GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



CHAPTER I. 



FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO PARIS. 



Appointment as Commissioner. — Preparations. — Departure from California. — Cir- 

 cular Letter from Mr. Seward. — Voyage to Europe. — Arrival at Paris. — My Son. 

 — Correspondence. — Departure for Dijon. 



Having received from his Excellency the Governor, J. G. 

 Downey, the appointment of "Commissioner npon the Ways and 

 Means best adapted to promote the Improvement and Growth of 

 the Grape-vine in California," I proceeded to Sacramento to lay 

 my plan before the Governor, and received his sanction to go to 

 Europe for the purpose of collecting information, and such vines 

 and trees as in my judgment were best adapted for our State. 

 The Legislature not having made any appropriation for the pur- 

 pose of defraying the necessary expenses, I had to make use of 

 my own means, which I cheerfully did, having been assured that 

 my traveling expenses and money "laid out for the purchase of 

 the vines and trees would be refunded by the next Legislature. 

 The Press in various parts of the State approved the mission, and 

 spoke in favorable terms of the same ; in fact, the general senti- 

 ment of the people favored and encouraged me in the under- 

 taking. 



Accordingly, I soon made my preparations, and on the 10th 

 day of June, 1861, 1 started from San Francisco on the steamer 

 Golden Age. The passage was pleasant and quick. Arriving in 

 New York on the 4th of July, I rested for two days. I then 

 proceeded to Washington to procure my passport. I was pre- 

 sented by Messrs. Latham and M'Dougal, United States Senators 

 from California, to the Honorable William H. Seward, Secretary 

 of State, who gave me a circular letter to the United States di- 

 plomatic agents in Europe, which reads as follows : 



C 



