USA > California > A history of the new California, its resources and people; Vol I > Part 20
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The wine industry has now become of such vast magnitude in California that both the state of California and the Federal government have appro-
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priated, this year, large sums for the purpose of fully developing and pro- tecting 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 non- wine 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 coun- tries.
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 one- half 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 in- habitants, 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
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the homes of the rich when visitors called, but recently this foolish, unrea- sonable fad has been done away with. All American wine-drinkers are now serving with pride California wines on their tables.
By the enforcing of the Pure Food law passed by Congress last year it has been found, to the astonishment of the American people. that more than sixty per cent of the wine imported from Europe was adulterated. That many bottles of wine had never been near a vineyard, and as Professor Allen, sec- retary of the National Pure Food Association has tersely put it. the Ameri- can people "have been buying labels."
Now, there is nothing in California with which wine can be made cheaper than by the juice of the grapes, consequently the person who puts a bottle of true California wine on his table is sure that he is paying for the wine and not the label.
The law passed by the last Congress protects the people from bogus wines from Europe. The Pure Food law which has already passed the lower house of Congress this year,-and it is fervently to be hoped that it will also be approved by the senate,-will also protect the wine-drinkers from drinking bogus wines which may be made in the fifth story brick vineyards of some large city of the eastern states. Heretofore it has been the universal custom to brand these bogus wines California wines, and to put up our fine California wines in bottles labeled with French labels which were sold at fabulously high prices. The new law does away with this dishonest practice, therefore the wine-drinkers will hereafter be assured that when they buy a bottle of wine bearing the California label they will drink the pure juice of the grape. This unquestionably will greatly increase the consumption of our wines by our own people.
EXPORTATION OF CALIFORNIA WINES.
The people of Europe, who are generally connoisseurs of wine, who have no prejudice but desire to have the best for the money. are becoming large consumers of California wines. The great firm of Grierson. Oldham & Co., Ltd., Waterloo Bridge, London, has introduced California wines throughout the world, sold only in bottles. and has adapted for their trade mark "The Big Tree Brand," each bottle being plainly labeled "California Wine." These wines both white and red are sold for the reasonable price
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of from two to three shillings per bottle, and they may be found on the wine list of every first-class hotel, club, dining-room and on the table of wine con- sumers in every city and town of the British possessions.
Every drop of wine contained in these bottles is imported by this en- terprising firm from California in barrels. On its arrival it is stored under the vaults of Waterloo Bridge, where an immense warehouse has been built under these enormous arches. The wine is allowed to rest for months after its arrival. It is then bottled and labeled with the most modern appliances, worked by hundreds of neat, bright girls and thousands of cases shipped daily throughout all parts of the globe. Thus this wine is advertising Cali- fornia wines throughout the world.
If our people had any doubts as to the true merits of California wines these doubts should be removed by the fact that the wine connoisseurs of Switzerland, Belgium, right near France and Italy where wine is cheap and abundant, prefer our California wines and are willing to pay the higher price for it caused by the expense of freight and duty. Germany consumes a large quantity of California wines not only for its consumption but uses considerable in blending its inferior wines so as to bring them up to a fairly good standard.
USES OF WINES.
In order to become accustomed to the use of wine, children and new wine-drinkers should commence using wine at the table by mixing one-half glass of wine with one-half glass of water. A little sugar for the beginner will perhaps further please the palate. White dry wines are generally used at the commencement of a meal with oysters and fish. Clarets, burgundy and chianti should be used with roasts and meats. A little sherry goes well with the dessert, especially where no champagne is served. Sherry wine is also frequently used and highly recommended by physicians to convalescents with a beaten egg. This is also invigorating and good for people of weak constitutions. A glass of port with cake is a healthy and pleasant beverage and should be substituted for the use of tea at "Teas." It is so served in all parts of Europe among ladies and children, who also when out shopping in the city stop at confectioneries where they take cake and wine to invigorate them for their further tramping.
In the heat of summer nothing is more pleasant and healthier than a
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large glass of wine mixed with aerated water. It is invigorating and will quench thirst. White wine with aerated water is a pleasant substitute for champagne, is not so expensive and is not intoxicating, whilst it is efferves- cent and delicious.
For the curing of colds there is nothing more sure and at the same time pleasant, than a hot bowl of water and wine, about one-half each with a few cloves, cinnamon and sugar.
Sweet wine, such as sherry and port, drunk warm before retiring, are also excellent remedies for colds.
CALIFORNIA PREPARED TO SUPPLY ALL DEMANDS FOR ITS WINES.
The grape-grower and wine-maker of California have the greatest faith in this growing industry. Already one hundred million dollars have been invested in this great enterprise. Whilst this is not a small sum, it is confiden- tially expected that one hundred times this amount will be invested in the wine industry of California in years to come. Vineyards are being set out yearly in most all parts of the state and wineries are being built with all modern im- provements. There was a time in California when lawyers, merchants and professional men went into the business of wine-making without any experi- ence except the use of a guide book. Useless to say that they soon made a fail- ure, went out of business and now the industry is principally in the hands of experienced and practical wine-makers. Large capitals have been combined for the exploitation of this great industry. This enables the wine-makers not only to make wine in the most careful manner but to properly age the wines in adequate vessels.
Many wineries in California are built in subterranean caves where the temperature is always equal. In this state may be found the largest wineries in the world, many containing from two to five million gallons each.
At the winery of the Italian-Swiss Colony in Asti, Sonoma County, which has a capacity of five million gallons, may be found the largest wine tank in the world. It contains 500,000 gallons of wine. In this cellar in 1897, after it was first emptied of its lake of ruby liquid, a ball took place at which were invited two hundred representative ladies and gentlemen from San Francisco, who danced to the tune of a military band inside of the wine tank, the first instance of the kind in the history of the world. On the cover
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of this great tank, which is eighty-four feet long and thirty-four feet wide, twenty-five feet deep, lately stood and were photographed the members of the American Bankers Association who visited Asti during their recent an- nual convention held in San Francisco.
In this same cellar may also be found hundreds of wine tanks contain- ing from 25,000 to 40,000 gallons each and several tanks made of concrete lined inside with glass holding 25,000 gallons each. In these casks is kept for aging the finest wines; everything being as clean as a huge glass bottle.
Most of the California wineries are built alongside of the railroad track so that they can load the cars from inside of their wineries with barrels of wine which are shipped in locked cars and arrive at the door of the customers throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico in the identical condition in which they left the wine cellars in California. This guarantees the purity of the wine and that it has not been trifled with.
GRAPE GROWING.
Grape growing has become a fascinating and interesting industry in California. This great industry is bound to increase year by year as the demand for California wines increase. The profits made by the grape-grower are generally very large. The grape commences to produce small crops after the third year, at the fifth year it produces a fair crop and thenceforth an average of five tons of grape to the acre. The price of grapes has varied in California from as low as five dollars per ton to as high as thirty dollars per ton, but since the industry has been placed on a paying basis and con- trolled in part by large moneyed interests the price of grapes may be safely put down at an average of fifteen dollars per ton. This will give the grape- grower about $75.00 per acre for his grapes, which, after deducting say $15.00 per acre for working the land, will leave him $60.00 per acre net profit. The occupation is pleasant and healthful, and the women and chil- dren find grape-picking delightful exercise.
Besides grape-growing, the farmers can grow fruit or any other article which may be adapted to the locality in which he settles. The climate of California is salubrious and pleasant. We never have excessive heat or ex- cessive cold. On the tops of only a few mountains do we ever see snow, and
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I think, I say everything when I assure the reader that in most any part of California can be grown the orange, olive, fig, and the vine, the rose and the pomegranate and everything that is grown in the sunny land of Italy.
A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
Recently a movement has been started by some public benefactor for the purpose of eliminating all license for the sale of pure table wines. If a law to this effect could be passed by Congress, what a blessing it would be to the people of the United States. In a short time the curse of drunkenness would be removed, for, as has been shown, those who drink wine at their meals have no desire to visit saloons where intoxicating beverages are sold.
The custom of the saloons was introduced into the United States before it was a wine producing country, but in late years it has been clearly demonstrated that fine American wines can be produced in California of as good a quality and in some cases superior to those imported from Europe.
A few years ago the French government, noticing the enormous in- crease of alcoholism and insanity, appointed a commission of professors and medical men to study the cause of this evil and report its remedy. The com- mittee after due investigation reported that the cause of the increase of drunkenness and insanity was due to the scarcity of wine, as many vineyards had been destroyed by the phylloxera, and that the people who could not ob- tain their accustomed bottle of wine were using instead strong alcoholic beverages. In order to correct this evil the government of France imme- diately removed all license and tax on the sale of wines, whilst it increased the burden on the dealer in strong alcoholic drinks, which had the required effect.
Thus it will be seen that by removing or reducing to a minimum the license of the sale of pure wines our people will gradually accustom them- selves to the use of this healthy and non-intoxicating beverage, and will eventually become temperate, healthy, happy and better citizens.
Photo by Taber
AN OLIVE GROVE, SAN GABRIEL, CALIFORNIA
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CHAPTER XIV.
HORTICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
No history of the California of the new time would be complete without more than a passing reference to the achievements of modern horticulture, led by Luther Burbank, known everywhere as the wizard of the vegetable world. A California correspondent of an eastern publication put the case right when he said:
"Luther Burbank is the most famous citizen of California. This is not saying that he is famous in California, for to say that would not be strictly true. Everybody has heard of the Burbank potato, and millions have eaten that product of this man's genius, but that is all they know about it. Those who know that the best potato in the world bears the name of the man who pro- duced it are content to let their knowledge rest there. They do not know, and probably they do not care to know, that Luther Burbank has improved nearly all the varieties of the chief horticultural products of California-that he is wise in the production of valuable hybrids and combinations, and that he is constantly experimenting for the production of things that will please and benefit his fellow man. Luther Burbank is little known in his own parish, but abroad he is honored as a benefactor and reverenced as a supreme au- thority in the work that he is doing. Thus is the prophet not without honor, save in his own country."
Despite the fact that there is much truth in the writer's conclusions, Luther Burbank's work has had a far-reaching effect throughout California and the west, and his example has encouraged many undertakings of wide importance. Much of the enthusiasm of horticulturists today owes its origin to the fact that Burbank lives in California and here works his miracles with the forces of nature; that in this genial home of growing things he is freed from the rigors of winter and the excesses of humid heat. That his work has been taken up and aided with earnestness by the Carnegie board, and that he will be free to pursue his work without the interruptions of business augurs much for the future of horticulture in California.
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While California was still a Mexican province David Douglas, a fa- mous Scotch botanist and plant discoverer, found and described some of the wonderful wild bulb-gardens of the Pacific coast. This was as long ago as 1827, and from that time to 1833 he found many bulbs and sent them to England. They were grown and exhibited at fairs, where they were admired and regarded as very wonderful. Not much was done for a long time, however, toward studying and classifying the plants of the country. The condition has been aptly described by Charles Howard Shinn in an article in "the Land of Sunshine," from which we are permitted to quote, thus :
"These glowing expectations were doomed to a long disappointment, for there was then no Carl Purdy to study the habits and surroundings of the native bulbs, week in and week out, at all seasons, in all parts of California, and so to master his subject as to be able to simplify their undoubtedly diffi- cult culture, finally making it practicable in both Europe and America to grow these most beautiful plants as easily as anemones, tulips and hyacinths. Importation after importation had failed utterly, and European gardeners had given up the effort until hardly a catalogue ventured to list these shy, wild bulbs of California : even when a few species appeared, it was without cultural directions, and at prices which kept them beyond the reach of the average purse.
"Now, this was not a small matter, though it might easily seem so to a casual observer. Here was a neglected industry ; here was a very large group of many genera and species of bulbous-rooted plants, natives of the Pacific coast, quite lost sight of, while the bulb-flora of regions like South Africa was receiving all possible attention from collectors, dealers, growers and plant-breeders.
"The work of making this neglected class of plants widely known re- quired peculiar qualities, a combination, in brief, of the equipments of field- botanist, horticulturist and business organizer. During the last twenty years, a very interesting Californian, Carl Purdy of Ukiah, has built up connec- tions all over the world, has created a trade in Pacific coast bulbs, has made an enviable reputation at home and abroad as a specialist upon their culture and botany, and is now working, with Luther Burbank of Santa Rosa, to develop new races of California hybrid and cross-bred lilies. More than this, he is steadily developing unthought-of possibilities in the way of culti-
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vating species of exotic bulbs here, so that .California, under his guidance, bids fair to become more of a world's bulb-garden than Holland or the Chan- nel Isles-and bulb-growing represents one of the very highest arts of in- tensive horticulture.
"Carl Purdy was born at Dansville, Michigan, March 16, 1861. His ancestors on both sides were among the first settlers in colonial Connecticut. When he was only four years old, his parents 'crossed the plains' by the old emigrant trail, stopping for a time at Truckee Meadows, Nevada. But in 1870 the family settled down in fertile and beautiful Ukiah Valley, in the heart of Mendocino county, and here the boy grew up, fought his way to a fair education, was for a time a school teacher, married a very helpful and attractive wife, and little by little took up his life work, this new bulb-culture, which may possibly prove to be the occupation of his family for several gen- erations to come.
"The first distinct view that we obtain of this tall, gray-eyed California boy, back in the seventies, is that of a faithful little toiler, 'making garden' for an elder sister, and visiting a famous old Glasgow Scotchman, Alexander McNab, who had made his home in the valley and was a notable flower- lover, receiving rare plants and seeds from every part of the world. The broad, thinly-settled valley and the dull, narrow-hearted village seemed to offer little or nothing to keep any boy there; others left to look for wider activities. But this boy held on, quietly, patiently, weaving his web of life in the land where he belonged, and that, as I take it, is much to his credit. At the age of eighteen he was teaching a small country school.
"About this time ( 1879) some American firm of seedsmen wrote to Mr. McNab asking if native bulbs could not be obtained. He turned the letter over to the young school teacher, and the latter sent a pressed Calochortus flower, and afterward sold "a hundred bulbs for $1.50," the beginning of a business that gradually increased until by 1888 school teaching was given up, and at the present time Mr. Purdy gives most of his attention to the business, distributes yearly something like a quarter of a million native bulbs to Eu- ropean and American wholesalers, employs a number of assistant collectors, and has become recognized as the greatest living authority on Pacific coast bulbs. Nevertheless the bulk of his business is done with a few large firms, and he sells few bulbs in California, for as yet there is hardly any demand
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at home. Our own bulbs are too different from the old florist types, but flower-lovers are beginning to recognize their value.
"At the present time the Californian bulbs known to planters consist of about one hundred and forty-five distinct varieties and species. The Bro- diæas, handsome, hardy bulbs with showy, long-keeping flowers in umbels, chiefly white, blue, purple, yellow, lilac or pink in color, include about thirty species grouped by Purdy in six sections. The Calochorti, which include some of the most graceful as well as some of the most showy flowers in the world, consist of about forty species and varieties, arranged by Purdy in three sections and a number of minor groups and strains. This family represents one of the most difficult of known assemblages of species for the botanist to classify, on account of remarkable variations resulting from natural crosses and hybrids through ages past. It is only a tireless field-botanist who is capable of writing a monograph on the great Calochortus family with its lovely "star tulips" (once called cyclobothras) ; its "sego lilies" from Utah ; its dazzling scarlet species of the desert (C. Kennedyi) ; its superb yellow "cla- vatus" forms, and its hardy and vigorous types of the true Mariposas, or "butterfly tulips." These and many other forms growing wild, closely ap- proach each other by gradations of the most interesting character which in the end bring to grief the mere closet-botanist who is always in danger of clinging too closely to his type specimen. Besides these families of bulbs, there are the Camassias, food-bulbs of bears and Indians ; the exquisite Erythroniums (dog- tooth violets) ; the Fritillarias, Bloomerias and Trilliums, the fine Clintonias of our redwood forests, and many other beautiful bulbs which are becoming favorites in distant lands.
"The wild lilies collected by Mr. Purdy include about fifteen species, ar- ranged by him in four groups. Some resemble the well known tiger-lily ; some are white, yellow or pink, and, taken collectively, they form one of the most promising of beginnings for the plant-breeder. It is in such lilies that Luther Burbank has made an especially interesting 'new departure.' Some of the California wild lilies, as they grow in the mountains in localities adapted to their finest development, form wonderful masses of color and motion. I have seen L. Humboldti at its splendid best on a spring-fed mountain slope be- side the American river, where an acre of tall plants in full carnelian-red splendor stood with stems a handsbreadth apart, under giant conifers, mov-
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ing, flashing, in the Sierra wind and sun. But no one has yet succeeded in finding the wholly satisfactory kind of lily to endure drought and trying con- ditions of the average garden. Therefore years ago Mr. Purdy and Mr. Bur- bank began to work upon the interesting problem-one, by choosing hardiest stock and native hybrids; the other by crossing and raising thousands of seedlings. Finally, after much selection from these, the best were sent to a natural lily garden in the mountains between Mendocino and Lake counties, where Mr. Purdy watches and works to improve them still further. There is no other lily-garden in the world that holds more promise of improvement and more hardy types than this. Color, shape and habit of growth have all developed surprisingly, and the end is not yet.
"It is probable that these two men will here in ten years produce more new and desirable varieties of lilies than have been produced by all the lily- growers in the world during the last century.
* *
"Summing up Mr. Purdy's work for California horticulture, it can truth- fully be said that he first made the collection and sale of wild bulbs successful by studying and systematizing their culture in his own Ukiah garden, after collecting them in their native places. He then devoted special attention to lilies and calochortuses, selecting and introducing the best strains. It only remained for him to develop general bulb-culture, and this is now one of his most important lines of work. He believes that nearly all the profitable spe- cies of bulbs grown for market in the older centers of horticulture can be grown quite as well here as in France or Holland. In some respects we have advantages over the classic bulb-growing regions, and Mr. Purdy is now growing daffodils and other bulbs expecting to ship the future crop to bulb- merchants abroad.
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