AGRICULTURE. 251 



1868; 1,800,000 in 1867; 800,000 in 1863 ; and 400,000 in 

 1860. The yield in some vineyards has been a gallon to the 

 vine, but we could make a gallon to two vines without de- 

 ducting anything for the late plantings ; so that really the 

 State has the capacity to make 13,000,000 gallons of wine in 

 a year. At present, however, many of the grapes are eaten at 

 the table ; others are converted into brandy, strong wine, raisins, 

 syrups, and vinegar, and some have been allowed to go to 

 waste. Many new vineyards have come into bearing within 

 the last five years, and the owners have neither learned how to 

 make wine, nor found a market for it after it is made ; so that, 

 though there has been a rapid increase absolutely in the pro- 

 duction of wine, yet in relation to the supply of grapes there 

 has been a decrease. Of the 3,700,000 gallons made in 1870, 

 Los Angeles supplied 1,000,000; Sonoma, 750,000; Napa, 

 297,000 ; Solano, 284,000 ; Placer and Sacramento, each 170,- 

 000 ; Calaveras, 136,000 ; and Santa Barbara and El Dorado, 

 each 100,000. 



179. Wine-making. The making of wine is considered 

 a branch of agriculture. Grapes cannot be transported far 

 without much loss and expense, and usually those intended for 

 wine are pressed in the vineyard where they are grown. A 

 few persons having vineyards of their own, and being provided 

 with machinery and cellar-room, buy the grapes from adjacent 

 vineyards not so well supplied. In all wine countries it is the 

 general custom that the owners of the vineyards should press 

 the grapes, and take care of the must until it has passed 

 through its first fermentation. Here they do not sell the wine 

 until it is at least six months old. 



Wine-making commences with the ripening of the grapes, 

 about the middle of September. -The berry is considered to 

 be fully ripe when the heart has taken a tinge resembling the 

 darkness of the skin ; when the berry is perfectly sweet, and 

 comes oft* easily from the stem, leaving no juice upon it ; and 

 when, on holding a bunch up to the sun, the fibers running 

 from the stem into the berry are nearly or quite invisible. 



