Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-11-26
RAISIN MAKING,
The operation as Conducted by the
Largest California Packers.
Orasge tCal,) Tribune.

hr e,timating the crop from weighing
10 product of every tenth vine.
coo1 iudoes can make pretty close
u, v at the number of tons on an
scre of vines, and years of practice
anables the buyer to tell very nearly
nof only the amount, but the quality
If the raisins TO be made from the
ines which grow in different soils.
While the lower and damper lands
hiring the largest crops and perhaps
The largest berries, the dry lands give
much larger percentage of sugar,
aud consequently a finer raisin. 1t is
clalmed that the best grade of Orange
rajsins will this year equal any Ia the
market. and it is confidently expected
that our product will gain a very en-
visble name and footing in the east
mis- YEAR Unusual care is taken to
Eek ana grade in a planner that will
reflect credit on Oranges products,
and the result will certainly be a
strong demand in the future.
The grapes are picked by crews Of
men under experienced foreman, and
are nlaced ia trays or wooden frames,
which are piled on top OF each other
in wagons and taken to the scales,
WEIGHED, and then taken to the dry
ing grounds. These consist of about
siSty acres OF land, smoethed and
cleaned like brick yard, and the
grapes are spread cut in long rows
10 dry in the sun. Ten days or two
weeks from the laying down"
is usually about the time required to
dry them, and then those thoroughly
cured are taken up and put into the
sweat boxes. Probably one third are
not vet cured, and these are turned
over and placed IN narrow rows un
MI the action of Old Sol has made
them ready. The enormous quantity
of grapes handled by one firm can be
estimated when it is known that at
one time this sixty acre plot was COW
cred. and portion of it has been COW
cred second time. Teams are CON
tinually coming and going, and a
small army of men are employed to
take care of the grapes and keep the
teams on the move. Many women
and children are also employed in
picking up the loose raisens which
have fallen from the stems. The trays
are of number and capacity to hold
800 tons of grapes. Another thing
which catches the eye at the drying
grounds is the preparation made for
possible rains, IN the shape of rolls of
oiled paper stacked up in all direc-
tons This paper is in sheets about
four feet ia width and sixteen feet
long, prepared to withstand rain by
dipping it in boiled oil. Two carloads
of paper and fifty barrels of oil have
been used this season, but as yet it
has not been found necessary to use
tbs paper.
When properly dried the grapes are
taken w and put into sweat boxes,
probably 95 or 100 pounds to the box,
and hauled TO the packing house,
where they are piled from floor to
ceiling in the large front room They
arc left here some ten days, and pass
ed through a sweating process, the
object beng to equalizs the moistura
contained IL them. When placed in
boxes some are much drer than
others, but when ready for the packer
the intention is TO make then, as near
" as possible, equal and uniform In
that regard. -Four layers are placed
in box and each layer is weighed
by the packer, and thu whole must
make exactly the 20 pounds required.
When a box is filled the packer takes
it to the scales near the door, presided
over by an expert in the business, who
carefully weighs and examines 1t, and
Z a "A &c M y
room, where it is nailed up and the
corners smoothed off, and it is read y
for shipment. Particular care il ex-
erclsed in grading and weighing.
About 1875 men are employed in and
about the packing house, "and a
steady stream of boxes" is kept going
around the circle. We are informed
that about 500 boxes a day we're
being turned out, or three car loads
every two days.
The most of the packers are China
men, and as usual they soon become
very expert at the business, putting
10 from ten to twelve boxes a day.
White men fill all the responsible
positions, it evidently being consider,
ed necessary to keep a vigilant watch
over the heather to keep MIN from
resoIting to wags that are dark.
Occasionally a box goes back to the
packer and is upset on his table as a
gentle reminder that first class work
must be done all the time.
The box lids are branded by pow
ertul cylinder press run by horse pow
er, and it is rather amusing to watch
the modus operandi of this coarse
grained printing. Checks ere used
IN every department, a packer re-
celvlng check for esch box delivered
at the scales. Th9 whole business
seems to be systemetized throughly
and moves like clockwork. The work
promises to last uutil Christmas or
New Years before the whole crop is
disposed of, but the favors BILE weather
which the raisln makers have been
blessed with will facilitate their opera
tons, and if it continues for another
month they will have the most of the
work done.
HE failure of the natural gas wells
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