506 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
ing of the grapes by the feet of “ Greasers” in the southern part of the 
State applies only to the pommace destined for distillation into brandy ; 
albeit for certain kinds of wine (e. g., Port) the treading process is deemed 
indispensable in Hurope, and, after all, feet can be washed as clean as 
_ hands. : 
Again, there are in California, as elsewhere, regions whose soil and 
climate favor the development of the highest qualities in wines, while 
there are others whose product, however abundant, good-looking, and . 
pleasant to the palate when fresh from the vine, will fail, even with the 
best management, to yield a beverage fit for exportation. 
The volcanic soils of the beautiful valleys of Napa and Sonoma have — 
thus far achieved the highest general reputation for wines of fine bou- 
quet; yet even there the products of adjacent vineyards sometimes differ 
widely, and these differences are not yet, as a rule, sufficiently consid- 
ered by the producers, or by those who blend the several products for 
market. The red soils of the foot-hills of the Sierra also give high 
promise of fine wines, and in the Coast Range those of the valley of San 
José are noteworthy. The wines made from the sugary berries of Los 
Angeles are, of course, very similar to those of South France, Spain, 
and Portugal—fiery, and with a heavy body, but less “bouquet” than 
those grown farther north. Its least deserving wine (if it may be so 
classed at all) is perhaps the far-famed Angelica; and the mission grape 
almost alone is in bearing there as yet. 
The vineyards planted on the heavier soils of the Sacramento Plain 
yield a large part of the table grapes for the home and Eastern mar- 
kets, and seem destined to become one of the chief regions for the raisin- 
making industry, to which the climate of the great interior basin is, of 
course, especially adapted in consequence of its rainless summers and 
intense, dry heat, sweetening the grape to the utmost and rendering 
the curing process easy. Owing probably to a combination of favora- 
ble soils and good management some of the Muscatel raisins from near 
Woodland, in Yolo County, have proved fully equal to the highest qual- 
ity of those imported from Malaga. Unfortunately the commercial 
standing of California raisins, like that of its wines, has been injured by 
putting into market such as, from the mode of curing, did net possess 
the requisite keeping qualities. The efficient drying apparatus now in- 
treduced obviates this objection, and it is highly probable that raisin- 
making will hereafter take its place, alongside of wine-making, among 
the most important industries of the State. 
Brandy-making, also, has not been neglected, but in consequence ot 
unfavorable Federal legislation has until lately labored under great dis- 
advantages. Most of the native “Aguardiente” has been distilled from 
pommace, and is, of course, rather hot and rank-flavored. In the Los 
Angeles region it is, to a great extent, the “ first run” of the grapes only 
that is made into wine, no presses being used; hence, the brandy made 
from the residue is of higher quality. The distillation of brandy from 
from wine itseif (now so rare in France) from the best of foreign grapes 
has been made aspecialty by General H. Naglee, of San José, and the qual- 
ity of the product is far above that of any imported now in the market. 
That theextensive importation of grape varieties should resultin the intro- 
duction of their formidable enemy the Phyllovera is not surprising ; but 
we may well wonder at the indifference with which that now well-known 
fact is regarded by the majority of wine-growers, even in districtsin which 
the insect has already made its appearance and has shown its power for 
harm. This is due largely to the fortunate, as well as unexpected and 
hitherto unexplained, circumstance that the progress of tbe pest has 
