Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-07-26
THE mvscAr RAls,x GRAPE.

M03Vah nas0sN &ss<-s -
Interesting Letter nom DR.. J. ID. B.
stillman, OF LuRonia. ON the
Raisin Grape : Ha Speaks from
Experience.
DR.. J. d. B. Stillman. Of Lugonia.
San Bernardino county, who has 100
acres Of Mussat grapes, contributes two
letters on the raisin interest to the San
Francisco Merchant. which are full of
interest to the people Of Southern Cali
fornia, who are now investing million
of dollars in the raisin business. Ths
views of DIR. Stillman coincide exactly
with the views so often expressed in the
HERALD, which aims to publish the
truth, the whole truth and nothing but
the truth about the industrial interests
of the country. Any other course would
be criminal in the conduct of public
journal. DIR. Stillman has personally
inspected the raisin making business in
Spain and has thoroughly tested it here
by one Of the largest vineyards in South
ern California. The result Is Just what
was stated in the HERALD In December
last--s few Bake money out Of the busi-
ness, while the majority do not. The
letters Of this most intelligent gentleman
are SO full of interest that liberal er.
tracts are given from both of them,
which are of the date Of June 25th and
July lst, 1884.
These letters should be read by all
persons engaged in grape growing, SO
they may take advantage Of the valua-
BILE information contained in them. The
Doctor says:
''In the Merchant of the Goth you
have done the growers Of Muscat grapes
a great service in showing the absurdity
of the pretentions of many newspaper
writer's to great profits in the manufac-
ture OF raisins.
Some think this blowing has been kept
up long enough 1t has led many into
the business, which, when the Muscat
vines now planted come into full bear.
ing. will inevitably cause great loss and
disappointment. They tell us we have
the world for market, when in truth
we have only home market, aud that
only for the best quality Of raisins. A
few years ago it was believed that the
phylloxera would cut off the supply
from Spain in few years. but last year
the importers laid ra;sins down at Chi
cago at less cost to the consumer than
we can sell them for in San Francisco,
and only the best fruit, well packed,
will sell at all. / understand that the
stock on hand last winter in Riverside
was disposed of along the line of the
Southern Pacific Railroad as far as
Texas. by the personal efforts of an
agent accompanying the goods. There
is no branch Of viticulture SO discourage
ing to-day as that of raisin. making. The
Muscat is very sensitive. Last year the
crops were ruined or greatly injured by
hot winds, and this year by late rains.
If the writer you quote from, the Santa
Ana Herald, believes what be writes and
wants Muscat vines, and can make them
as profitable as he says. | will give him
forty acres OF them. all four year old
vines, at the cost of digging them up
and taking them away, to make room
for some other grapes. But suspect he
has Muscat vineyard to sell, and does
not want to buy any Of that sort.
hazard the prediction that in five
years from this time there will be no
Muscat vineyards in California, except
in the most favorable locations to mar
ket for fresh grapes, and such as are ex-
ceptionally good soils and with climatic
conditions most favorable for supplying
this coast with frst-class raisins. The
people of this coast are proverbial for
their preference for the best of every.
thing at whatever cost, and those who
can fill that bill will prosper, and those
who cannot must dig up their vines or
graft them to some vine whose grapes
are in demand for wine making.
On the l4th Of May last my Muscats
promised better than any grapes on my
place. There came a rainfall of 3 SO
inches in six days; It was fatal to the
crop for raisin-making. / intend to fol.
low the advice Of my friend Mrs. Case,
Of Pasadena, and leave the making Of
the few raisins needed to supply this
coast, to the tired and re tired school.
maams at Fresno.
believe that in this neighborhood the
Muscat raisin-grape has been irrigated
too much. My experience teaches me
that it cannot be irrigated too much in
the winter months, but after it begins
to throw out its foliage in the spring, its
growth should not be stimulated by irri-
CATION; its effect is to cause plethora Of
sap and arrest of development. am
not discouraged from the loss Of the crop
this year, but would be embarrassed II
it had been full one, for what coald
do with large crop of Muscats! The
wine makers have more of them than
they want, and il made them into rails
ins could not compete with Fresno in
our coast markets, and none Of US can in
an Eastern one with anything like the
present tariff. as is shown in your state
ment to which l referred in my last
letter.
lam not Of those that believe that
railroads should carry our goods with.
out profit to themselves, and they
would be obliged to carry raisins for
nothing to enable us to compete with
Spain. l was told by dried-fruit mer.
chant in Malaga few years ago that.
though we could produce raisins as good
as theirs. and he admitted this, yet he
could beat US in transportation, as it
cost him but IS ton to ship his goods
to New York.
These are the reasons why 1 propose
to give to the writer in the Santa Ana
Herald my vines, or any one else who
thinks he can make profit OF $500 an
acre in making Muscat raisins.