ORANGE CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 225 



could befall this industry. There is a belief by many that the 

 phylloxera can only exist where the soil has been exhausted of 

 some necessary element of fertility to the grape. They find that 

 all reliefs so far have been some substance which is a fertilizer 

 to the vine. The special manure of the grape vine is potash, 

 and this is abundant in all our lands in Los Angeles county. 

 We have only got to look at many of our low lands, where it 

 has been washed from the uplands, to see that there is a super- 

 abundance of alkali. 



I will now give you a description of some few varieties of 

 grapes which I have grown for some years, and which have 

 special adaptabilities for special kinds of wine, all being heavy 

 producers. They will, too, bear younger than the Mission, and 

 ripening early, they lengthen out the season for wine making, 

 which is an item of much importance in itself. 



BLAUE ELBA. 



Bunches medium length and size, shouldered and about as 

 compact as the Mission. Berries round, inclined in some speci- 

 mens to oval. Skin thin, dark purple, with heavy bloom. Juice 

 sub-acid and pleasant, and a piquant flavored table grape. 



It is a vigorous grower, and the young wood has a very clean, 

 pleasing, red look, which distinguishes it even at a distance. It 

 is a regular and heavy bearer, free from all diseases, and stand- 

 ing drouth remarkably well. It makes a white wine of some 

 body, perhaps in that respect similar to the Reisling, but carries 

 too much tartar, and is much like the celebrated Hock "Lieb- 

 frauenmilch" of the Germans. It is a white wine of the highest 

 bouquet and quality, and is admired and is a favorite with every 

 white wine drinker. It is pronounced the equal, by all German 

 connoisseurs, of the better qualities of Rhine wine, and it is be- 

 lieved by many of these that, if shipped to Germany, it would 

 command a sufficient price to pay for producing and shipping. 

 It will, too, make a brandy of the highest bouquet. 



This grape was introduced by Jacob Keller (now dead), of 

 Anaheim, who brought it from Germany. He gave me a small 

 lot of cuttings, which from year to year I increased, until now 

 it is the leading variety in my vineyard. It has, too, been tried 

 for some years in my neighborhood, and all who have planted it 

 join in its praise for thrift and productiveness. 



It makes a red press wine, which, however, is inferior, yet 

 which is better than the Mission red wine. Since Mr. Keller's 

 death this grape has been lost sight of and is scarcely known 

 there. 



ZINFANDEL. 



Bunches generally nearly equally divided in two long shoul- 

 ders, making a medium size cluster, with the berries so compact 



