The early Spanish and French missionaries planted the European vine on the Pacific slope_ Here the conditions are more congenial than in the Eastern States, and the industry has flour ished from the beginning. With the exception of the famous vineries of Europe, California leads in the production of wine and raisins from Vitis vinifera. The largest vineyards in the world are to be found there, and the output of raisins has so increased that the importation of the fruit has greatly diminished, despite the enormous increase in the country's population. Until 1820 the Mission variety was the only European vine planted in Western America, but the list has increased to more than fifty varieties, including those most prized in Europe. The repeated failures with the European grape in Eastern America were due not so much to the climate, as to the ravages of the phylloxera, which found a congenial and very susceptible food plant in the introduced vines. Native vines are able to resist its attacks, but the European vines possess no such power, and when this pest was acci dentally transported to France on some native American vines it spread havoc among Euro pean vineyards. It was even thought that vine culture in Europe was doomed. Little wonder that varieties failed in the Eastern United States. A remedy was hard to find, but the interest of the French Government in rescuing from destruc tion its great vineyards and wineries stimulated research, which led to the utilization of the resistant American vines as stocks upon which to graft the European vine, even in its native clime. The success of this plan is evident from the fact that the most remunerative vineyards of Europe have roots of American species. The wine and raisin industry of the United States is being rapidly extended; and numerous successful experiments have been conducted in the South eastern United States with the European vines grafted upon resistant American stocks.
Vine culture varies greatly in different coun tries. Success seems to depend chiefly upon sunny exposure, congenial soil, control of dis eases, intelligent manuring, and cultivation. New varieties are grown from seed, but the ordinary mode of propagation is by cuttings.
The cuttings are made during the dormant period, preferably in the autumn, from ripe wood of the past season's growth, and usually carrying two or three buds. These are heeled in or buried until the following spring, when they are set in nursery rows; one year later the young plants are ready for planting in the vineyard. A soil of medium fertility and gravelly texture is pre ferred; but certain varieties will thrive upon light soils, others upon heavy, if not too wet. Vines will endure more moisture than most other fruit-bearing plants, yet they must have drained land to give the best results. The grape is usually set in the vineyard at one year from the cutting, 8 X8 feet or 8X10 feet being the pbpular distances for American vines. During the first year the land is given clean culture, with or without hoed crop; the second year the trellises or supports are partially constructed, and the new growth tied up out of the way of cultivation. The third year the trellises are completed, some bearing wood left, and each vine may be allowed to bear a few clusters of fruit. After the first year no other crop should be allowed to incumber the vineyard. Clean culture should be given until midsummer, after which time means should be taken to check growth and ripen the wood. Pruning the vine is based entirely upon the fact that the fruit is borne upon wood of the present season's growth, which arises from the buds of the last season's growth. All wood for fruiting purposes must, therefore, be one year old. All systems of pruning are either renewal or spur systems. Renewal systems seek to maintain the fruit production near the root or main trunk; spur systems renew on shoot spurs arising at intervals along a permanent arm. For descrip tion of various systems, consult Bailey, Cyclope dia of American. Horticulture (New York, 1900).
Besides the manufacture of wines, brandies, raisins, and the use of grapes for dessert pur poses, unfermented grape-juice is becoming a valuable and popular product. This is made by expressing the juice, sweetening, heating to the boiling-point, and sealing while still hot in cans or strong bottles. See also WINE; BRANDY; RAI SINS AND CURRANTS ; VITACE,E.