Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-05-19
NO. 81.

ers, and all superfluous sprouts are broken
of as they appear. This is done every two
or three weeks, and by this means the
whsle strength of the vine Is forced inio
the grape. Some also thin out the fruit on
the vines where they are TOO heavily laden.
Immediately after pruning, the vineyard is
thoroughly p,oughed, and irrigating bitches
are left on either side of the rows of vines.
| After each irrigation cultivator is run
through them in order to loosen up the soil
| and prevent a growth of weeds This is
repeated until the growth of the vine pre-
vents further cultivation. The curling sea-
son begins about the middle of September
1t is then that the grapes attain a peculiar
rich amber color, which denotes that they
are sufficiently ripe for picking. As all the
fruit does not ripen at once there are two
and three pickings in the season, which Is
continued until November The clusters
of grapes are carefully picked By the stems,
care being taken not to touch the fruit, as it
knocks off the bloom and spOils its appear
ance. They are then placed upon wooden
trays, two feet by three, each tray holding
about fifteen pounds of green fruit. When
filed, the tray is placed between the vines.
NuClC II Is ltlA ten VI udlS, Df
which time the fruit has dried to a dark
purple, when they are turned by placing
an empty tray on top of the full one and
turning them over, and they are left for
ten or twelve days more to complete the
drying process. When the fruit is dry the
trays are gathered up and the dust that may
have blown on the raisins is carefully
blown off and the fruit is put in what are
known as sweating boxes. These are the
same size as the trays, and from twelve to
fourteen inches il depth. The fruit is slid
of the tray into these boxes until they are
filled. when they are covered and stored
in cool place for at least two weeks. The
sweating process converts the dried grapes
into raisins, gives them uniformity of color
and quality, and toughens the stems so
that they can be handled. When the sweat
ing is completed the raisin is ready for
packing for market, and in this great care
is required The imperfect fruit is thrown
out and the rest sorted into two qualities.
which are then packed into whole, half or
quarter boxes. The whole boxes eighteen
and half inches long, nine inches wide,
four and three quarter inches deep, and
hold twenty pounds. The half and quarter
boxes are the same size, but shallOwer,
and hold ten and five pounds respectively.
In filling, the grapes are first weighed,
and then carefully placed in filler. This
is a wooden frame little smaller inside
Of the boxes. 1t is made to fit on the box,
and has a bottom piece OF galvanized iron,
which slides in grooves. This is lined with
white paper, and the raislns are carefully
arranged. bunch by bunch, until it contains
five pounds. A block Of wood one and a
half inches thick, covered on the bottom
with tin, and known as a follower is
then placed on the top, the tin bottom be-
ing first dampened to prevent adhesion,
and the whole is placed under a screw and
left under pressure for short time The
filler is then removed, placed on top of the
box to be filled, the bottom Withdrawn,
and the solid cake of raisins drops into
place. These are covered with the ends
Of the paper, which are left sufficiently
long TO fold over, and the process is re-
peated until the box is filed.