Production of Wine

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 5, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 30.

Production of Wine.

THE editor of the Wine and Fruit Grower gives it as his opinion that "the United States is destined to become the greatest wine-producing country in the world." He says: "I calculate that ten years from now our annual wine product will have amounted to 100,000,000 gallons at least. And even then the industry will only be in its infancy." He adds that "the best parts of California for grape growing have not yet been touched. This State alone has as large an acreage adapted to grape culture as France has, and France has turned out 1,176,000,000 gallons in one year. But California constitutes only a small part of our wine producing territory." He invites attention to the fact that since 1850 the native wine production in this country has increased from zero to nearly 30,000,000 gallons, the estimated production of the present year. The yield of 1880 was 23,000,000 gallons. These figures have ominous significance as involving the future of the temperance reform. Nothing but a thoroughly enlightened, conscientious public opinion concerning the evils inseparable from alcoholic wine-drinking will suffice to neutralize and overcome the adverse influence of the large pecuniary gains, added to the power of abnormal appetite, from which this increasing wine traffic derives its strong impetus.—Sel.