286 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 13. 
breeding from them again, of the defect beooming here¬ 
ditary.— W. B. Tegetheieb, Willesden. 
THE VINEYARDS OF NOTHERN CALIFORNIA. 
The agricultural resources of this State, although little 
known, and comparatively undeveloped, are of the very first 
class. Its valleys are very extensive and fertile, possessing 
a capacity for production unequalled by any portion of the 
Union. I have lately visited portions of the northern part 
of the State with reference to its capacity as a fruit-growing 
country. As to the Peach, Pear, Apple, Grape, &c., I think 
it has no equal. There are several vineyards now in full 
bearing in different parts of Northern California, fully 
sustaining this character of its soil and climate. In the 
valley of Santa Rosa there is a vineyard of two thousand 
vines. One hundred of these are fifteen years old. These 
latter vines are trained to the height of six feet, and then 
allowed to spread at random upon a frame work, having a 
free circulation of air. They are trimmed every winter to a 
mere head, leaving only from three to five buds for wood 
and fruit. The remainder of the vines in this vineyard are 
two years old. They are trimmed low to a standard within 
six inches of the ground, and it is intended to grow the 
fruit thus near the earth. The theory is, that the fruit 
being thus near the ground, will be shaded and protected 
from the extreme heat of the sun. How the experiment 
will succeed, I am unable to determine. The soil is a clayey 
loam on a level surface. 
Sonoma valley contains the finest vineyards in Northern 
California. It contains about five thousand vines, planted 
about six feet apart. The soil is a grayish loam, breaking 
into lumps the size of a large potato in working, and easy 
of cultivation. The vineyard is situated on a gentle declivity 
of the foot hills of the Contra Costa Range of mountains. 
There are several unfailing springs of water running from 
the hill-sides above, which furnish an abundance of water 
for irrigation. These springs are highly impregnated. A 
portion of this vineyard is fifteen years old, and is bearing 
abundantly. The vines are trimmed to a standard of 
about two feet, and every winter all the woods of the 
previous year is trimmed off, and only from three to five 
buds are left for wood and fruit the ensuing year. This 
trimming is done from November till March. The older 
vines are supported by braces where necessary. The growing 
wood of the old vines is interwoven in the form of a large 
hoop, and the vine is then made to sustain the whole 
weight of the branches and fruit of the year. The grapes 
hang in large beautiful clusters near the head of the standard 
vine, and are mostly protected from the rays of the sun in 
this manner. The whole vineyard is occasionally irrigated. 
The income of this vineyard is estimated at 20,000 dollars. 
The climate of this valley is dry and of a moderate tem¬ 
perature. 
There are also two vineyards at the old Mission of San 
Jose. One of these contains about 4000 vines, in a toler¬ 
able condition. They are trimmed to a standard about 
two feet high, and from three to five buds are saved for 
wood and fruit. The vines are all allowed to spread at 
random over the ground during the summer. This vine¬ 
yard is irrigated. The other vineyard is small, and the vines. 
Some of them are said to be sixty years old. The mode of 
trimming is the same as the last vineyard. A portion of 
the ground is in grass, and only a small place round each 
vine is cultivated. This vineyard is not irrigated. These 
are planted about six feet apart. They are situated high on 
the declivity of the foot hills of the Contra Costa Range of 
mountains, and are watered from a mountain stream. The 
soil is a dark loam, breaking into small lumps, and easy of 
cultivation, with a dry limestone subsoil. This soil is well 
adapted to the vine. 
There are two vineyards in Napa valley—one of them, 
belonging to a Mr. Youat, I have not seen. A part of it 
has been planted fifteen years, and produces abundantly. 
The other is owned by Mr. Kellogg, formerly of Illinois. It 
was planted in 1840. It is situated on a level piece of 
ground, under the brow of a high hill, with an eastern 
exposure. The surface is level, and the soil a gravel full of 
lijirge and small stories, and very different from any other I 
have examined. There are about fifteen hundred vines, 
and each one is trained to a standard* of two feet. They 
are trained after the manner of the other vineyards I have 
described. In the spring, before the vines commence 
growing, this vineyard presents the appearance of so many 
small stumps of trees. This vineyard is irrigated three 
times every season—once when the fruit is setting, again 
when it is halt-grown, and lastly when the fruit is ripening. 
The vines spread at random over the ground. This vine¬ 
yard is productive, and pays well. There is also a small 
vineyard at Livermore’s Ranch, on the Contra Costa Range, 
about twenty miles east of the Mission of San Jose. It has 
been planted about fifteen years, and is trimmed to a 
standard of about six feet, and allowed to spread at random 
upon frame work. It is trimmed after the manner of the 
other vineyards I have mentioned. This vineyard is an 
alluvial soil, on the banks of a mountain stream. The soil 
is a black clay, mixed with very rich black vegetable mould, 
very soft and adhesive, and even miry in the winter. In 
summer, it becomes very dry and hard, and cracks to the 
depth of several inches, and is full of large crevices. The 
fruit is said to be very sweet. 
The climate of all the vallies of Northern California is 
dry in summer, and well adapted to the culture of the grape. 
There is no such thing as the rot, to my knowledge. A 
large portion of the country is underlaid with limestone 
rock, and has a subsoil well adapted to the vine. 
There are a number of old vineyards in Lower California, 
which are very productive. The grapes afe shipped to San 
Francisco, and sold at high prices. Of these vineyards, 
however, I know nothing personally. Only one kind of 
grape has been cultivated on this coast. It is believed to be 
the Malaga grape of old Spain, introduced here about one 
hundred and fifty years since by' the Roman Catholic 
Missionaries who visited this country. It is a grape of a 
fine quality, and well acclimated.—E. Townsend. —(The 
California Farmer.) 
BIDEFORD POULTRY SHOW. 
Exhibitions for the improvement of Domestic Poultry 
have been held in very many of the cities and towns in the 
kingdom, but the one now under notice is the first that has 
J been held in the North of Devon. It originated, we believe, 
with the Worshipful the Mayor of Bideford, A. Ley, Esq., 
who first called a public meeting to take into consideration 
the propriety of its establishment. At that meeting a com¬ 
mittee was formed, composed of the Mayor; E. U. Vidal, 
Esq., of Cornborough House; Goldie Harding, Esq., of 
Halls Annery House ; A. B. Wren, Esq., of Bradworthy ; 
J. J. Collas, Esq., of Pile Head, Bideford; W. W. Hewett, 
Esq., of Bowood House ; — Stringfield, Esq., of East Heale 
House; T. D. Gregory, Esq., and others. In alluding to 
the management of the affair, we must not omit to notice the 
services so effectually rendered by the indefatigable Secre¬ 
tary, Mr. John Jones. The first day of the Show was on 
Tuesday, when the Exhibition was held in a very convenient 
and commodious yard at the end of the Quay, kindly lent 
for the occasion by our respected county member, Lewis 
W. Buck, Esq. The decorations, which were superintended 
by James S. Ley, Esq., of Durrant, were most tastefully 
arranged; and the pens for the poultry were substantially 
and well prepared. 
The show of birds was unusually good, considering it was 
the first that had taken place in the neighbourhood, and 
that our situation is at present somewhat isolated, though it 
will not long remain so, as it is hoped that in a short time 
direct railway communication will be opened to all parts of 
the kingdom, by means of the North Devon Railway and its 
extension to this town. 
The fowls which appeared the. most admired from their 
size, shape, plumage, and general good qualities, were un¬ 
doubtedly the Dorkings, the gaunt forms of some of their 
neighbours, the Cochins, showing to great disadvantage in 
comparison with them. The White-faced Spanish were 
particularly fine, as were also the Ducks, especially the 
White Aylesbury, an excellent pen of which, the property of 
the Hon. G. Howard, of Swindon, arrived too late for entry. 
A pen of Peruvians, shown by Mr. Wood, of Beaford, also, 
attracted some attention. 
