118 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



Perhaps the most effective part of our work at present consists of 

 spreading the knowledge, gained in the older districts by veteran 

 growers, among new arrivals and in new districts. The repetition of 

 costly mistakes is thus often prevented. More of this work should be 

 done, but the small number of observers and experts prevents very 

 great expansion at present. Instead of two or three trained viticultur- 

 ists, the extent of California and the magnitude of its industries require 

 a dozen. It is to be desired that an efficient expert, trained in the 

 science and practice of grape-growing and wine-making, should be 

 stationed in every large viticultural section, ready to advise all who 

 apply. The expense would be compensated a hundredfold by prevent- 

 ing the frequent repetition of many costly mistakes. Easily avoidable 

 loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars occur every year through 

 ignorance of the best methods of pruning, grafting, sulfuring, ferment- 

 ing, packing, and all the various operations of the vineyard and cellar. 



Men suitable for such work in California are difficult to find. It 

 requires an amount of practical experience and technical training 

 which few possess. These requirements must, moreover, be coupled 

 with personal qualifications of industry and judgment that make their 

 possessors too valuable in other pursuits to make it possible to retain 

 them unless they can be assured continuous employment at good 

 salaries. 



Publications of the Viticultural Department. In the period of three 

 years from January 1, 1905, to December 31, 1907, ten bulletins and five 

 circulars have been published by the Viticultural Department. These 

 represent the principal portion of the work which has been so far 

 completed as to be of immediate use to growers and wine-makers. 

 Minor topics and incomplete investigations are discussed shortly in 

 the present bulletin. 



PHYLLOXERA. 



This vine disease is well established now in nearly every large grape- 

 growing section, except those of southern California. There are still 

 large areas of vineyard, however, in the San Joaquin and Sacramento 

 valleys which have thus far escaped the pest. The slowness with which 

 it has spread in these regions is remarkable when we compare it with 

 the rapidity with which vineyards were attacked and destroyed in 

 Europe, and also in Sonoma, Napa, Santa Clara and other of the coast 

 counties. 



There are several obvious reasons which account in part for this 

 slow extension. The various grape-growing districts are scattered 

 throughout a wide plain, more or less isolated from each other by 

 miles of grain or pasture lands. 



