CHAPTER XIII.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF VITICULTURE.

By Honorable Andrea Sbarboro.

CALIFORNIA THE LAND OF THE VINE-WHAT THE OLD PADRES DIDPOSSIBILITIES OF WINE-MAKING-MARKETS FOR CALIFORNIA WINES --PURITY OF CALIFORNIA WINES-EXPORTATION OF CALIFORNIA WINES HOW THEY SHOULD BE USED OTHER INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT GRAPE-GROWING.

The good padres who first came to California for the purpose of civilizing the wild Indians of the west are not only deserving for this good meritorious work, but the people of the new El Dorado are also greatly indebted to the good friars for having discovered the fact that California was the land of the vine.

That necessity is the mother of invention was once more verified in this

manner.

The Holy Fathers were not only accustomed to their flask of ruby wine at their meals in their mother countries, Spain, France and Italy, whence they came, but in the celebration of the holy sacrament of the mass wine was indispensable.

These learned men soon discovered to their joy that grape vines were growing everywhere along the creeks and embracing and climbing oak trees one hundred feet high, and were not long in importing from Spain the Vita Vinifera, or the vine which produces the true wine grape.

Around their Missions they set out grape cuttings, and at the end of the third year gathered the grapes from which they squeezed the healthy and exhilerating beverage which makes all wine-drinkers healthy, happy and merry persons without "stealing away their brains," like is done by the strong alcoholic beverages used in our modern times, unfortunately by a large number of the American people.

At the Mission of Santa Barbara may yet be seen one of the original

grape vines planted by the padres more than one hundred years ago which covers an immense arbor and from which over one ton of grapes are gath ered yearly.

The friars soon commenced wine-making in the primitive manner, as was done by the Romans before the Christian era, that is to say the grapes when matured were thrown into tubs, which were carved by the Indians from large Sequoia trees, and into these tubs the Fathers would have the Indians, both male and female, dance barefooted until the grapes were turned into juice. This juice was then removed and placed into kegs, which had brought oil from Spain, and there allowed to ferment. After the proper fermentation the wine was tested and found, to the joy of the Fathers, that it was the identical beverage which they had been accustomed to imbibe in their mother country.

So soon as European immigration commenced to pour into the state, upon the discovery of gold, all those coming from the Latin race, tasting the good wine produced by the friars, soon set out vines around their mining camps and commenced wine-making for their own consumption. From this small beginning originated the viticultural industry of California which is in time destined to be not only the largest industry of this state, but the most profitable and greatest industry of the entire United States, the same as wine is the principal industry of France.

As early as 1850 small vineyards could be seen growing in several parts of the state, but it was only in 1860 that wine-making for commerce was commenced in earnest.

The first wine-makers of Sonoma, Napa and Santa Clara valleys were, as might be expected, natives of Italy, France and the Rhine. The industry increased year by year and soon became of such importance as to attract the attention of the members of the legislature, who, observing the adaptability of California soil and climate as a fine wine-producing country, made a liberal appropriation to develop the industry.

Colonel Harazthy was sent to Europe for the purpose of bringing to California the choicest varieties of grape cuttings suitable for producing fine wines. The Mission grapes introduced by the missionaries were soon supplanted by the Zinfandel from the Rhine, the Reisling, the Burgundy and other fine varieties of grapes imported from France, Italy, Spain and Ger

many. The quality of the wines thus improved from year to year, both by the introducing of the better varieties of grapes and by the experience acquired by the wine-makers, so that in the year 1870 the large quantity of wines which had been imported monthly from Europe was gradually diminished and substituted by the use of California wines.

In 1881 was organized, by experienced wine-makers, the now famous Italian-Swiss Colony, and in less than ten years this corporation sent its wines to the world's exhibition in Europe where to the amazement of the European and the great satisfaction of the California wine-makers, California wines were tested side by side with the fine wines of Europe, received the greatest praises and were awarded gold medals for their superior quality. From that time the wines produced in California commenced to be shipped not only throughout the United States, but also to England, Switzerland, Germany and the South and Central American republics, where they have now obtained quite a foothold.

THE POSSIBILITIES OF WINE-MAKING IN CALIFORNIA.

The quantity of wine which can be produced in California is only limited by the demand for the same. This great state is nearly as large as France and larger than the Kingdom of Italy. Its climate and soil is identical with that of the Italian peninsula. It has been proved that every variety of grapes grown in France, Italy and Spain thrive in California just as well. as, and in some cases better, than they do in the mother country.

In the northern part of California are produced the dry wines of Burgundy, Sauterns, Reisling, Sauvignon and Cabernet of France, the Barollo, Barbera, Chianti, Grignolino of northern and central Italy. In the central and southern parts of the state the grapes for the producing of the sweet wines such as Port, Sherry, Muscat and Marsala thrive just as well as they do in Spain and in the southern part of Italy.

The rich virgin soil of California gives such large quantities of grapes to the acre that the wines can be produced as cheaply as in any part of the world, therefore, whilst the quantity of wines now produced in California is only about 40 million gallons per annum, whilst France and Italy each produce over one billion gallons per annum, the time is sure to come when the Golden State will eventually produce as large quantity, as it is now pro

ducing as good quality of wine, as is produced in the largest wine producing countries of the world.

MARKET FOR CALIFORNIA WINES.

The future of the wine industry of California is assured by the almost unlimited market for its consumption. Whilst a few million gallons of ordinary wines are produced in the different states of the union, it is a well known fact, as has been officially reported by the Italian viticultural expert, Cav. Rosatti of New York, representing the Viticultural Department of the Italian government in the United States, that the Vita Vinifera (the true wine grape) does not grow in any part of the United States with the exception of the state of California, where on account of its soil and climate this famous grape grows as vigorously as it does in the wine producing countries of France, Italy and Spain.

Now, therefore, the state of California has first for its customers the eighty-five millions of inhabitants of the United States. It is true that the Americans are not as yet a wine-drinking people, but the time will certainly come when the intelligent, practical, bright, well-to-do people of the United States will eventually become educated to the use of this healthy beverage at their meals.

Wine has been used by all civilized people from time immemorial. In the fortunate countries where the grape grows to perfection and wine can be produced in large quantities, the industry has been carefully cherished both by the people and the government, as in some of them viticulture forms the most important industrial part of the state. It is a well known fact that France was only enabled to pay the enormous war indemnity placed on it by Prince Bismarck after the Franco-Prussian war from the money derived by viticultural industry. When a few years later the grape vines were destroyed by the phylloxera, the country immediately spent millions of francs in order to restore its vineyards, which it succeeded in doing, although it is said that the grapes grown on the resistant vines do not produce as fine quality of wines as the grapes produced directly from the Vita Vinifera.

The wine industry has now become of such vast magnitude in California that both the state of California and the Federal government have appro

priated, this year, large sums for the purpose of fully developing and protecting the industry.

It is a most remarkable fact which is acknowledged by all people who have traveled throughout Europe, that in the wine-drinking countries of the world, such as France, Italy and Spain, where every man, woman and child use wine at their meals, intoxication is almost unknown.

Wine-drinking, therefore, seems to be the true and only remedy for the cure of the curse of drunkenness which causes so much misery in the nonwine drinking countries of the world. It seems that man requires stimulants of some kind, and that if he does not take it in a mild form such as wine, he will take it in the stronger form such as brandy and whiskey. Wine used in moderation is not intoxicating but invigorating, while the stronger drinks are intoxicating and ruinous to the body and soul.

The curse of drunkenness exists to such a large extent in Russia, where, of course, grapes do not grow and wine is not made, and therefore only consumed by the nobility and wealthy classes, and is so deplored by the government that means have been taken to make alcohol undrinkable. The imperial minister of finance has just offered a price of 50,000 rubles ($25,750) to the person or persons who will invent some way of making alcohol undrinkable. Pamphlets giving the exact requirements have been printed in the French language and sent to the Russian consulates in foreign countries.

To-day in the wine-drinking countries of Europe there is consumed 50 gallons of wine per capita per annum, while in the United States only onehalf gallon per capita per annum is used. There is, therefore, room for an enormous increase of wine-drinking by the American people and when they will become accustomed to this healthy beverage and consume, say ten gallons per capita, and our country will soon contain one hundred million inhabitants, California will supply its legitimate market, the United States, with one billion gallons of wine per annum.

PURITY OF CALIFORNIA WINES.

Until recently a prejudice has existed in the minds of the wealthy American people against the use of California wines because it was thought that it was only the proper thing to serve imported wines at banquets and at