Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-03-26
Sps SugeIes Yerala.
RAIsIHs.

1spsRt Of the Cammittss Of Awards on Raisirs
ct tho Citrus Fair.
70 As Board Of Directors of the
Southern California Horticultu-
raj Society:
0DNTLHNEN:-Your committee
II department J, Glass I, Rails
lns," after the most minute and
and careful examination OF all the
samples presented, respectfully
tendsr the following as their re.
port:
The production Of ralslns In Cal.
Hernia must In the near future be-
come An important factor In the
commerce Of the Pacific coast.
Wherefore, every step In the road
Of progress toward perfection in
thls industry 10 of value to the
State. That most of the available
lands Of California are we'll adapted
70 grape culture, and that many To-
cAlitiss are especially adapted to
the production Of those peculiar
varieties which alone make raisins
Of the first class, no one denies.
Nor is It questioned that, for half .
score Of years, most commendable
efforts have been made, with sue
oess. to produce good raisins. And
yet We have not reached perfection.
TO do this is now engaging tho best
talent on the coast. That we have
all the natural facilities for such
attainment, every one intelligent
upon the subject freely admits.
Experience with our peculiar soil
and climate, frequent comparisons
- 0etheds and results, and free Ia
tosuhange OF ideas ON the part Of
expesimenters will complete the
entire requirements for an interest
e almost unlimited commercial
Importance.
That We have not, In half q score
IT years, attained the perfection In
the manipulation of the raisln
grape, which the experience Of
3oIopean raisin-growers, through
halt . score Of centuries, has en-.
Abled them to attain, is far less a
marvel than the high order OF ex.
oollence to which we have attained.
TFlction Of ideas elicits sparks Of
am<~llel~nmn. Onvvn n~ risou ~ toats
tend to improve the most advanced
thought; and analysis Of labor. rs
we'll - Of facts, elucidates princi.
pies and promotes progress. This
10 our only apology for what some
might regard ~ unnecessary de-
tall In this report.
To make o hrst.class raisiu, q
grape adapted to that purpose is an
absolute sine qua non. Nor is 1t
lee important that the producer
both knows and faithfully applies
the best methods of treating the
grape. It 10 not the province of
your committee to dwell upon or
even refer to the step necessary to
the production Of the raisin. Yet
it II, perhaps, oprop0s for US to
state the particular points of excel.
lenes, which are the basis of our
Judgment In making awards, in the
Casos before US. Among the es-
oontiAls to the raisin Of commerce
will bs found the following:
!. aiss Of berry. which should be large
and uniform.
3. Bioom-Bright, rich, unbroken.
3 O0lor-Blueish and clear, never red,
which indicates incipient decomposi-
ton.
4. skin-Thin. delicate. but strong.
8. pulp-Full, uniform and clearing free
y from the skin; not pasty.
delicate.
"a. eseds-Few, Small, hard.
.. etsm Of berry-Firm, strong, aaherent
TO main stalk.
.. Buneh-Large, full, compact, adherent.
10. PackiDg-Layers only one bunch
deep. each bunch isolated as far as
possible.
II. bo1es-Uniform in style and Of utmost
external neatness.
IL. Compactness-Every box should be
absolutely full, after proper pressure,
and % few stalks as possible, in sight.
In the present case our estima.
tions have sought, and our awards
have been based upon. the highest
excellence in the greatest number
Of the above points, and. we beg to
eay, In advance, that the raisin-
growers Of California are to-day, in
che excellence of their boxes, su.
psrior TO those OF any other coun.
Try.
Under the lead "Best and Larg.
ct Display" there were three en-.
tries, numbered. respectively, s, 9
and IL. Having respect to all the
abevs-named qualities, we award
the premium to No. 8, exhibited by
Thos. +. Croft. Under this head
We beg to call your especial atten.
tl0u 10 the large and fine display of
McPherson Bros, which, II 1t had
equaled In bloom, In size, in uni
formity and in solidity of pulp
wherein its inferiority was largely
percsptible-it would have been the
full peer of the former.
Under the head "Best one box"
there were eight entries, numbered,
respectively, 2, 3, 4, Z, 8, 10. 13 and
a. We award the premium to No.
IS, exhibited (as we afterward
lsarpsd) by MCPHERSON Bros. Be-
tween this and No. 2, exhibited las
We have since been infOrmed) by
Ars. Jennie @. Carr, the difference
was 20 slight In the aggregate that,
e assida VIII nGS 81, easy task. Had
No. 3 been . little less dried, thus
avoiding slight pasty character
e. pulp, and little more thorough
~ uniform in size, and q little more
attsntively packed, 1t would have
been entitled to the premium. We
earnestly suggest such special
award TO No. 2 as you may consider
due to very Superior merit.
For the "Best quarter boz" there
were three entries, mum bered, re-
epecttvely, II, Is and 16. We award
the premium to No. II, exhibited