246 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



Golden Chasselas, and Fontainebleau Chasselas, are in most 

 favor. The white Muscat makes the best raisins ; the French 

 Muscat the best vinegar. We have no statistics of the differ- 

 ent kinds ; but most of the vineyards planted in the last seven 

 years are of European varieties, which now probably amount 

 to more than one-fourth of all the vines in the State. 



For the table and for raisins, the Muscat of Alexandria is 

 more prized here than any other grape, on account of its 

 large size, and rich, spicy flavor. It does best on a gravelly 

 loam, mixed with a little clay, and bears very poorly in rich 

 clay loam without sand or gravel. The most productive Mus- 

 cat vines are in the Sonoma Valley. In good years it yields 

 9,000 pounds to the acre, and the average wholesale price is 7 

 cents per pound, making a gross yield of $350 per acre, of 

 which $50 may be counted for cultivation, picking, and send- 

 ing to market. One of the chief objections to this grape is that 

 in many places it does not " set " well, and then the only way 

 to secure a good crop is to pull off some of the blossoms, and 

 shake the pollen over other blossoms which are left to bear. 

 The vine generally starts out to produce two crops every sea- 

 son, but the careful vineyardist plucks off the second set of 

 blossoms, for otherwise neither crop would ripen properly. 

 The Alexandrian Muscat is the only grape that is good for 

 wine, first-rate for the table, for raisins, and for long transpor- 

 tation. 



The Flame Tokay is prized for its fine appearance, and for 

 its excellent keeping qualities ; but it is useless for wine, and 

 has little flavor. It bears more than the Muscat of Alexandria, 

 and has hitherto commanded the same price in the market. 

 It may come into demand in the Eastern States. The Queen 

 of Nice differs so little from the Flame Tokay, that by many 

 it is regarded as the same grape. 



The Rose of Peru is a large firm grape, of fine flavor, yield- 

 ing in good years 12,000 pounds to the acre. The price is 

 about 6 cents per pound, but the inferior price is compensated 



