Grapes

Prior to 1919 practically all wine grapes in this country were purchased by a few wineries. With the advent of prohibition laws, winegrowers feared that their occupation was ruined. But in this they reckoned without the demand supplied by many thousands of amateur makers of "home brew" wines.

Apparently as much wine is consumed in this country as ever. Prohibition laws have simply changed the outward forms by which wines are made. The tonnages of wines carried by leading railroads, for example, have shrunk rapidly toward zero. The Southern Pacific, which in 1917 carried 450,287 tons of wine, and in 1919 about 230,000 tons, in 1923 transported only 49,946 tons. So too the Santa Fe carried 167,535 tons in 1917, 94,181 in 1919 and 21,623 tons in 1923.

At first this shift led to a great increase, if not overproduction of raisins, accompanied by a fall in prices. In 1919 the raisin crop of 182,500 tons was worth $210 a ton, or $38,325,000. Last year the crop of 237,000 tons was worth $80 a ton, or $18,960,000 altogether.

The tonnage of California wine grapes during recent years is also. interesting in this connection. In 1919, the tonnage of the crop was 400,000--valued at $20,000,000, or $5 a ton. Production then fell to 375,000 tons in 1920, and to 310,000 tons in 1921, while prices rose to $75 and $82 respectively. But at this point the "home brew" wine maker apparently got busy. In 1922 the crop jumped to 450,000 tons, and last year was 428,000 tons, despite a severe rail-dew. Meanwhile prices fell to $65 in 1922 and to $40 last year.