242 GRAPE CULTURE AND 



women are as able to manage vineyards and wine cellars, as 

 the majority of men, and altogether old Sonoma has a good 

 record to show of individual effort and pluck. 



Santa Clara County can also show many instances of in- 

 dividual enterprise. Foremost among them is our lamented 

 friend Chas. Le Franc, of whose untimely death I was in- 

 formed but a few days ago. I will remember his kindly face 

 and the royal welcome at his winery in 1881, which 

 greeted the then stranger to this coast, and his fine wines, of 

 which we partook at his wine cellars. Both he and Gen. 

 Naglee have " gone to their fathers," but ought not to be 

 forgotten when the muster roll of the Pioneers in Grape Cult- 

 ure is called. Santa Clara has many large vineyards, Capt. 

 Merithew, John T. Doyle, J. B. Portal, J. Pfeffer, Paul O. 

 Burnsbe and others, and claims to make as good red wines 

 as any part of the State. From here, many of the choice 

 Bordeaux varieties were first distributed, and the greater 

 part of their plantations were of that class. 



In Fresno County, the Barton Estate Company now own 

 the vineyard planted by Mr. Barton, although he still retains a 

 large part of the stock, and is made the managing director for 

 three years. This vineyard contains about 500 acres, but 

 it is the intention to purchase and plant 320 acres more. 

 Last season's crop was about 270,000 gallons, and about 

 300,000 are expected this year. They have fine cellars and 

 fermenting houses; and everything is planned on a most ex- 

 tensive scale. Captain Eisen has the oldest vineyard there, 

 of some 400 acres, and extensive cellars. Mr. Eggers has 

 also a large winery, and Lachman & Jacoby are interested in 

 another. Fresno produces very heavy wines, and would 

 seem to indicate a special adaptation to Angelica, Port and 

 Sherry, while I doubt that it will ever produce fine, dry, 

 light wines. It also excels in raisins, and in these two 

 branches of the grape industry it has a great future. It 



