AND WINE MAKING. 257 



It will be a herculean task to bring order out of this chaos, 

 and if our State Viticultural Commission would apply a 

 part of their efforts earnestly to this, they would do the 

 public a greater benefit than by constantly preaching 

 French and other outlandish practices and theories which 

 may prove impracticable here. 



The foregoing are but a few of the varieties cultivated 

 here, and no doubt the near future will bring a number 

 of others into notice that may be fully as valuable. 

 Among these the Trousseau promises well for making a 

 valuable, dark-colored wine, especially useful to be man- 

 ufactured into Port. The varieties just named and de- 

 scribed are specially adapted to make fine, dry red and 

 white wines, which, in my opinion, will be the leading 

 interest in grape culture in this State. 



The question, whether to plant more red or white-wine 

 grapes, is one that may be difficult to answer. The de- 

 mand at present seems to be very large for clarets, larger 

 than for white wines. But, on the other hand, the 

 plantings of red-wine grapes, especially of Zinfandel, 

 have been much more numerous than those of choice 

 white varieties. It is certain that there is a, class of con- 

 sumers who prefer choice hocks and white wines to clar- 

 ets, and they are generally willing to pay a good price. 

 When the general tendency seems to be to plant red-wine 

 grapes, surely some should make white wines to meet the 

 demand for them which already exists, and is sure to in- 

 crease. Besides, we have a choicer selection of white 

 wines and white-wine grapes than of red, and would 

 make a comparatively better article of them to-day than 

 of red wines. My advice would be to plant what suits 

 your soil. If it is not red, volcanic soil, or adobe, which 

 will give good color, plant mostly red grapes. If the 

 soil is loose, or sandy, plant white-wine grapes. If the 

 wines you make are good, they will sell readily, whether 

 they are red or white. 



