Arizona republican., 1921-09-06

had most certainly gained another. apparently much larger both as to capacity and price. Forthwith there was boom in vineyards. Those that had sold for a song a year before were not moved by anything less than a symphony orchestra this spring. Thousands of acres were planted in grapes. One man worth several millions has risked his whole fortune by planting about 15,000 acres.
 Of course, none of these vineyards which have just been. planted win bear for three of four years. but the crop this year has been boosted in another way. Every year the vines are pruned. and the amount of grapes which a vineyard will bear depends upon how much "wood." as the grape men say, is left on the vine. If too much wood is left large crop of grapes is produced. but the vitality of the plant is injured. This is called over-croping. Nearly all of the grape growers in the country have over cropped their vines this year in ex- pectation of tremendous prices again. Even SO, late spring frosts have cut their crops from 35 to 50 per cent
 Early grapes are just now begin ming to move. The bulk of the crop
 
 the middle of the month.
 An Uncertain Market
 Meanwhile. throughout the busi- ness, there is a terrible suspense. So far there have been scarcely any sales. There is no rush of buyers into the market such as there was last year. What is the reason2 Pre- sumably there are just as many home wine makers in the country this year fa- le sA sH.a should make for high prices. Of course. times are bit hard. People have not as much money to spend on luxuries as they had last year. And yet 1t seems probable that the man who made wine last year will make it again this year. The evident fact that congress is afraid to pass a law which would legalize raids on home brewers has presumably encouraged him.
 So the question can be argued pro and con. The fact remains that so far there is little activity in the grape market The probable reason is that the market is vast and unknown one which it is impossible to study. Formerly it consisted of a few large ! concerns. which were sure to make wine and grape juice and therefore sure to buy the grapes. Now 1t con- sists of millions of individuals, who made wine last year and may make 1t again this year. Then again, many of them may be too poor. and others may have found some other way os ! obtaining the beverages they want. Nobody knows what those millions of amateurs wine makers are going to do and it is impossible to take a census and find out. Therefore grapes will probably come into the market slowly and timidly, and the l prices they fetch will be determined, as the season advances, by the de- mana for them
 A government expert, who has watched this whole drama of the grape and prohibition. predicts that l the grape industry will be ruined. l sinnply by the demoralizatiop which | has overtaken it. Men are overcrop- hing their vineyards and running | them. Men are planting and buying vineyards as a speculation. and in | had wears many of them will fail. | All stability and certainty have been | taken out of the business. he argues.
 On the other hand. it seems prob abIa to some that the business will | tend to stabilize. The status of the ] home vintner will be definitely set | fled The experience of number | of wears will show just about how many tons of grapes he uses per l anniin. The supply will adjust itself to the demand. New channels of
 trade will be developed. The vine 1 yardist may yet return to the peace ful security of an assured market.