PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 285 



that have not been ashed appear to have become destitute of potash, and 

 require ashes to renovate the vines. Lime is also used. Guano was thor- 

 oughly tried at Weisbaden, and proved of no value whatever. A good 

 many of the vine-dressers prefer to mix the ashes with a compost of manure 

 instead of applying them separate. Some of the old vineyards in Germany 

 appear to be so exhausted as to require manure ; but ashes, whenever they 

 can be procured, are always preferred. Col. H. said that he had procured 

 from Europe what purported to be about 1,400 varieties of grapes, but 

 really there are but a little over 300 distinct sorts. He has tested 73 vari- 

 eties, until he is satisfied that they do as well as in their native country. 

 As there is a good deal of variation in the soil upon the Buena Vista es- 

 tate, he has endeavored to plant each sort in soil as much as possible like 

 that where they flourish best in Europe. He has tried several varieties of 

 native American grapes, such as Isabella, Catawba, Delaware, Scuppei*- 

 nong, and others, and find them all inferior in California soil to the im- 

 ported varieties. He has proved that the old Mission grape of California 

 is the same as one recently imported from Andalusia. This proves that no 

 change has taken place in European grapes, imported, probably, about the 

 year l'I25, though since that time they have progressed northward several 

 degrees along the Pacific coast. Of recent importations, the first one was 

 made from France in the year 1846. The vines were planted near Ros An- 

 geles, in flat, sandy soil, where they did not do well. The third year after 

 they were planted the land was irrigated, the vines made abundance of 

 wooa, but very little fruit, and the attempt was abandoned. In 1850 Mr, 

 Delmas and I imported a great many, which we propagated successfully. 

 I know of no country in the world possessing as many advantages for the 

 vine-grower as California. I have fully proved that vineyards can be grown 

 by deep cultivation without irrigation. We have good soil on all the hill- 

 sides; we have no hail, rain, nor frost to injure the fruit; we are not trou- 

 bled with the rot, and our vines produce as much as in the south of Spain. 

 We can make 2,000 gallons of wine to the acre. I have one vineyard, the 

 vines thirty-two years old, which averaged last year eighty pounds to the 

 vine. Six-3'ear old vines should average ten pounds, at eight years fifteen 

 pounds. Our vines bear at three years old. We plant our vineyards eight 

 feet apart, and cultivate them with what may be termed a shovel gang- 

 plow, which runs six inches deep. We plow each way eight times, in Jan- 

 nary, February and March. Some years ago I supposed it necessary that all 

 vines should be grown upon stakes, after the European method. I have since 

 learned that it is not necessary to incur that expense in California. I prune 

 my vines in winter upon the spur system, leaving three to six spurs, accor- 

 ding to the size of the vine. I never summer-prune; and after June there 

 is no plowing, and the vines are permitted to run and tangle with all the 

 freedom of a bean or pumpkin field. Much of the fruit sets within six inches 

 of the ground, and, indeed, when ripe, many of the bunches rest upon the 

 earth, and, as we have no rain to injure them, the grapes are thought to be 

 better than when grown at a considerable elevation. When the pruners get 

 to work they throw the cuttings in small bunches between the rows, which 

 are pitched upon a sled passing along the rows already cleared and hauled 

 out into the broad alley, where they are burned, and the ashes carefully 



