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famous Ehenish vintages, are, in some cases, of superior quality and of 

 high promise; but the Reisling wine has not so far been sufficiently 

 profitable and certain to have encouraged its rapid extension. It is 

 alleged that high training will insure a good crop; but it has not been 

 j>roven other than on a large scale that vines can thus be trained with 

 profit. It certainly will not do so if by a few heavy crops we impair the 

 vigor or perhaps sacrifice the vitality of the plant. Wherever high 

 training is practiced in the Mississippi Valley, it requires an amount of 

 labor that differs so widely from our economical processes as Avould 

 make it to us an unsafe enterprise. On the whole, the profitableness of 

 ■cultivating the .Reisling grape may, up to this time, be regarded as an 

 open question. The De Shay, sometimes called the Gray Eeisling, makes 

 n wine with considerable bouquet, but the same objection applies to it. 

 Moreover, it recpuires more time to mature than our rates of interest 

 justify. These remarks, perhaps, in a great measure, apply to those 

 varieties that are properly classed as Burgundy grapes, as well as some 

 grown in Champagne and the Gironde, and to be found in some Cali- 

 fornia vineyards. 



Of the musk grapes, the most valuable variety for wine is the Muscatel, 

 otherwise called the Muscat of Frantignan, the German Muscat, and by 

 other synonyms. It ripens early, is a shy or barely moderate bearer, and 

 requires a warm and rather fertile soil. Its musk flavor is strong, yet 

 delicate. Its cultivation on a more extensive scale in California is 

 desirable, Avhere we have so few grapes of decided flavor. In the single 

 province of L'Hirault, France, there are five thousand acres devoted. to 

 its culture, and yet the product of wine from it, in many instances, does 

 not exceed sixty gallons to the acre; but it is, in such cases, sweet wine 

 made from partially dried grapes. The Muscat of Alexandria bears 

 better, but the flavor is inferior to the Frontiniac. Ripening about the 

 time of the Mission's maturity, their musts may be advantageously 

 aiiixed. 



In, our present scarcity of flavoring grapes it may be desirable to 

 those with extensive vineyards to have in them a few of our American 

 grape vines, V. Lupina. The Catawba is perhaps the preferable on 

 account of its color. A small quantity of the must of the Catawba and 

 Muscatel mixed with a much larger quantity oi' Mission must has been 

 known to make a sensible improvement. The subject is worth}' of con- 

 sideration. 



To sum up in a few words the conclusions derived from the above 

 imperfect descriptions from the best grapes to plant for wine making, 

 where a very small number are to be selected, we enumerate the Black 

 Malvoisie and Zinfindal among the colored grapes, and the Golden 

 •Chaselas, with the Berger, Finer Zagos, and Chaselas Fontainbleau 

 among the white grapes. Of musk grapes, the Muscatel is preferred. 

 To owners of Mission vineyards in search or' suitable varieties of grapes 

 to mix with them at the press, or their must in the cask, the Malvoisie, 

 Zinfinal, for red wine, and lierger and Muscat for white, are deemed 

 preferable. "When red wine only is intended to be made, and only one 

 variety to be planted, the Zinfindal is esteemed the best, if the site is a 

 proper one and the soil abounds in iron. 



To conclude, it must be borne in mind that in the infancy of Califor- 

 nia viniculture accuracy is unattainable on this subject, lii the oldest 

 and most enlightened wine countries of Europe they still want positive 

 knowledge on points of interest that have elicited their attentions for 

 •centuries ; and yet it will not be without profit if we succeed at this 



