what stock they originally came from; but one thing is certain,--from
that stock has sprung what is now known all over the State as the
"Mission" or "Los Angeles" grape, and from which is made all the wine at
present in the market. The berry is round, reddish-brown while ripening,
turning nearly black when fully ripe. It is very juicy and sweet, and a
delicious table-grape.

Three prominent reasons maybe given in support of the claims of
California to be considered a wine-producing State. First, her soil
possesses a large amount of magnesia and lime, or chalk. Specimens of
it, taken from various localities, and carried to Europe, when
chemically tested and submitted to the judgment of competent men, have
been pronounced to be admirably adapted to the purposes of wine-culture.
Then, the climate is all that could possibly be desired,--as during the
growth and ripening of the grapes they are never exposed to storms of
rain or hail, which often destroy the entire crop in many parts of
Europe. As an evidence of the great superiority enjoyed by California in
this respect, it may be remarked, that, while the grape-crop here is a
certainty, "the oldest inhabitant" not remembering a year that has
failed of a good yield,--in Europe, on the contrary, in a period of 432
years, from 1420 to 1852, the statistics exhibit only 11 years which can
be pronounced eminently good, and but 28 very good,--192 being simply
what may be called "pretty good" and "middling," and 201, or nearly
one-half, having proved total failures, not paying the expenses. Again,
the enormous productiveness of the soil is an immense advantage. We make
on an average from five hundred and fifty to six hundred and fifty
gallons of wine to the acre. The four most productive of the
wine-growing districts of Europe are--

Italy, giving to the acre 441 1-2 gallons