492 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



The last session of congress loaded a heavy internal revenue tax on 

 wines and a still heavier tax on brandies used in the fortifying of sweet 

 wines. This tax, if continued, will greatly curtail the wine industry, 

 and will be a heavy blow to the table grape and raisin industries, for the 

 reason that great quantities of both table and wine grapes are used by 

 Avineries under normal conditions, and can not and will not be used 

 under an internal revenue tax of 55 cents a gallon on fortification 

 brandies ; or, as is possible — unless congress shall take prompt action at 

 its next session — of $1.10 a gallon on fortification brandy. The wineries 

 of the interior valleys have already sent out notice of the cancellation 

 of contracts for at least 40,000 tons of grapes. The proportion of the 

 second crop Muscat grapes — last year estimated at 50,000 tons — that 

 will be used this season in the wineries, is doubtful ; the tonnage of table 

 grapes that can be used by the wineries this season is doubtful. 



It is probable that considerable quantities of wine grapes will be 

 dried, making a low-priced and inferior grade of raisin, but one which 

 tears down the price of good raisins, without affording the grower of 

 grapes a profit or even a livelihood. In the lack of an outlet for the 

 surplus table grapes, growers will be tempted to pack more than they 

 should, thus glutting the markets of the United States. 



An acreage of 50,000 table grapes — the present acreage — with a full 

 crop means about 20,000 carloads. During the last three years an 

 average of only about 6,500 carloads a year were shipped, with perhaps 

 a thousand cars a year used in local markets. Each year for the last 

 three years, at least 2,000 cars a year have been sold at such low prices 

 as to net a loss instead of a profit to the growers. The outlet for the 

 surplus has been the wineries. It is perhaps very fortunate that the 

 indications this season are for a light crop of table grapes in many 

 sections of the State. A heavy crop, under present unsettled con- 

 ditions, would be a calamity. 



It is beyond dispute that table grapes have been overplanted. If, 

 instead of 50,000 acres, there were only 25,000 acres, California would 

 be better off. While there is room for more grapes of good quality 

 early in the season, and more grapes of good keeping quality late in the 

 season, the mid-season grapes are in excessive and ruinous oversupply. 



The State Board of Viticultural Commissioners is striving to better 

 conditions. Last season an exhaustive study was made of the financial 

 losses caused by shipping unripe grapes; growers were educated to a 

 realization of the magnitude of the abuse ; and this season we have the 

 Ashley standardization law, which provides that grapes must contain 

 a minimum of 17 per cent sugar for all varieties except the Emperor. 

 We sincerely trust that standardization will raise the grade of Cali- 

 fornia grapes and add to their popularity in eastern markets. 



It is to be hoped that there may be found localities where the mid- 

 season varieties may be worked over by degrees into more profitable 

 varieties, where for instance the Zante currant may be profitably grown, 

 or where grapes of the Almeria type may be substituted for the Tokay, 

 or where Emperors may be grafted on Tokay roots. The Viticultural 

 Commission is gathering data along these lines and hopes to have infor- 

 mation of definite value to growers in the near future. 



