THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 57 



The Vines and the Vineyard. In planting, cuttings are generally 

 used, not because they are most preferred, but because good rooted 

 vines cannot be obtained. The distance to, and the difficulty of 

 reaching, this district was formerly such that roots would suffer in 

 transit and would rapidly dry, while cuttings could be had handy 

 and fresh. The vines, originally planted eight by eight feet, have 

 been given more distance of late, some vineyardists planting them eight 

 by twelve feet, while others prefer twelve by twelve or ten by twelve 

 feet. The varieties used are the Muscat of Alexandria only. This 

 variety happened to be the one that was imported first from Riverside, 

 I believe, and it was afterwards propagated by every one. The variety 

 as grown in El Cajon is the type of Muscat of Alexandria with oblong 

 berries, large clusters with loosely hanging berries and large strong 

 stems. The shape of the vines is erect, with a few center shoots, 

 strong and upright. The vines commence bearing the second year, 

 and are said to pay expenses of caring for in the third year, but I' 

 think it would be safer to say in the fourth year. 



As regards cultivation and plowing, many plow both ways and 

 harrow and cultivate crosswise several times until the ist of June, 

 when, on account of the dry ness of the soil, no more weeds start and 

 no cultivation of any kind is needed. The large majority of the vine- 

 yards are splendidly kept, not a weed being seen anywhere for miles 

 around. Winter pruning commences as soon as the leaves fall. In 

 former years from five to nine spurs were left in pruning and two or 

 three eyes on each spur, but it has been found profitable and judicious 

 to leave more spurs, so as to take the sap in the spring, and now from 

 twelve to fifteen spurs with two or three eyes each are left every winter. 

 Spring or summer pruning has only been practiced the last two 

 seasons, and being found very profitable is now adopted by everybody. 

 The vines are not pinched, but headed well back as soon as the grapes 

 are well set. This method has in this district the following advantages: 

 It gives better shade to the bunches on account of the production of a 

 strong second growth; it causes the bunches to fill better, and, finally, 

 it leaves more room between the rows of the vines. I was told that 

 any of these three advantages would warrant the system of summer 

 pruning to be generally adopted. The valley has been unusually free 

 from any insect pest, such as leaf-hoppers (Erythroneura comes) cater- 

 pillars, grasshoppers, etc., but suffers from mildew, not, however, to 

 the extent that the presence of almost daily fogs would lead us to 

 suppose. Sulphuring is now practiced to some extent, but not as 

 much as it should be. The sulphur is applied with bellows as soon as 

 the berries are the size of shot, but not before. Sulphuring for colure, 

 or the dropping of the grapes when very small, is not practiced, nor 

 was it ever suspected that it would help. Colure is quite common, 

 much more so on sandy soil. Sunscald is frequent but not bad. I 

 saw quite a number of grapes scalded on every vine, but not enough 

 to warrant any special measures to be taken as a protection. The 

 grapes have during this and last year ripened by the first days of 

 September, but it is generally much later, or at about the loth of 

 September, when the vintage usualry commences. The picking was, 



