160 GRAPE CULTUKE AND 



tions of anyone, and feel that their interests are fully entitled 

 to consideration in a book dedicated to the promotion of all 

 the branches of grape culture. 



The shipping of grapes to Eastern markets has received a new 

 impetus since we have better terms and facilities. How to pick 

 and pack them, and at what time, we will consider in a special 

 chapter, and now simply discuss the best varieties. While 

 many may be used for home markets which will not stand an 

 Eastern trip, in shipping grapes we must confine ourselves to 

 varieties which are attractive in appearance, and have at the 

 same time a rather thick, tough skin, so that they will carry 

 without bruising. Quality is a secondary consideration, for 

 the most high flavored and delicate grapes, if they do not 

 carry well, will not bring a paying price in market if they ar- 

 rive in bad order. For home use, of course, there are a num- 

 ber of varieties of choice quality that will not bear transpor- 

 tation. Nearly all our choice wine grapes are also nice for 

 the table, often more spicy than those which are adapted for 

 transportation. 



That the climate is also all important in the choice of vari- 

 eties is self-evident. Some localities will find greater advan- 

 tages in raising early varieties, others in planting the very latest. 

 Some of the Santa Cruz mountains shipped grapes fresh from 

 the vines as late as Christmas and New Years, last year, hav- 

 ing had no killing frosts; and they were sold at $2.50 per 

 20 Ib box in San Francisco at wholesale, certainly a very 

 paying business. Vacaville and Pleasant Valley generally ship 

 the earliest, and obtain high prices for them. But the early 

 varieties and early locations will pay best for home market; 

 for shipping East they will come into competition with East- 

 ern American varieties. Therefore, for shipping to the East 

 we should have either very showy varieties, which find a ready 

 sale on account of their size and beauty; or very late keepers 

 to follow their latest varieties. The southern route now fur- 



