128 GRAPE CULTURE AND 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE VINEYARD, LOCATION, ASPECT AND SOIL. 



In this, preeminently the "Golden " State it is said that we 

 riave more of first class grape lands than all of Europe put to- 

 gether. This may be true, but it is also true that but few of 

 the best lands, those that will make a name and fame for our 

 industry, have so far been planted in grapes. Those lands 

 that could be planted to vines with the least labor, were the 

 most easy of cultivation, and produced the largest crops; were 

 generally chosen and planted. While I do not undervalue 

 easy cultivation, I also believe that our rich, level bottom 

 lands will never give us the wines that will rank with the finest 

 brands of Europe, or even surpass them. All we can expect 

 of them is a good, sound wine for the million, the every day 

 drink of our people, and while I admit that this is a great 

 desideratum, yet the small grower especially should aim at 

 higher quality, which will make his wines and grapes sought 

 for at high prices. 



Then again, our lands are very variable, they are "spotty" 

 as we familiarly call it, to a very high degree. It is seldom 

 that a piece of one hundred acres, or even ten to twenty, can 

 be found which is alike, or only nearly so. The soil is apt 

 to vary from deep, naturally drained land to hard-pan alkali, 

 from stony and pebbly soil to stiff adobe or clay, and again to 

 shallow bedrock, where there is not depth of soil to let the 

 vine root fairly, and develop fully. It behooves every one 

 then to be careful in the soil he selects, and to look over it 

 well before he plants it to vines. 



The location is also a very important question. It should 

 be easy of access, should have fair transportation facilities by 



