hus-
! mann will be present and address the
/ club this morning.
! After appointing a committee on or
] ganization and constitution, consisting
, of Messrs. Twight, Towne, Wescott,
! Pierce. Rossi and the chairman, the
/ club took a recess until 2 p. m. At
| that hour the committee reported the
draft of a brief constitution, recon-
/ mending that the club should not fol-
! low the example of certain California
! organization that once spent two weeks
| in perfecting a very elaborate consti-
! tuition and bylaws, and then found
| them such a heavy load that it had
not since been able to hold another
meeting. After some discussion and
amendments, the club adopted the
| proposed constitution:
This provides that the name of the
| organization shall be the California
| Viticultural Club and that member
ship shall be open to all persons inter-
| ested in viticulture and viticultural
/ industries The clubs objects are de-
| fined as the promotion of good fellow
ship among the members and the fur
therance in all possible ways of the in
| terests of California grape growers.
The officers will be a president, two
! vice presidents, secretary-treasurer
! and an executive committee of seEen
| members, selected as far as possible
! from the different grape growers dis
! tricts The regular meetings for the
| election of officers and for other busi-
ness will be held in San Francisco on
| the first Monday of August in each
wear. 1t is also planned to meet an
! nually at some point convenient to
| one of the great vineyard sections in
! order that the members may have an
! opportunity to visit the vineyards and
personally inspect the methods there
| in use. For the present the club will
! RELY upon voluntary contributions to
meet it's modest expenses.
I OFFICERS ARE CHOSEN.
The election of officers resulted in
| the choice of the following: President,
| John SWEET of Martinez; first vice
president, Burton A. Towne Of Lodi;
second vice president, John Markley
of Geyserville; secretary treasurer, Pro-
fessor E. H. Twight of Berkeley. The
executive committee will be elected to-
day after President SWEET shall have