Arizona republican., 1921-09-07
The Grape Industry

The Republicans Haskin letter yesterday dealt with the grape industry. which described as being unsettled state because the uncertain character of the market It formerly had only few outlets the great winemakers, who large and certain quantities every year, whereas now, or since prohibition, the market has been made up chiefly of countless amateur wnemakers who waste vaster quantities of grapes than the vintners used The letter to argue that the condition of the grapegrowers better under the stabilized market than under the present uncertain and prob ably fluctuating market.
 But think not. The winemakers were few enough to be able to fix prices. which the growers could take leave But they always took. The winemakers too numerous to organize. Price to them is rather immaterial. if they happen to have it. It makes little difference whether they have to pay cent pound ten cents a pound. Their purchases, anyhow. will be small.
 It is not likely that the number of the purchasers will decrease, unless the prohibition law should be further amended to restrain their activities On the contrary. they will in all probability increase the fame of the of the amateur wine makers spreads through their various communities
 The country handicapped at first. There were comparatively few persons in any community who understood winemaking. Recipes were abun- dant and such basis people entered the home manufacture, with the result that there was great
 
 grapes to make vinegar as well wine. the vineyardists prospered, since they were making their own prices, something they had never before been allowed to do.
 The amateurs. though disappointed were not dis couraged. Profiting by their early errors some of them have been more nearly successful and are now hopefully looking forward to the time when they will make better wine and Of it. More and more of their neighbors being infected so that ha m for ha from year toyear.
 The Haskins letter informs us that grapes have moved more slowly this year than last. Perhaps so, but nasmuch as the of California stiffy holding for s11o ton for such grapes as they sold for s7 in prohibition days there seefns tobe comfortable margin between production cost and the present selling price.
 We think in the absence of legislation the grape market is something that the growers may count upon securely. Even if some thousands of their present customers may fall away, deflected by awakened consciences. perhaps by failure by sckening from over indulgence in the immature product of their experiments, technically known must" to which wycliffe in his translation of Acts II. 13. makes the gcoffers at the Pentecost aude
 "These men ben full of must"
 That. of course, an unfounded slander but many impatient amateur has "ben full of must" and has lost interest in his avocation but only one season. He may be expected be hand cheerful and sanguine, when the next grape crop ripens and have with him lot of recruits from among his neighbors.
 We have been speaking only of the wine grape industry since that the one treated in the Haskfn letter The rasin industry is a different one. the growing of Muscat Malaga and Thompson Seediess grapes which reach the market dried form Those grapes. too. have increased propor m with xuira of the cooperative efforts growers and through extensive and judicious advertising, until are coming to look upon these grapes future source of great revenue this valley and to the Gila Valley from Casa Grande Valley to Gila Bend and beyond it..
 Experts believe that excel the famous Fresno region, not only because of the earlier turty of the grape but because of a better adapted soil, giving a rapid growth to the vine and a higher sugar content. All this demon strated by experiment, that reasonably certain of an early development the grape indus try For years the rapid growth of grape vines in the Salt River Valley has been remarked by Cali fornians fine illustration of is given in picture which print this morning of the growth In less than five months of a cutting the size of lead pencil to heavily rooted plant with numerous vines. some of them twelve feet in length.