Vintage Publications
This page has a compilation of vintage UCCE and USDA viticultural information, which is provided primarily for its historical interest to the local grape industry.
Be aware that specific practices mentioned, in particular pesticide recommendations, are most likely out of date and in some cases the practices may now be illegal or unwise. Please contact this office for the most current information.
All of the Bulletins (over 1900!) published by the University of California Agricultural Experiment Station between 1884 and 1983 are available for viewing on the following website:
California Agricultural Experiment Station Publications
The 1896 USDA Yearbook contained a chapter on pruning and training grapevines, with illustrations of different trellising systems:
1896 - USDA Pruning and Training Grapes
In the 1880s the University of California established an Agricultural Experiment Station near Paso Robles; this was one of four in the state at that time. This station conducted experiments with a wide range of crops to determine what could be grown in the region. The following 1902 publication summarizes many years of observations of efforts to grow fruit, nut and vine crops in the region:
1902 - Experiments with Deciduous Fruits
The other reports from the experiment station are also available:
1889 - Report of the Experiment Station
1890 - Report of the Experiment Station
1901 - Report of the Experiment Station
1903 - Report of the Experiment Station
A short summary of the station activities is available in the Grape Notes Blog:
The rise (and demise) of the UC Experiment Station at Paso Robles
The first UCCE Farm Advisor was hired in 1913; the San Luis Obispo office was established in 1922. This 1915 circular describes the role of the nascent UCCE and its relationship with the agricultural industries that it serves:
1915 - The County Farm Adviser
The documents below give some background on the statewide industry situation in the early 1970s:
1970 - California Grape Situation and Outlook
1972 - California Grapes - A Survey for 1972
1972 - Grape Acreage Survey Summary
1972 - Full California Grape Acreage Report
1973 - Mechanical harvesting of grapes for the winery
The three economic studies below were prepared by Jack Foott, former Farm Advisor in San Luis Obispo County, in 1973; they detail the costs of vineyard establishment and production in the early years of the Central Coast vineyard industry:
1973 - Sample costs to establish a vineyard - wine grape production
1973 - Sample costs to produce Zinfandel grapes for wine production
Undated draft - Sample cost and income 40 acre vineyard
The study below details the ripening characteristics of various varieties of winegrapes throughout San Luis Obispo County; it was part of the preliminary work conducted by Jack Foott to determine the most suitable varieties for this area:
1974 - A study of some varietal wine grapes
A map of the Central Coast showing the different climatic regions was prepared in the mid-1970s by Jack Foott; no information exists on how this map was created. This file can be printed out in the original 24" x 66" size (the original was taped together from multiple smaller pieces).
1975 - Central Coast Wine Grapes by Region Map
Temperature conditions during the decade of the 1970s were summarized for a number of locations in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties by Jack Foott:
1979 - Comparative Heat Summations
Jack Foott described the local winegrape industry situation in the early 1980s and his research focus in the following document, which was part of a UC meeting held in March 1985: