SOILS ADAPTED TO GRAPE CULTURE 23 



p 



which all have a greater or less influence on their capacity of hold- 

 ing moisture in the spring and of retaining it through the summer. 

 The more compact a soil is or if it is gravelly, the more fine earth 

 or clay is mixed with the gravel, the greater are apt to be the mois- 

 ture changes. In localities where the rainfall is scant, heavy clays 

 and loams may not be very wet during spring, or may be so onh 

 within a few feet of the surface, while below this they are com- 

 paratively dry. The great value of a vine, extending its main 

 roots horizontally under the surface, as the Lenoir does, is appar- 

 ent for such soils. From what has been said on the condition of 

 soils, on which wild species are found or on which cultivated vari- 

 eties have proved successful, it can be deduced that adaptation is 

 principally governed by the moisture changes occurring in the soil 

 3nd conditioned by the physical structure of the ia\ter, by climate 

 and cultivation. For this reason, adaptation, as taught by French 

 experts, has not realized for California, as moisture changes in 

 soils of the same physical structure are much greater with us than 

 they are in France. 



As the planting of resistant direct bearers which undoubtedly 

 wculd avoid the trouble altogether, has been recommended i:y 

 some, I shall say, that there is no vine of American origin at pres- 

 ent, which approaches in the least degree the peeiless qualities of 

 the Viniferas. Even with twice the expense of growing these, which 

 indeed is not necessary, they will pay" much better than any bear- 

 ing resistant. For this reason no effort should be spared to re- 

 tain them in localities where the disease has occurred w ; th great- 

 est severilv, but which was caused mainly through ; gnorancc of its 

 true character. 



CHAPTER III. 



Soils, Adapted to Grape Culture and Preparatory Work for 



Planting. 



There are a great variety of soils in California and most any of 

 them, excepting rich bottom lands near the coast or other parts of 

 too moist and cold atmospheric conditions, or where groundwater 

 is too near the surface, can Be planted to the grape vine provided 

 the peculiar habits of the different varieties and grafting-s treks 

 are understood and the proper ones chosen. In this respect a good 

 many mistakes have been made in the past and some losses of 

 money incurred. In particular it may be said that brittle gravelh 

 clays of a reddish or brownish color mixed with broken sandrock 

 and situated on warm sloping hillsides, are the very best, as they 

 produce the highest quality of wine and table grapes, which is the 

 desideratum desired. 



In regions near the coast shallow soils, on which the grapes 

 ripen better and whose impoverishment and drying out can be pre- 

 vented by plowing under plenty of green manure, which is gener- 

 ally abundant, are better than deep, rich ones. Lands being covered 

 with small brush as manzanitas, dwarf-oaks and other shrubs, 

 when in their wild state, is in such localities indicative of their 

 adaptation to grape culture. Where large trees are growing, the 



