31 / 96
tively
higli
sugar
and
low
acid
point.
'I'lie
princiiial
counties
are
Yolo,
Sacramento,
San
Joaquin,
Madera,
Fresno,
Kings,
Tulare,
covering
the
great
Sacramento
and
San
.loaquin
Val-
leys,
and
Sail
liernardino
County.
As
compared
with
the
immense
output
of
France
and
Italy,
our
annual
production
of
about
45,OO0,(K)O
gallons
is
small,
but
it
must
not
be
forgotten
that
it
has
taken
those
two
European
countries
nearly 2,000
years
to
plant
their
extensive
vineyards
and
create
a
world-wide
market
for
their
wines.
Pliny,
who
is
so rich
in
precious
information on
the agricultural
and
social
advances
in
Italy,
tells
us
that
Italy
opened
her
hills
and
plains
to
the
triumphal
entrance
to
the
god Dionysus
about
120
years
B.
C,
and
the
cultivation
of the
grape
has
gone
on
uninterrui^ted-
ly
ever
since.
Every
generation
has
jioured
forth
new
cai)ital
to
enlarge
its
inheritance
of
vineyards.
The
vine
was
introduced
into
France
by
the
conquering
Roman
legions
and
practically
the
same
conditions
as
in
Italy
prevail
there,
only
that
a
small
area
of
the
north
of
France
does
not
produce
grapes,
while
in
Italy
there
is
practicallx'
no
section
where
grapes
are
not
grown
and
wine
made.
The
cultivation
of
the
vine
in
Germany,
whicli
covers
a
comparatively
small
acreage
when
compared
with
Italy
and
France,
ccjmmenced
after
the
death
of
the
Roman
Emperor.
Marcus
Aurelius
Probus.
He
reigned
from
27G
to
282
A.
I).,
and
directed
much
of
his
attention
to
clearing
Gaul
of the
Ger-
mans.
For
over
eighteen
centuries,
therefore,
the
Germans
have
also
been
cultivating
their
hillside
\'ineyards
and
winning
fame
with
their
fine
white
wines.
The
viticultural
industry
in
California,
on
the
othej-
hand,
is
really
only
half a
century
old,
although
the
Franciscan
Fathers
planted
the
grapevine
in
California
shortly
after
their
arrival
at
San
Diego,
in
17()!).
As
the
other
missions
were
established,
small
tracts
were
planted
close
around
their
houses
of
worshi}).
The
Padres
guarded
them
jealously
with
high
adobe
walls,
culti-
vated
the
x'ines
carefully,
gathered
their
fruit,
and
made
wine,
which
was
used
in
their
religious
ceremonies,
or
consumed
by
the
good
Fathers,
their
occasional
visitors
and
their
immediate
retainers.
Soon
after
the
cession
of
California
to
the
United
States,
some
of
the
new
settlers,
.seeing
the
fertility
of the
Mission
grape,
conceived
the
idea
of
abandoning
gold
hunting
and
en-
gaging
in
the
business
of
winemaking.
Coar.se,
heavy
wines
were
made
from
the
Mission
grapes
and
when
they
were
tasted
by
discriminating
wine
drinkers,
it
was
predicted
that
California
would
never
be
able
to
turn
out
Wine
that
would
be
acceptable
to
people
used
to
the
foreign
brands.