18 



temperature and varying climates, without 

 fortification with alcohol. 



It is impossible to determine, even ap- 

 proximately, to what extent France might 

 increase her foreign markets for wine, if she 

 produced more and consumed less; but the 

 rapidity with which cheap table wines become 

 popular in new countries, whenever the sup- 

 ply is forced upon them in an abundant 

 manner, goes to show that if there were 

 more wine there would be more consumers. 

 To be popular in everyday use, it must cease 

 to be an exceptional luxury, which can hap- 

 pen only when enough is furnished to effect- 

 ually supplant other beverages. The increased 

 consumption of beer in America- illustrates 

 this principle. Popular things must be plen- 

 tiful. 



During the, decade 1829-38, France pro- 

 duced an average wine crop annually of 

 890,000,300 gallons. This was increased in 

 forty years to 1,505,000,000 gallons, or nearly 

 doubled in quantity. - The increase in home 

 consumption was enormous equal to 740,- 

 000,000 gallons, or at the rate of 18,500,000 

 gallons increase for each successive year. 

 Exportations increased from 33,000,000 gal- 

 lons to 68,000,000 gallons, or at the rate of 

 less than 1,000,000 gallons for each succes- 

 sive year. Meanwhile, the importations have 

 increased from 56,800 to 40,000,000 gallons; 

 also, the quantity distilled and converted into 

 vinegar decreased to an extent two and a half 

 times greater than the increase of exporta- 

 tions. The price of wine also increased 

 steadily. These facts show how rapidly wine 

 may grow in favor as a popular beverage. 

 The demands of foreign markets have been 

 the least to cause the vast progress of French 

 viniculture. The home demand has really 

 been greater than the supply, and we have, 

 therefore, no facts to indicate to what extent 

 foreign markets for wine might have been 

 developed if the supply had been sufficiently 

 abundant. 



Spain can only, with few exceptions, send 

 her natural light wines toward the north. 

 They find a market during the winter in 

 Paris and other parts of France. The alco- 

 holized wines of Spain and Portugal are too 

 spirituous ever to become popular beverages 

 for daily use, and we cannot, therefore, de- 

 duce anything from the commerce in them to 

 show the possible limit of the exportation of 

 natural table wines. We observe, however, 

 that whenever pure natural wine is plentiful 

 it becomes popular, and the consumption 

 generally equals the supply. We have seen 

 the supply becoming abundant in California, 

 and at the same time consumption has in- 

 creased in a few years, so that now more 

 wine -is consumed here by a population of 



less than a million than is imported into the 

 whole United States from France. The 

 abundant supply is the educator. 



From a study of all the facts bearing on 

 this subject, it seems probable that if Cali- 

 fornia should increase her production to 

 1,000,000,000 gallons annually, markets 

 would open themselves as fast as her abun- 

 dance was ready to supply them. California 

 wines have a superior commercial value. 

 They are transportable into and through all 

 climates, without requiring adulteration with 

 alcohol. We can, therefore, produce the 

 merchandise in abundance and find markets 

 for it. This view of our vinicultural indus- 

 try is flattering to our ideas of future impor- 

 tance and encouraging to the farmer. Our 

 vineyards may be increased one hundred fold 

 at least with safety, provided reasonable 

 methods of culture be pursued, and the re- 

 quisite skill in wine making acquired. 



We have, however, taken no note of the 

 vines that will be required by raisin produ- 

 cers. More brandy would be distilled iii 

 France, if there were wine to spare. We can 

 always have wine to spare if we cultivate suf- 

 ficiently, because we have an abundance of 

 suitable land. The time may possibly come 

 when syrup made from grape juice will be a 

 popular article of diet. These things prom- 

 ise increase to the vineyards. Kapid trans- 

 portation promises a great market among our 

 Eastern tellow citizens for fresh grapes. 

 Surely there is no danger of over-production. 

 Our people will soon realize this, and the 

 rush of the Argonauts of 1849 will be 

 distanced by the rush to the shrine of the 

 wine god in the near future. 



The results which this agricultural devel- 

 opment will show in our industrial and com- 

 mercial life will be amazing. The gold of the 

 Sierra did not build cities as surely as will 

 the vines of its foothills. One million fami- 

 lies, as proprietors of vineyards, will produce 

 one billion gallons of wine. Another million 

 families will obtain support in the industries 

 and mercantile pursuits which will rest on 

 this production. Fleets of ships will come 

 and go, and add spirit to the busy scene. Viti- 

 culture will increase the population of the 

 cities around the Golden Gate one million 

 souls. Most notable will be the effect upon 

 the country towns. The vine makes homes 

 in the country attractive, and develops 

 village growth. Already we see this tendency 

 in our new State. Los Angeles, San Gabriel, 

 Anaheim, Sonoma, St. Helena, Mission San 

 Jose how beautifully they grow! Village 

 life is the secret of French prosperity. The 

 country is all utilized and labor economized. 

 The vine and industry intertwine wherever 

 the people are industrious. The one nour- 



