WINE-MAKING IN CALIFORNIA. 363 



England. Many of these are but small at present, but they 

 help to swell the aggregate, and if the wine proves satisfac- 

 tory they will rapidly increase; California itself consumes about 

 6,000,000 gallons annually, and if we take into account its 

 rapidly growing population, it is safe to predict that the home 

 consumption will reach 10,000,000 annually, within five years 

 from now. The increased area in vines has been nearly al- 

 together of the choicer kinds; con&quently, with increased 

 knowledge in making and handling it, we can expect a much 

 better average product than we have had so far. Even the 

 low prices ruling this year may prove a benefit in the end, as 

 it has forced many to keep and store their wine, thus giving 

 the superior product of 1886 time to ripen and improve by 

 age. Ours is not a product that will deteriorate and loose, 

 like wheat and other grain, hops, or even fruit. It is well 

 known and proven that long sea voyages improve wine and 

 develop it, consequently there is less risk than with almost 

 every other article of trade. 



France, whose vineyards were her main stay, now does not 

 produce enough for home consumption, and must rely on Italy, 

 Hungary and Spain, for the supplies to keep up her export 

 trade, and on the wine doctors art. We are now steadily 

 encroaching on her trade on this continent, and there is no 

 reason why we should not be able to supply all the foreign 

 importations. Thousands of gallons of California wine are 

 now sold annually under foreign labels. May we not confi- 

 dently hope that this will" cease sometime, and that California's 

 wines will be sought, just because they are Californian ! There 

 seems good reason for the fulfilment of this. 



