Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, April 17, 1881, Page 18

18 3 THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, APRIL _ 17, Tlowever, where a man has madea declara. i FLORENCE. The Gayeties of Carnival-Time in the City of the Lilies. of Devils—Flower and | 1 Days—Rosina the wer-Girl, & Procession Coupetti 1 Livingstone, “< the Crazy American,” and His Tiventy- fo in-Hand— tiv” at the Steatereliv Theatres, on A Magnificent Ball atthe Famous Borghese Pal- “? - ace—the Colilion—Reveling at the “ Yegtione.” Speclat Correspondence of The Chicago Tribune. Fronence, Italy, Maren 23.—While Carni- val sounds are i vars, it is as ut- terly imposible ia write you about “dead and gone ages, as it would be for me to go down into the crypts of old cathedrals, look- inig for ingeriptiogs.ou crumbling tombs, when the gay livuig pi is itself all over Fiorence. 5 is ietter will be fall of | Tie FOAM GF i which must be brushed away. before I go to better things, ‘al-lime Florence only half ar- bur to Americans there is much Night is made have perfect license ta sing and shout as ; 214 “unuch as they please. Ithink the American 0 happy if be could be in a land is Fourth of July is nothing toit. | Wi Going through the streets yesterday, L met a parcel of beggarly — Italiin boys, | tie, ig they hupe to. see their friends again. dressed in their mothers’ old clothes.) Quantities of broad jokes enliven this play with hideous masks gon their faces,— ; or patel ta Wh a pe Svo: canliot well thdir great feet revealing the sex from out | unde bl ee sla w prmitaetae the shabby skirts. With broomsticks in their | aa here ae hltese ea hands, they were shouting and e | soldiers, ambassadors and children, servants other, or pulling off the ima: near me in the scuffle that I was gladtohuriy aryund acornerand be out of sight’ The central streets are crowded with people, aud often a Carnival crowd pass: Isuw a curious procession the other day. A large wagon held a gayly-decurated boat. Inthis were + 2 “SEVEN DEVILS,” - dressed in red and black, They had guitars, viulins, and a cornet,—singing and playing Cai I ran until I was glad tu holdiny ears. Thecartwas | jn their palace on the Lung Arno, to which drawn by one poor litle gray ratof adonkey. | the Floreniine nobitity, foreign diplomats, Un his back was a stutfed eflizgy of a red aul ai nsulshed suranuers Focuives ee ey instinctively fel ry Us. nis being: costume ane NakS devil. The con vy austines ively + gp Bree ball, even the servants of the household were ence of the evil one, and would stop now | dressed in the style of a past century. ‘The and then and kick with all his strength, with | orciesira was very fine, atid was placed in a a2 Vain attempt to be rid of his unwelcome visitor; but the devil st well, and the abused animal moved on and made the best ofit. This queer procession had a guard of devils marching at the side and be- hind. The devils were a little disorderly as they turned a corner; getting into an Italian fight,—which means plenty of Joud, wild talking and gesticulation, but’ no | blows; so unconsciously they curried oft the | devilish character to perfection. The more in coppers were showered upon the troupe | ters represented there were “che Wife from the people in the windows, the oftener Rubens’ F patering Corbars) 2 (the He : selye if copied from the portrait o: her in the a they regaled themselves with red wine and enters ye ‘Tuan): “Beatrice « Cenc; cigars, os STROLLING SINGERS in masquerade dress, with guitars slung across their shoulders with gay ribbons, give us Italian opera under our windows for a few sold Some of these costumes are very Bay, thuugh most of them luok as if they had seen many “festa.” days, No matter how beggarly poor Italians may be, they will find pleasure out of life; will go to the theatre if they can find money enough in tneiralmost empty pockets for “standing: room.” Give them the warmth of the sun, whieh is so necessary to their happiness, and ott “ws by a not long ago lost a large sum in gzam- then, ifitisonly a few chestnuts more, a bling, which is his great weakness, bigger bowl of macaroni, ora“ fiasea” filled | (and the great ‘vice among most with cheap red Chiante wine (they will have it), and they wil: be merry and feast for a day, and leave the rest to Proviaence. Three days of the Carnival are called THE “FLOWER” Days, when the aristocratic world dress gayly, drive in their grand carriages along the evergreen- arched Curso, the Lung Ama, or in the park of the Cascine, and throw lovely fluwers into each others’ carriages. Thé “people” can- not joiu this, butluok on at the brilliant crowd. But these are lucky days for Rosina, the pet flower-girl of Florence. She has more orders than she can fill. Der old mother has a flower-shop on the fashionable Via Tournaboune. and Rosina is always on the street, and never wanders in vain. The young swells always buy of her. She has a “flower-girl” sister in Venice, anuther in Milan, and they all-are successes in their way. Rosina dresses gayly,—sometimes in red silk and white tace,—another day in black and green,—again in heavenly blue. lier dresses are as varied in cviuras her fow- Sue always wears the great of an Italian. flower-girl. is made of the finest Leghorn straw, the brim fully half a yard wide. When the Florentine sun is too hot, down Goes the brim, hidimg her face fruin the sight of young men: but, even if, the sua shines, they all know Rosina, with her great yellow hat, her stout, fine figure, and her buskets of camellias, tea-ruses, und Florentine violets upon her arms. After the “Flower” days come the THREE “CONFETTI” DAYS. Inthe old Carnival times, when the Florence world went madly into all kinds of riotous fun and extravagance, “confetti? meant “bon-bous.”, ‘To-day they look like them, and like pears, oranges, ttc.; but, when they are thrown. atthe unhappy victim, they | ot su Pr ou: as any break, and one is covered with chalk” flour; und safety lies only in hotding a mask before the face, and in wearing old clothes. Oranges are often thruwn at the patient donkeys, the. juice running down their bony sides, But as “confetti”-throwmg was only mod- erately indulged in, uot much happy (?) damuge was done to pedestrian Sowe of, the poor are sharp enough to try to-get into their collapsed pocketsa few. centissiini more, and the street-criers shiizk their loudest in .these busy pleasure-days. Old men are cuntinuaily passing witt great Yolis of coarse matting upon their weary backs, begging in their sharpest falsetto tor allte buy. The never-fuilmg two-wheeled red cart, filled to overtiowing with . “ FASCOS” OF RED AND WHITE WINE, drawn by a patient donkey, makes its way through the crowd,—a small boy walking alongside always finding ready sale for his exhilarating load. Old hag»—so shriveled one wonders they as sq gr ou kis have been dark pee Acree ivino music in a small gallery at one end of pan after pan of lot chestuuts,—for, If an | the room. so hidden by a beatiful gilt fll dialian has his * muroni,”* hie can Keeb from j £TC@ rail ne thine ae fispirtue one ee starvation. One old man I noticed under the and net to y players — and shadow of an old palace selling umbrellas asold and shaky as himself. ‘The nekety, jaded blue and red cotton ones had a ready sale, while the todest blacks and browns waited long for purchasers. This love of color in the people shuws itself even in buy- guard in the distance,—something that. re | inds us that i ead for trotting along in capital order come ~ twenty fine, well-groomed bay horses, with raudy, & the high apparently perfect vase. p Sie about st years of age. He sits badly in his place, considering the conspicuous posi- non he isin, and wabbles: about like a gray bag * | this dizzy x uhls Carniva tra clang and. ratuling of brassy ornaments passers-by During are Carnival there ent theatres of Florence a piece called Stentereilo, u ood: 2 brocaded short jacket: knee-breech- “five-of-hearts” embroidered on one knee, the ace-of-spades on another; a queer litt! hat on the back of his head. the play. goes throughall kinds of adventures, and upon y especial plot, and changes more or less according to the wit or brightness of the aetor who takes the character. cene of hi ast he tinds hi dience who expect to and contadin Jow, 20 to hear Stentereli amounting tu little out of door 0 son With former Gines, was brilliant with given by the nobility in their palaces; and night after night these great festi' taken place. Among the foreign re: Florence gave one of the finest of the Carnival balls, gallery overlooking the Duchess de Tall d in the costuiue of Minerva—her dress of gorgeous material, and actually blazing with diamonds. costuu run of characters. when most who wore them were Princes or Princesses, Barons or Counts, who had fam- ily diamonds and dres and with an opportunity “Maria Teresa of Austria Spa Noble of the Fourteenth Century”: This ball did not close untit morning, and in- augurated a series of private balls of unpre- cedented magnificence in Florence. ‘There was one given in been famons for centuries. of this enormous palace looked their best on this occasion, : ‘There is a story, however, that the present Strozzi family have a skete- ton in their closet,—for one of the members talian Princes). He could not pay it, so out maguificent Titlan.was handed over to the wolves who called for the money; and since then other beautiful things ha same way. true heedless Italian fashion, and heed to to-morrow if there can be a to-day, got the last Saturday night before Mardi- ras was opened for one of the grandest balls of the season, diplomats, and ‘distinguished strangers” again made up the fist of invitation: those who received these great cards, cepted if possible. I will give a special de scription of this, as a good example of a Carnival balt in high life in Italy, and in Florence in particular, ‘where many of the their ancestors, which were built before the Dante days of In guing to this Borghese ball, we ordered for Italiuns never think of going to a bull much before that hour, when they should be thinking of returning home from one. As the carriage passed inte the great archway (which. runs from street to street through the ground flour of this palace) we found it lighfas day with gas-jets,—sentinels in fuil uuiform Attendants in fine livery assisted us from the car liverie until Lugs. glimpse of the great salons above. This broad stairway was entirely carpeted with rich red cloth, On each side of every step great plants of blooming camellias in white these flowe leaves, that bedse.on each side uf the stairway. On reaching the. top we were’ again re- ceived by numbers of attendants, who re lieved us of our wrappings; and ushers then announced our party, and we entered the first great ball-room, Elaborate prograus for the dancing were handed us by an usher, who almost doubled himself up in his ago- nizing bow to “The Americans.” It was with a laudable effort at control that I viewed the scene before me, without showing one symptom of surprise. saw the faces of many friends; then, during a quadrille, I could begin to louk about me. name for the material, and speak of it for the reason see’ the instruments that produced it. Kach dance was announced by placing in sight a silken banner with whatever it might be, ‘The room was freseoed by artists AS FAMOUS AS THE BORGHE Van Amburgh is the man ‘That owns ail this ere show," — THE TWENTY-AN-TAND,| harness; and then, perehed on of his great, coac! e cat < two liveried outriders), sits: handling the many reins with Ne is a gay old fos- itt pe (havi AMESTONG, He fiad a tumble. from hight not _ to, and takes the, precaution. now e pped' in with a heavy leathern band; tich is safe, but not picturesque. Durmg -time I noticed there was an ex- af four, the horses, a special waxing of the grizzly ¢ the crowds Who gaze at this » “eireusy ” procession, and brave and the smiles and jokes of the ‘by his gay season theatre-managers eaping a good harvest. During the always played in the differ- 1.0.77 y.is called al ridiculous, comic p costume stockings of different colors, with the This fellow tricks are played manner of has hin. The pl all “The Mar- ze of Stenterello” is one long, amusing Kes and follies when a fute. ‘The curtain rises upon enterello at Sea.” where there is singing, i reminds one of * Pinafore,” and a sea- scene which is trying to those of the au- i in cross the Athin- for all the world, high and + and he opens the ray close it. although in compari- rival Just as the mas! But the Florentine C: nival, Ira ND BALLS uls have. dents in the Duke and Duchess de Talley- ts of the famous Talleyrand) nd (descends ball-room. — The eyrand received her guests Among the elegant masked ‘§ Were inany changes from the usual ou can imagine = * THEIR MAGNIFICENCE at their command, to study costumes Among the charac- the great galleries. Ht a Gi- and two old characters, representing ‘0 ird of Paradise” and “A Peacock.? THE GREAT, GRIM STROZZI PALACE the Prince Strozzi, whose family have The grand rooms one of their grand picture-galleries a ve gone in the Yet over all this they dance in ive no arnival THE FAMOUS GORGHESE PALACE Italian nobles, Ambassadors, with ‘ions and directions for attending, ac- BRU: inces still hold the gray old palaces of lorence. T carriage to take us there at_midnight— PRESENTING. ARMS AS WE ENTERED. Then we Were escorted by tendants; who met us at each room We passed,—always showing us the way, we came to a great stairway with lund- ss. Which, as we glanced upward, gave a 8 1 red were placed. So beautiful were with their great shining yseemed to make a uarrow Atthe first glance I THIS “SQUARE GALLERY,’ it is called, is very large, and almost juare. It was carpeted with a very thick een billiard-cloth (1 know no_ better that it is far better for dancing n the glaring white canvas we invariably in America). A fine orchestra played the waltz or mazourka, or scribed on it, E FAMILY, ing. a third-hand sunshade. Not among the least of the amusing street- a a loriaied is the sight of what the cal who for ages have owned the palace. Mirrors lined the walls. Gilt scroll-work and draper- ies of rose-colored satin softened the etfect- . “TIE CRAZY AMERICAN.” His name is Livinzstone. He is not the great traveler revived—he is pot a great many tbings he ought to be—but he is notorious forall that, fur he is tne owner and driver of a “twenty-in-han Though | American- born, he has jived in Florence twenty years. “They say” he has had his troubles, tor he married an Italian woman, and domestic life did uot cun very smoothly,—so | he teft his wife, or she Jeft him, and he sought consola- ‘th hi, thi Hon in driving cerainly the aru (3 turnout in ail Slovenes soe Hg Duke | this room, the other for the “Long of -Hamniltun’s carriage ‘and six horses { Gillery.”.. Passing through many smaller took very modest in comparison with’ fyoms, Larnished in red thn Bol wingstone’s ae: Ae 3 5 throu; Ey te grand Cuipare wen 1 see thent | Conserratory where a fountain ee erfumed on the grand drive together. Some crusty achelors say Livingstone finds it vasier to Wanage and drive tus twenty horses than, one Wounut, and. that, in holding the twenty ierent-culored “ribbons,” he finds a pan- acea for all his domestic woes. Long befure seeing the owner (at the fashionanle driving: hours of lag sternoon) we see the advance | th to in ° of what otherwise would be too glaring a mass of looking-glass. Long seats of rose- colored satin were built in.afong the sides of wished and sconces, with innumerable wax candles, light upon everything and every opened that night. Our programs were made tora double listof datices,—one side for! water played Its. very best,—we at last came ft the much smaller. e room, fur the convenience of those who to. rest. This enificence was zlitened by the wonderful gilt chandeliers rowing a wonderfully Sort yet brilliant, yoody. But this was only one of the two vall-rooms a rvom as beautiful as THE BALL-ROOM OF A KING,— fact, more lovely. than the state ball-room King’s palace at Munich, although Avis a long gallery,—so large one end to:the other. of the. room. It was |: orgeous With great frescoes painted in deli- cate colors, as suits a festival-hall. Tiree great massive gilt chandeliers, whose work- manship was beautiful, laden with hundreds of candles, gave abeautiful light, so that we could see. clearly the fizures ot-the frescoes on the high arched ceiling, Again inirvors on all sides Jined the walls, with draperies all around the roomof paleblue and white satin, with fringes of gold, canght now. and then by great giltcords and tassels. . Another. orchestra was stationed high at one end of this gallery, partly hidden from view, as in the “Square Gallery.” The floor of this room wa ered With thiek plain crimson eloth. The around the’ roam were in pale-blue i h gilt frame-work. ‘The vill was in progress at midnight; but, s the hours passed, it became gayer than In, half-a-dozen roonis supper was ed, With everythhvz from the substantials monade, Ht every voinfort, and all could be seated at the tubles. In guing to these rooms and back again to the galleries, we passed so many rooms, including library, billi smoking, and music rooms, that it seemed like a well- furnished labyrintl® It was o'clock in the morning befure TUE COTILLON (the “German ”) was announced. Then we 1 took our .phace: here chairs han been arranged around “Square Gallery”? the room, four deep,—the ladies sitting in the first row, their partners in the coullon di- behind them, ‘The two other rows of chairs were for those who were looking In at the rest. This ~ cotillon had leaders,—the head one being the M quis de Contii—and = this was e@ h no y position.’* ‘To lead a: parry of cool- aded Americans through the complex fig- ures of the cotillon isan_ easy thing; but to manage the impetuous Italians, who dance as if they were ina mad race for something which they cannot find, is serions work. The rs”? were very showy, and they were distributed by the Indies. Different from the American custom, they take no partners among the lad. ng Upall their line to the part assigned them. In this teat cotillon, where the dancers were ukes, Princes, Counts, or at least Barons, with their 1 . rer sex, there with masses of “orders” gle: ie Upon their breasts; others in the showy uniforius of most of them with the dark masks the Italian type; and almost juvariably they had the elegant mitnner that should be theirs. Some were in masks and fancy costumes; but they were the exception, not the rule. enough to be present ting full dress suits uf black; but they danced well. ‘The Itatians, Russians, French—in fact, most all foreign- ers—dance madly; and at this ball this be- cane wilder and wilder as the hours went by. One would think that this gavety would begin to be subdued at 4 in the morning; but 5 o'clock, 6 o’clock passes, and 7 o'clock cuines before the last “favors” are present- ed and the cotillon at last. elo: J left the awli-room at “tive in the morning.” and yet there seemed no- breaking-up of this great bull of the season. ‘The costumes and the dresses worn were of course very elegant. One Countess wore a dress that was like a cloth of gold. ‘The material of the dress was heaviest white satin, so covered. with embroidery in’ gold, aver, and erystal beads that it seemed like a thick golden frost-work. <Among” about thirty Americans pres- ent were Mr. John Bigelow, our ex- Minister to Paris, and ‘his ‘wife, who is as strangely eccentric as " ever. She is very eay this winter; has just been she wore a long black satin dress, fearfully decolleté, and diamonds. Thear Mr. Bigelow hoped for a fine appointinent if Gen, tick had not been elected. As it is, he is now “out of business.” but is evidently having a Pleasant life, - knowing everybody, and, ‘of course, weleomed in Whatever city he inay be. In giving you the details of this Borghese ball, you cai have some idea of the Italian hospitality. Mardi-Gras night, instead of a private ball, the fashionable world went to “THE VEGLIONE” at the Pergola, a theatre patronized, and, I think, built by the Nobles of Florence for Carnival occasions. The muin floor was given upto dancing, and to the dancers in masks und costumes, Every good loge was filled with the exclusive fashlonable world, Wao preferred to look on at a'mask ball given ina theatre—all dressed in full ball-toilets, whieh added to the splendor of the scene. ‘The better haif of the audience went home atan earlier hour than at private balls, leav- ing the place to the wiid revelers in dominoes and costumes, who were dancing madly on the great floor of the theatre. This ended the . and the morning: fight. s many weary, pale-faced dancers on their way home trom this mad revel, only to hasten, in true Catholic fashion, to the churches for Ash- Wednesday services, where, in prayers-and figurative sackcloth and ashes, they prayed. to be forgiven thesins which no one doubts they had committed, ‘The gay Carnival routs ARE OVER. The churches are draped in black. and filled with people, whose masks ‘are truly turn away as they confess themselves mnserable sinners to the young priests who await them. Altuongh dancing” is over until te: still L was surprised to hear that “sovicty will do everything but dance in this country, where eversbody almost is Catholic; and a good Italian told me that the world ‘will go to the theatre during Lent, for managers al- Ways offer special attractions,—then added innocently, “ We cannot dance in Lent, but We must be amused,—so we gv to the theatre and opera.” _ A grind private concert is to be given next Week xt the old Strozzl Palace, uader the ‘sof the Prince Strozzi—the money received going to some as: ‘The Amateur Minstrels—an_ organization whose members are gay young society men, some of them Americans—also will” give ‘an. en- tertainment for charity. So the gay world will manage hot to be utterly desolate during its season of deep penitence, MM. L. McO, ——— DREAMING. i For The Chicago Tribune. The hours drug by with leaden feet That once went swiftly tlying; So slowly comes the night to meet ‘The day that now is dying. ‘The day is dying. In the West ‘The Evening Star is sbining; It seems ubove the world of rest, Like King on couch reclining. Alone 1 sit with folded hands, And, dreaming, idly wonder If on Its spuce are seas and tands, And smiles with sad hearts under. I wonder if, upon that ball ‘Whieb on its wity 18 spinuing, There lives a race like us, with all Our grieving and our sinning. But silént grows the 16 :tless street, And bousebuld ligh s are gleaming, ‘When fails the sound of coming feet, That wakens me trum dreaming, A well-known step Is drawing near— I near, yet pause to wonder If on that shining ball, 2s bere, Are suilles with glad hearts under. JACQUITA, Merv. London Academy. Jn the dim ages of Asiutic history, the splendor of the City of Mecv wus the tnurvel'ot travelers, and the theme of poets. Ctniming the honor of beuw founded by Alexander, it was subsequent to the deuth of that great conquerer the Cupital of the kingdom formed by bis General, Au- Uochus: und at a later period the great names of Asian and Sultan Sanjar are mixed up with its history. Cnder the beneticent rule of the Suf- faveun Kings of Persia Mery continued tu pros- per, although it had previously been included in the general destrucdon produced by the devastations of tne Mungois, But, with the decline. uf the last of the few vigorous dynasties wh.ch huve exercised authority over the unbappy people of Persia, the fortunes of Merv also waned, and, when Shah Mourad of Bokbart conquered und izid waste thls region toward the cluse of Inst centnry, the cup of bitterness fur the people of Merv was full. From that time to the present Mery bas remained the ene pinent of the mata body of the Turcoman aud, while wuch of its old trade import- ance bas vanished, its position on the best route frum the Oxus and the countries.of Turkestan to not wuly Persia und Afgnunistun, but also to the Cuspian, still entitles it to the consideration of all woo are Saterested in we aifairs of West- ern Asiu. Tho view is now accepted in tho best informed circles that the principal ubject be- foro” Russia “In tois_ quarter. is to connect tho Turkestan base with the Caspian by means of 1 nulway passing tnrouzh Mery. AS this 13 now likely to ve compiered at no very distant date, there Is every prospect of the ousis uf Merv, itussian bands, again becoming the fertile dis- trict and siniling paradise described by the old writers, Burnes tells us .in bis glowing pages ot how “the wheut-telds there turnished the astonishing pheoomenon: of three Succeeding crops from the sume seed"; “and, witn proper means of irrigation. and with security for life and property, there is appa reason why at it was hard to distinguish people from this phenoweny: neain. ‘VINICULTURE. The Position ‘of California Among the Wine-Producing Coun- tries of the World. Cost of Planting and. Maintaining a Vineyard—A Net Profit of $80 Per Acre. é The Story of the Phyloxera in’ Califor- nia and in France~Its Fright- ful Deyastations. Comparative Statement of the Wine-Production of the World—Extraordinary Progress In California. Special Correxvondence of The Chicago Tribune, Sax Francisco, Cal., April $.—Twenty- five years ago itavas a costly undertaking to plant a vineyard in California. itis true that fand was plenty, and could be had al- most tor the asking; but, labor being high and capital scarce, men were unwilling to en- gage in an enterprise which promised no im- mediate wealth. Five. years between seed- time and harvest was too long a périad for the average pioneer; and, with interest at 3 percent a month and compounded every month, and no market when the vines were loaded down, it is not to be wondered that gtape-culture was mostly delegated to the Spanish padresatthe missions, and was recog- nized only asan inferior industry of the State. Having an interior grape to begin with, and ono containing much sugar and but Ltue acid, Champagne and other. wines noted for their tineness and delicacy were not at all at- tempted by the holy fathers; while the Sher- ry, Madeira, Angelica, and other common brands were rudely made, were without age, | and had an earthy flavor. But, with the in- crease in population. and the opening up of a market in consequence-of railway con- nection with the East, coupled with the withdrawal of capital from the mining inter- ests by reason of the decline in the pro- duction of the precious: metals, agricultural | pursuits of every kind have . advanced, and the returns have been largely com- mensurate with the labor and capital etiployed. The small. vineyards of early days, stocked with the Mission grape, have expanded into countless acres, witha dozen varieties7or more; and the wines are alrendy competing in the markets with the older products of Germany, France, Portugal, and Spain. . ‘ SUPERIOR ADVANTAGES. California is peculiarly adapted for the growth of grapes. country the vintner comes, he finds here every element which most favored vini- culture in. his native lard, and others have No matter from what | been added of whose value he has not been ; before aware. ‘The soil is of illimitable ex- tent, and tich in everything that is required for the rapid and healthful growth of the plant, while the warm and equable climate presented to the Ring aul Queen of hay by | brings the fruit to its ‘highest per- qa, arshy, Our Minister to Rome; and, at! section, it~ has been said by Flerr caring . als, | . y Jastappearing at the gay Florentine balls, | Nessler, of Germany, that heavy: soils, other being equal, make wines of deeper color, high bouquet, and good keeping quali- ties; that sandy soils make lighter wines, less tinted, and with less bouquet; that cal- ecareous Suils make sweet.wines with little bouquet; and that dry, stony, alluvial soils makes sweet, strong wines with less bouquet and good keeping qualities; and, these re- sults having been established by experience and careful observation, itis inferred that from the various soils of California every variety of fight and heavy wines can ve ob- tained. It is well known that there is here a frustless belt situated a little above the val- Jey lowlands and“ rivér-bottoms, but not ex- teuding to the summits of the lower spurs’ of mountains. When the sun has set and the valleys feel cold and damp, the hillsides have war, dry. air, and yet above the air is cold again. In this frostless belt fruits of the rarest id grow unharmed in every season of the year, and the red volcanic soil produces grapes In greater abundance than: the best farmed regions of the Old World, Nor is the grape- grower confined to.2 single belt. Of 100,000,- QU acres and. more in the State. scarcely more than one-thirtieth is yet utilized for burposes of agriculture, and from Siskiyou to. San Diego the valleys, fuot-hills, and mouutain-slopes are well adapted for the roduction of the choicest wines. Land can * purchased at prices ranging between $2.51 and $100 per aere; and a vineyard in either case gives higher returns than a. like amount of capital invested in the prodtiction of wool, wheat, or-even gold. ‘The best nd for grapes is the-light soil on the hillsides; and, although the heavy bottor lands cominand the highest prices, yet $25 per acre is not above the average tor the whole. - Besides convenience of situation, the difference in price is also targely due to irrigating. facilities; and, with plenty of water, te production of grapes can be made practically unlimited. THE YIELD PER ACRE, A vineyard planted fn choice varieties of grapes should not in the fifth year, when it begins to hear, Gave cost. the owner more than $125 per nere, even if the land be bought a7 350 per acre. * From the fitth year the cost, of cultivation is avout S10 per acre, and the cost of gathering and hauling an average crop of f sis $9.—10 519as whe ay- erng usLot mainttining the vineyard, The Javorit grapes tor plunting -are the Museatel, Gordo Blanco, and) Muscatel of Alexandria,—these being especially adapted tor ; While Zinfandel Elbe, Burgundy, Ki Vs Mission, and other varieties are used for wine, he Mission grape is the best known, and forms the bulk of the product of Cali- fornia, dt was introduced by the mission- airies long betore the discovery of gold, and is sttpposed to have come originally from Spain, itisa pate blue, small; round berry, and often tors very large bunches. It has little acid, is yery sweet, has very little astringency, and has uo definit flavor. Lts avundance of juice and great fruitfulness make it a ‘favorit in the vineyards, though the wine . produced is by no. means of a superior quality. This grane has generally brought - from $10 to Sl2a ton, and the searcer imported varieties about twice as much. During the season just past the Mission grapes were bought up largely at from $20 to $25 per ton, and the imported varieties brought from $30 to 385 perton. In Los Angeles County, the second wine-producing county in the State, the yield for 1830 was 30,000 tons from 6,000 acres of Vineyard, or an average of five tons to the acre. Counting one tou to the acre the cost of production, there stili remained fourtons as the net produce per uere, which, atana was no uncommon yield in ‘quesuon, while Eno where double that ‘The extraordinary yield and high prices have en- gendered an increased interest in every de- partinent of vintculture, and more vineyards are beiny planted we present year than have ever been planted In one year before. ‘The number of acres set out five years ago was only 4,000; two years ago this amount had more than doubled itself; while the present yeur wii! show an amount more than three limes as great. One man alone, Dr. Glenn, who fast year cultivated no fess unin 50,0U0 aeres in wheat, announces his intention of planting 1,000 acres this year in vines; and other large farmers are beinning to employ their capital in the same direction. THE PHYLLOXERA. 4 No article on grape-culture would be com- plete without a description of this pest—tor ugainst its ravages _no effeetual remedy has yet been found. During: thp last. decade 0d. Acres have been deStroyed by the parasite in. France; and. Luily, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Austria also largely sutfered, A prize of 300,000 traucs tas been offered by the Freneh Government fora safe and practical remedy; but as yet the money has not been awarded. ie covery of the pest in this: State has o sioned great alarm among the wine-growers, and already tundreds vf acres of vines: Sonoma Valley and elsewhere have been de exceptional vastated, Measures are everywhere being 4 to counteract the effects; and these been ya ‘Tue Leais- ly successful. i by the earlier inhabiiants were ver i sree i that the effect is now counterbalanced. jature lately in. session: appropri: thousand dollars for the-use of the State Viticultura! Commission;- and this will be mostly used in experimenting against the phylloxera, 'T' ‘ord means“! leaf-wither- cer,” and the insect has two chief types. One of these types is winged, and atta the leat of the vine, the tender shoots, and even the tendrils; while the other is wingless, gains its subsistence below thesurface, ad attacks the tender roots. “fhe winged variety is es~ pecially fertile. Coming out of the hibernat- ing egg, the insect fastens itself to a leaf, and this attachment causes a_feshy swelling of irrezular shave and reddish tint. A’ gal! being formed, the inclosed phylloxera lays and then, having died, the exes repru- heir kind. These escape, and again reproduce in the course of x month, Caleu- ig cight «generations in a sea- son, and 830 as the product of the hibernating ezg, there can be. produced in les r, Starting with asingle exe, no less than 000,000,000 phylloxera, or a number suficient to extend” thirty times around the varth. The reat type, which has tivo forms, is the one known in Catiforn the winzed type, according to Prof, [il heing yet.unknown, ‘The grape-vines having come orizinally. from Europe, they are generally of the “most, sensitive type, and, with the ee of the phylloxera, the rootlets bexin to swell. ‘The minute black dot which marks the lesion read on examination, and from this point the rot begins. - During the first year the vine shows ‘the disease In the imperfect ripening of the fruit; during the second year the vine is sicikty with stunted roots; and during the third year the yine | refuses to ato all, . For. some eb: ned, | the travel so ripidly in yet, Unless its progr promises more destructive than drought and flood and all the other pests combined. ‘The remedies proposed are four i the planting of vine: soil; the submersion of the vin the pest; the use of insecticid: grafting of varieties upon native American Vines which are phylloxera-proof, Of these the only one yet found practicable at all-is the third; and bisulphide of carbon is the insecticide proposed. A manufactory wi pacity of 32,000 pounds per month has ady been started in Berkeley, and it is ‘oposed to sell the product ab eight cents rpound. Atordinary temperature it is a thick, heavy, oily liguid, a drop of whieh passes into vapor almost immediately When exposed to the air, The vapor is puisonous and kills the insect. The required amount is pliced under the ground, turns to does not chemically combine with the ire of Une suil, penetrates all the iuter- stices of the ground, and passes to the roots of the vines, Where it is fatal to the phyllux- era, Two men will go over an acre in three days. ‘The cost of treatinent: per acre is about $22, Since submersion jn Catitarnia could only be successful by placiny man witha hose at each vine ind) and since sanding would cause change of soil in niany of the vineyards already planted, the use of the bisulphide the only plausiole means of escape from the best ut present; wid, with a reduction in its cost, its eflleacy can scarcely longer be ques- ifoned. z CALIFORNIA WINES. With the phyll arrested, it cannot be doubted that the ards of California will hotd the same relative position in ted World wh the vineyards ot France hold. in the Old. The sent may be said to be the exyerimental period in this St Prej- udice is being overcome, new. varieties of wines are being introduced, and an increased acreage is being planted. The wines made i x indiifer- ent in quality, owing to the interiori.y of the grape and the primitive mode of mmanutact- ure; aud the placing of this erude product upon the general market dainaged the repu- tation of Aimerican wines to such a de-. that it is with « difficulty Success in this direction, however, is. beings rapidly assured. Here is the only section in the Union where European grapes are sue- cesstully cultivated; and, these being intro- duced into otir vineyards under varlous hanes, the climate which allows the currant and orange to ripen side by side soon trans- farms them into varieties peculiarly our own, Just as the chvicest French wines are pro- duced from 1 so here the ditterent varieties ripen at ditfer- ent times, and the art of blend is being. nore closely studied every. ‘The art of mixing grapes in vinienliure is as important as the art of mixing cvlors: in paintings and, to have success in either case, much experietice and observation are’ essential ‘The chiet enemies ot California wines are the American‘ hotel-keepers, restaurateurs, und other venders of tine wines and liquors; and the reason of this hostility has been aptly given in the report of the Viticultural Comnuission, nearly as follows: 1, ‘Lhe consumer, either from snobbishness —preterring unything toreizn to anything AAmerican—or from ignorance, does not in- sist upon being furnished with good native wine, 2. Because the usual practice of demanding high prices tor cheap wines covered with foreign kebels could uot be maintained by the vender if be professed to furnish native wines which are known to be cheap, 8. Because theencouragement of the free use of xoud cheap wine at the table would materially reduce the protits of the bar- room. ‘. Because few people know anything about the California wines, and they rely upon foreign names and high prices to in- sure them te “fine wines” which they buy and sell. The ravages of the phylloxera in Europe, and the consequent: decline in the Yearly vintage, have been a powerful agent in counteracting the above, and a fairertreat= ment for the California product is now every- where noticed. THE WORLD’S PRODUCTION. The story ot the phytloxera in France is shown in the fact that, while 7,2 7,378 gal- lons of wine were imported inte Bordeaux in 1879, last year the amount had increased to 14,652,000 gallons,—a tutal greater than the entire product of California for the same year. In 1875 the vintage of France reached the enormous quantity’ of 1,887,000, gal- fons, which, at a home price of 18 cents a gallon, ageremated $330,60),000. Last year the wine crup of the sau than one-half of that of 1875, and the average Yield per acre was only 300 gallons, t $ that the rs. It i year in France from the ravages of the phylloxera footed uw; nearly 390,009,000; and the diseuvery of this same pest in six counties of California has caused the most careful precau.tons to be taken, -Two years azo the average an- nual produatign of the wine-countrles of the world was carefully compiled by Charles A. Wetinore, as follows: Gallons. JFn2. 000,000 Switzerland...777 As compared with the above exhibit the Qroduetion of California is vet insignificant. Vith an Increase of 10,000 acres of vines each year, it will be 150 years before the cn- tire acreage Is equtal tothe number of acres destroyed in Fiance alone, and 500 years be- fore the acreage is equal to the remaining vineyards Inthe same country; but the pres- it yearly Increase can hardly be taken as ‘ae of the future, and the number of, years in the above must be largely lessened. ‘The crop of 1380 in California is the largest yet produced, and is variously estimated at from 10,000,000. to 12,000,000 gallons of wine, 500,000 gallons of brandy, with $200,009 added as the value of: the grapes consumed for domes purposes and for the purpose of making raising, At a ruling price of 3 cents a gation, the wine-pradue- tion is worth from $8,030,009 to $3.6u0,- 009, and this on an entire myestment of not more than $30,000,000. ‘The State now. imports of foreign wines 420,000 gallons less than were required five years ago, and the United States_a3 a whole imports 2,650,000 gallons less, In- consideration of the that there are almost as many acres in Cali fornia adapted to viniculture as in the whole of France, that the area of Italy is 30,:00,000 acres less, and that Switze! id could be Snugly stowed away in one of the larger val- leys, and that these countries together haye a population nearly 10) tines as great, i searcely to be donbted that the 70,000 acres of vineyard now under cultivation in the State is but the nucleus of a territory which in tine will assume commanding proportior a, and whose results will be as great as those which the countries of the Oid Worl have already shown, ALR. Warrenty. a : How a Sack of Mlour Drove Cwain Out of Virginia City, San Francisco Pest, Le The recent death of Geurge W. Gridley. ahout whom there fs sume dispute us to whether be 13 or Ig not the rewl *Flour-suck" Gridley, who Puc up a suck of tour to be sold for the beneltt of tho soldier boys, and whicb brought $50.00), Feculls 4 curious lacident tn connection there- with, no tess than the depsrture of Mark Twain from vada, and bis conseutent emergence Mark uy diilerent kinds of grapes, j m What mi might: not perpetual: obscurity. i ve The facts xre thesa: The night when the en- tbusingiu -of the peuple of Virzinin wasup its hight—when nearly everybody in town, was ‘almost insane trom the excitement of patriotic fervor—the newspaper men alse eaught the fe- ver. The proprictors of the Enterprise und Cafon aad each contributed liberally, when word caine to the Enterprise that the compositors of the rival concern had bid a handsome nmount—350 or $i5—for the tlour. : They immediutely sent 2. ime: wer to “wo one better” witu a $100 bid. An enthusiastic friend ‘of the Union, a grocer onmed Bolin, yelled out, 350 more for the Crion men,” and adding, * Uf they don't pay It ‘The printers, on bearing of this, rather ly resented Mr. B.'s one:tled-for gener- asity on.their prt, und neglected to pay the extra sum. Bolin, on couling off, also let the thing rest. After a few days had elapsed, Mark Twain, who was “local” on the Enterprise, publis an item rather severe on the Union and its ‘em- ployés for their refusal to pay wont thoy Ind re- cefved credit for. ‘Tals was replied to by a card from one of the printe: personally attacking: Mark, Mark replied with u chullen: to the senior proprietor of the Union (Lutrd), who, by the way, was not credited with much of'a repu- tuition for courage. The challenge was answered by an aeceptunce on the part of the printer who wrote the card (Wilnington). Murk refused to recognize Wilmington in the mutter, insisting on holding the editar of the p it ‘To further complicate matte Mark's second, and probably the only one who would really have | Ked u fht. sent a ehailenze to Wilmington for bls “unealled for: interter- ence.” Wilmington dectared be bad no cause of quarrel with Gillis,-who, by the way, had some reputation a3 1 und declined, to mect bim. Voluminous correspondence fol- Jowed, which was afterward all published, bug no duel ensued, The utlair enused considerable ilk, and us the Grand Jury was to meetin afew ark thought it prudent to drop down to ‘Frisco fora while. Here, however, he found other employment, and severed -his connection with Nevada permanently. His subsequent success.us n lecturer, correspondent, uid tuok- writer fs a matter of notoriety. Thus, if will be seen, Gridley's snck of Nour was one of the importunt factors in changing the whole course of the great humori varecr. GUAYMAS, MEX. Business-Prospects In Sonora and Chi- huxhua—Restrictions upon the Pure chase of Pubile Lanuds—fhe Parli— Railroad-Construction. Special Correspondence of The Chicago Tribune. GvayMas, Sfex., March 31.—Since thecom- mencing of the Sonora Railroad, a good deal of attention has been direeted to this State, and particularly to Guaymas, as numerous letters of inquiry woutd prove, as well as the increased immigration from the United States. - ‘The security which this State has enjoyed from politi disturbances for the last two years—excepting the filibusterine raids of Marquez and Brigido Reyes, whieh were checked ii the bud~has “also induced many Sonorans who had emigrated some years ago tocome back, and the papers in this State record each new return with joy. Guayinas. which used to be very dull, is awakening from her sleep, and matters are beeinning tu assume an encuurazing aspect; and though it would be still: imprudent at. this early stage of progress to advise immi- gration tothe artisan classes, there 1s but little doubt that ashort time henee this place, as wellas the whole State, will be a fitting field for. the mechanics of many dif- ferent handicrafts, As for people with capi- tal, there are immediate openings for them Which will turn out eminently favorable, such as hives! $s Ininines, real estate, water- works, street-railroad concessions, ete. At present the only employers are the Railroad Company, and their need of skilled labor can easily be filfed from that class of unea i its who always act as the vanguard of immigration, whose ventuiesone: spi not allow them to earn a living comfortably at home, but rather causes thein to plunge into the unknown. M y wich silver mines: are being ged in Sonera by the aid of American ital, and many more will soon be opened. ould mention the Barranca Mines—one of which fias already. produced $1,500,000—and the Minas Priet in Chi- huahua there are also some very fine ones ing worked; and that State will follow the dof Sonora in the road to progress. Land has lately been taken up in large quantities iu Sonora; ana ere long it will be impussible to find any more public lands in the State, except barren and desert stretches nnfit for anything. In connecnon with this, it will not be uninteresting to your readers to Know that no American’ citizen can take up, or “ denounce,” public land in any of the Suites bordering on Sonora; and, in the southern Mexican bordering _ on Guate- nila, no n of that Republic ean take up public land. This fact is not. generally Known even” by the Mexican authorities in the northern parts of Sonora and Chihuahua, and leads to trouble attimes. Citizens of all other nations enjoy the right tu. “denounce land, the same as the native of the soil; and, in all the States which are not bordering on the United States, an Aimerican has the self-same rights as the others. This applies also to the Guatemalean,—the exception in his case being the States bordering on his country. But citizens of the United States are not prohibited from buying Lind in the northern border States from private parties, except in a belt of twenty leagues adjoining the United States, where no foreigner whatever can buy, or “‘denonnee,” fand, . It is true that a law gives the President of Mexico the right to permit a foreigner to take up, or “de- hounce,”” land therein, when the proper rep- resentations are made to him; but in no case hes this privilege ever been granted an American, though a few parties of other na- Uonalities have be ‘ twenty-Jeague restriction exists also in the south; on the land adjoining Guatemala, A.matter which often causes trouble, also, is the equivocal way in which the Custoin- House tariff, or “Arancel,” is worded. Wrong manitestanon on the Consular in- Yoice ensues through it, and results in the imposing of many double duties and vexa- tious and onerous fines, which have hitherto done much to discourage American trade. ‘The Custom-House officers of Mexico: are furthermore instrueted that they are com- pelled to follow the letter of the “law in of its spirit, and, when they could easily ar- range a matter amicably if ailowed, they are prohibited from doing so, and the matter is referred to Mexico, Where it may div of old age. Many peaple believe that all kinds of animals can be imported free of duty inte Mexico: and this is true, except in the case of elded horses, whieh must pay a duty of 336 _ each non before a Mexiean Consul_ of: his. inten. ton to repair toa place in| Mexico with the object of- becomins 2 colonist, then his gelded horses are entered free,—but’ in’ that single vase only. Thougtt Par. 42, Art. 16, Chap. ¢,- of the “-Araneel” says that all machinery is tree of duty, such is ‘actually not the ease, Belting, when not accompanyir the machin- ery for which itis ta be used, pays duties: shoes and dies always pay duty; and many things which are used in connection with ma- chinery—such as iron bars, ete.—are made tw pay duty, whether accompanying machinery ornot, —A little ingenuity would’often gs; 3 1 of money duties. A case in, ament here of har by an American. .Had they mani. ed the chains and the *hames. separate: from the harnesses, the duties would not have been one-half of what ther Were, ba. cause chains pay only 10 cents per kilo, ang basness #6 cents per kilo, whilst hames pay ad valoreni. The railroad-track is now thirty-one mil from Guy and would have been at Teast fifteen wil ther had not the supply of Ties given ou ui is graded to Hermosillo. ‘Lhe anager, Col. Rob- inson, has decided hot to lay any more track until enough’ ties are here to permit the disturbed laying of the same to the te. Sutticient ties hi and We hip: more are daily expected. are itt Roves to'see the road completed to Uermy the month ot June. Gu by no means a beautifil place, and the barren appe: ot the hills whicl surround it do tho plete improve the pict- Like most Mexi. are low adobe dwell- nun a ean towns, its buildings ings, one-story high, And it tp complete the picture, au unfinished chureh on its plaza, Th adobe buildings are, however, very comfortable, and better adapted to withstand the sumimer-h than more modern frame or brick dwellings, excepting wien sbeeially built for hot climates, when they are very expensive. neessions have been granted for water ks and a street-railroad. ‘The latter is to be exempted from State und municival taxes for the term of fifteen years. It wilt run from the railroad-depot to the end of the town, through the main street. ‘The work must be commenced within twa years, ‘The State elections, which ta’ month, zre beginning to agitate the people here. The eandidates for the Gubernatorial Chair are Lic. Carlos Rodrizo Ortiz and Jose Maria May a Clibs are now formed, ke place nightly. So far there no serious bioodshed, though one. isiastic fellow got battered over the face fast night with a pistol. . ———————— ASLEEP. For The Chicago Tritaene, Softly es the dewdrops leaving Flowers that feel the sun's warm ray, ‘Thus thy gentle spirit left us At the dawning of the day. Penectully as sighing Souta-winds, Caine the last, the purting brexi Blue eyes closed, ana swect lips smiling— Cun this beateous steep be death? n ke place next From the parent stem we miss it, Fresh und s little vine, Brightenins eve: Where Stil, we know the root's transpluated ‘To the irden fur above, And the Oue that boro it upward, Is the Gud of endless Love. Closed the eyes of deep cerulean, Suilled the beart that ne‘er knew stain— At will throb, und they will When be hears the An, Husbed on Eurth the merry prattle— But the childish voice will rise In the Easter Alleluias Sung by spirits pust the skies! Fens. ————___ A Cat That Hatches Chickens—Driving a Elen from Ser Nest, and ERalsing ‘Eweuty-one Feathered Broods. New York Sun, A cat owned by Thomus Leonard. a South Brooklyn mason, and which is now sitting upon Q nest Of czgs.on Thursduy afternoon batched Out two cnickens. making tho twenty-tirst brood that she hus hatched. The eat i3a brin- dic, ana fs ubout 3 years old. She nad one lit- ter of kittens before she.bezan to hatch chick- ens, butsiuce she has usurped tne place of a hen she hus refused the company of all othe: eats. About two years ago tne eat, whichis christened Tibby, found a wartn restiug-place in the nest of u setting ben. when the ben bad gone to bunt food, and became so fond of it that it refused tp surrender it. There wus a fiht when the ben returned, and the ext was the vic- tor, the ben retiring from the contest with one eye serutched out. The cat warmed the eezs every day fuithfully, leaving the nest only for & meal, and soon tatehed out the chickens. From ail of the twenty broods, numbering about fifty chickens, the cat hus raised about twenty-one. Toe muterna! care the anual exhibited for the chickens wag constant sur- prise.. She followed with her eyes the move- ments of every chick, and when it strayed too tursbe stepped suftly after it, picked it up by the: buck of the neck, und returned it to tha Company of the orhers. In ber frolics she turned upon her buck, took a chicken bewween her paws, and played with it. AS soon ag one brood of chickens was born, she seemed restless until a uew nest of eggs was provided .for her. At the same time sbe kept un eye upon her last brood, which she warmed beneath her fur at night in the same nest with the egus. The chickens recognized the cat as thelr Touther, and when she left the enge in woh she was kept, they ran chirpiog after ber. ‘The eat defended them uganst unocber cat, and especially ugainst u hen. Her grown-up chiex- ens ‘libby never failed to recoznize, und the temory of their feline mother did not seem to desert the pullets. “She played with one of ber; chickens until it was three or four inenths old, and nlways seemed to welcome it when it came where she was kept. nthe hatching, process she Seems morose un- til she beurs the tirst peep or feels the itrst throb of lifein the shell, ‘Then sbe draws the quick~ ened egg tou point In che nest where she can both warm and seo ft, and if the ebick. in peck~ ing its way through the shell. needs uny mssist- auce, she helps break its covering with ter. teeth. She has now two cbick3a day old, and two that ure about three weeks old. She bugs them about her in ber nest, und if one nups out She steps after it, bears it down with ber foot, grasps its ueck carefully between her teeta, and carries it back, The cat hus Deen the suurce of considerable income to Leonard. it is now oo exhibition In a museum. on Bazaine. Ex-Marsbal Bazaine, who was charged with hnving betrayed Metz to tbe Prussiuns, spendt most of bis day's In u Madrid coifee-house, play- ing billiards and drinking chocolate. A Well-to-Do Author. Victor Hugo bas stuck to the value of abou) $350,uWu In the Nationa! Bank of Belgium. The vigor of youth given to the aged and In- * h. 1 firin by using Hop Bitters. Try it _LROPIC FRUIT LAXATIVE, ropic-Fruit Laxative !s the Best and Most A \greeable Preparation in the World for Constipation, Biliousness, Headache, Indigestion, Hemorrhoids, Torpid Liver, Indisposition, and all com- plaints arising from an obstructed state of the system. One Lozenge. is the usual dose for , to three-fourths of TIVE __- Thousands are us- sults, ard esteem it highly as a safe, pleasant and effect - A —— children. Paeetton topical ive remedy. fruns sod plats, = TROPIC-FRUIT LAXATIVE serves the purpose of pills and the usual purgatives: (of every name and nature), and is entirely free from the many objections common to them. Sold by Druggists everywhere. Packed in bronzed tin boxes only. : Price, 25 cents. Large boxes, 60 cents. Each box bears the private gournment stansp, trade-mark, and autograph signature of the proprietor. Por