REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION 185 



When the first excitement of the gold discovery was waning, because of 

 the travel across the plains being seconded by that across the Isthmus of 

 Panama, rapidly increasing the population to such an extent that gold min- 

 ing was no longer the sole pursuit, the pioneers branched out into commerce 

 and agriculture. Viticulture soon grew in importance because of the favor- 

 able climate and soil of the country. 



Vineyards of Mission grapes increased in acreage, and as the economic 

 status of the grape industry proved to be a success, the growers desired to 

 improve upon the Mission grape. American varieties were introduced from 

 the East, for table grapes, and from Europe, Vinifera varieties, for the wine 

 industry. Prior to this, there is no doubt that pioneers crossing the plains 

 brought over with them American varieties from their Eastern homes with- 

 out giving any thought to insect infestation. 



Quoting from the report already mentioned: iln the southern part of 

 the County of Sonoma, the Buena Vista Company planted "a vineyard of 

 about one thousand vines in 1834-35 .... in 1850-52 the vineyard was in- 

 creased; in 1857 one hundred acres were put in vines. Again in 1860 fifty 

 acres were laid out; in 1862 Colonel A. Haraszthy planted seventy thousand 

 European vines. The Buena Vista Company again planted in 1864 one hun- 

 dred thousand vines." 



Prior then to 1862, when mention is made of European vines, most vines 

 planted must have been of the Mission variety. 



Quoting again, "As early as 1860 decayed and dying vines were noticed 

 in the vineyard." Although this was attributed to alkali water, "no examin- 

 ation by microscope was made, vines dying from time to time, showing short 

 growth, small and colorless grapes, early yellow leaves, in fact all the symp- 

 toms were observed of vines dying from the vine pest. In 1868 about three 

 acres of diseased grape vines were taken up (planted in 1850) .... and new 

 vines were planted, which grew well, showing little signs of decay until 

 they were four years old." 



Same report, appendix D, by J. Knauth, relating his personal experience. 

 He imported in 1853 from Nassau on the Rhine, in Germany, fifteen varieties 

 of grape-vine cuttings. These were first planted in his garden near Sutter's 

 Fort. "They flourished splendidly, and were largely propagated while show- 

 ing not a single trace of any sort of disease." In 1859-60 he established the 

 Orleans Hills Vineyard in Cache Creek Canon, using for that purpose only the 

 vines dug up from his garden. He goes on to say that sometime later some 

 of the vines in less favorable soil of the vineyard began to die; he also 

 states that some Zinfandel vines obtained from Napa, where an early infesta- 

 tion of phylloxera existed, were planted in the same vineyard and does not 

 clearly establish the fact whether the vines showed signs of disease before 

 this planting or not. One thing is certain, the vine cuttings from Germany 

 did not introduce the disease, and infestation was brought about by some 

 cause within the State. 



In the same report, the report of G. G. Blanchard, dated Placerville, 

 December 18, 1880, gives us an insight as to what extent American varieties 

 of grapes were grown in California. "In El Dorado County there are between 



iCal. Vit. Comm. An. Rep. 1, 1881, Appendix C, An. Rep. No. 1, 1881, 

 H. Appleton. 



