312 AGRICULTURE ON THE PACIFIC SLOPE 



it was found that after a few years they would begin to 

 suffer and finally die, mostly, it was thought, on account of 

 severe winters. As there are many kinds of native vines 

 growing in the United States, people tried to improve these 

 by cultivation, like other fruits, and succeeded very well 

 so far as eating grapes go. But the American grapes all 

 have a peculiar spicy or "foxy" taste, somewhat like the 

 European "muscat," and made wines quite unlike those of 

 Europe. Then it was discovered that the reason why Euro- 

 pean vines die in America is that the roots are attacked by 

 a very small mite or louse, called the phylloxera (page 213), 

 which is originally at home on American vines but does not 

 hurt them much. So it was found that where the cold is 

 not too great in winter, the European vine can be grown 

 when grafted on American stocks. In the meantime the 

 phylloxera had found its way to Europe itself, and killed 

 hundreds of thousands of acres of vineyards, particularly 

 in France. So the French had to graft all their vines over 

 on American stocks, and for a number of years there was great 

 distress among the vineyardists. But now that the grafted 

 vines have all come into bearing, there are more grapes and 

 wine in France than ever. This country, which had in- 

 fected the French vines with the parasite, also furnished the 

 remedy for the disease. 



In California the phylloxera has spread all over the north- 

 ern part of the state, but has not as yet reached southern 

 California. Therefore new vineyards northward of the 

 Tehachapi Mountains should all be planted with grafted 

 cuttings in order to be safe from the insect. 



California alone of the United States produces wines and 

 raisins like those of Europe. Wines are made by crushing 

 the grapes and then fermenting the juice, either alone or 

 with the grapeskins. When fermented on the crushed 



