Published: 2015-07-22
Total Pages: 56
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Excerpt from The Vineyards in Napa County: Being the Report of E. C. Priber, Commissioner for the Napa District, to the Board of State Viticultural Commissioners of California The present report on the condition of the vineyards of Napa County was undertaken by the Board of State Viticultural Commissioners with a view of ascertaining what decrease in the acreage planted in vines in that county has been caused by the phylloxera in the past two years, as well as to give as much information as possible regarding the success of the various resistant stocks in different soils, etc., and other matters pertaining to viticulture in the county of interest to grape growers, wine makers, and wine merchants. In 1890, when the last census was made, Napa County reported 18,229 acres planted in vines. The present report shows 16,6511/2 acres. It will thus be seen that the decrease has been very considerable. The phylloxera is reported to have reached a point about three miles above St. Helena, and it can be but a question of a short time until the Calistoga vineyards suffer as have those of the lower valley. At present there are 507 vineyards reported in Napa County, and of these 244, or nearly half, report the existence of phylloxera. This will give an idea of what can be expected to occur to the vineyards of the entire valley within a few years. Wherever resistants have not been planted, the death of the vines appears only a question of a short time. In the tables which follow, the acreage reported as infested by phylloxera is certainly misleading, as is also the reported acreage good for one more crop, the acreage that will be dug up for causes other than phylloxera, and probably the cooperage. It is difficult to secure correct information on such points; vineyardists are loth to give such information, as well as to give information as to stocks of wine on hand. The reports of wine stocks were given in confidence. The different cellars reported an aggregate of slightly over 5,000,000 gallons of wine in the valley. The stocks of two cellars in Napa had to be estimated, as well as the cooperage in the same, the owners refusing to supply such information. It is naturally to be expected that in making such a canvass errors will occur. If any are noted, the vineyardists affected will please notify me. There is no disposition to do any one injustice, nor to misrepresent any one. Any corrections sent in will be printed, and distributed, for insertion in this book. The canvass was made by Mr. A. Warren Robinson, of Napa, under direction of Commissioner E. C. Priber and the Executive Committee of the Board. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.