152 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



sweep of these cold winds and fogs few European vines escape the mildew, and 

 even the American grape is cultivated with unsatisfactory retiults. 



Beyond a radius of twenty miles from San Francisco an entirely different 

 climate is found, where the vine meets a congenial atmosphere. Excluding 

 these localities near the coast where cold sea breezes and fogs prevail, it maybe 

 safely stated that all other portions of the State, lying under an altitude of three 

 thousand feet above the sea level, are suited to vine culture. In the entire 

 State there are some one hundred and fifty-five millions acres of land, one-third 

 of which, in my opinion, is well adapted to the production of wine. Now, when 

 we consider that in France there are but five millions acres in vine culture, and 

 much of this of an indifferent character, we can form some estimate of what this 

 branch of industry will some day attain in California. 



There are four general distinct localities in California with isothermal and 

 meteorological conditions as widely differing in their characteristics as there are 

 to be found varieties of soil. A segregation of these localities will divide the 

 State as follows : first, all that portion south of Monterey county, with the 

 exception of the volcanic range of hills, near San Gabriel; second, all the coun- 

 ties lying west of the San Joaquin valley, and south of Yolo ; third, the great 

 plains and rolling slopes in the Tulare, San Joaquin, and Sacramento valleys ; 

 fourth, the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, as well as the eastern 

 slopes of the coast range west of the Sacramento valley, and the districts already 

 named lying north and east of San Gabriel, in Los Angelos county. 



The first of these districts has long been celebrated for the abundance of its 

 crops of large and luscious dessert grapes, and, until a very recent period, it 

 furnished nearly the entire supply of wine for home consumption, as well as 

 export. The vineyards in this district are mostly planted on a sandy loam, and 

 receive copious artificial irrigation in the bearing season. To this cause, with 

 the soft moist atmosphere which prevails in the evenings and mornings, may be 

 ascribed the large size of its grapes, and the abundance of grape sugar which 

 they contain, when alloAved to remain on the vines until fully ripe. For the 

 above reasons, this district of country is peculiarly adapted to the production of 

 heavy strong wines, and the distillation of brandy. 



The second district being somewhat within the influence of the cool ocean 

 breezes, its grapes will contain less sugar ; hence it is in this section of the 

 State that we must look for light wines, and those particularly adapted to the 

 manufacture of champagne ; as these wines are naturally sparkling and some- 

 what effervescent, without any sophistication. The light hock and cham- 

 pagne of the Sonoma valley have already obtained a high reputation on the 

 Pacific coast and will compare favorably with the best European wines of a 

 similar character. 



The third locality includes much land similar to that in the first named, but 

 with a warmer, dryer climate, as in this district there are seldom ariy dews, 

 which so greatly assist the formation of the unusually large grapes of the 

 country about Los Angelos. This great interior valley locality Avill produce 

 a rich sherry and sauterne, as well as a wine similar to the catalana, or port, 

 of the Upper Douro of Portugal. 



The fourth, or mountain district, will doubtless produce the most valuable 

 wines of any of the localities I have named, both on account of climate, which 

 is peculiarly different by reason ©f its elevation above the sea level and 

 unevenness of surface, as well as on account of the favorable ingredient of the 

 soil. 



In all the valley or plain districts, the soil is more or less composed of 

 argillaceous, marine debris, mixed with sand, gravel, and alkalic, washed down 

 into what were then inland seas and lakes, from eruptive volcanoes. Below 

 an altitude of two hundred feet above the sea level, there are the most abun- 

 dant evidences to show that all the great valleys in the State, were covered by 



