Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-14
CALIFORNIA RAISINS.
Dealers, Packers and Producers
The Pack This Year.

No industry in California has devel.
-oped more beautifully, or become more
permanently established, than the raj
ain industry. The experimental period
in this branch of production, was passed
some years ago, but it took a few years
longer to demonstrate 10 the people east
of the Rocky Mountains, that our claims
in this direction were not over-stated
The wide distribution of California raj
sins last year, gave evidence of the pos
sibilities Of the State, in raisin produc'
ton, and the favor with which they
were received by consumers, has led to
much more general demand the current
year. While as yet no system has been
adopted for keeping statistics OF the an
nual crop. close approximation is possl'
BILE. The crop in 1884 was the first that
was large enough to demand systematic
effort to find a market East, though CON-
paratively small shipments had been
made overland for some years. But the
pack for 1884, aggregated about $50, GOO
boxes, which gave surplus of some
thing like $50 600 boxes more than could
be consumed on this coast. A few wide-
awake merchants saw the future impor-
tance of the raisin business here, and set
to work to secure it. Last season (lSS5)
the crop was estimated early in the pack
ing season, at about 900, 600 boxes, but
this was greatly exaggerated. The pack
of raisins land in this we do not include
dried grapes. which are branded raisins),
proved to be q little less than 450, 600
boxes, but this gave fully $50, 900 boxes
for shipment; q large increase over 1854.
The quality was also much improved.
For the current year, estimates OF the
crop vary from 600, 900 to 800, 900 boxes.
Conservative houses, engaged in hand
ling raisins, seem inclined to think the
minimum quantity mentioned is full
estimate, while sanguine producers, who
generally particularly on this coast),
Over-estimate, place the quantity at the
maximum figure. All reports seem to
agree that the crop will be under contin-
ued favorable conditions. be about one.
third larger than last year. This is very
material and gratifying increase; a ratio
of increase that, if continued, will soon
give capacity for supplying the require
ments of tine United States. One reason
for believing the pack will not reach
more than 600, 600 boxes, is that the sea.
son is thirty to forty days late, and cool
nights retard the drying. The possibil.
ity of saving the late, or second crop
grapes, is very remote, as the rainy sea-
son is now near at hand. Growth of this
industry is exhibited by the following
figures.
Boxes
Production of raisins 1884 $50 00C
+" 1885 450,c0C
Z" 1886 testimated) 6eo. .0OC
The raisin crop this year is superior
in quality to that of any previous year;
the advap tage of experience in curing
aud packing is apparent. Then, too,
there is considerable rivalry as to which
packer shall merit the claim of putting
up the finest goods. This applies not
only 20 the matter of sorting and pack
ing, but to papers, boxes and general ap.
pearance. As whole, the raisins packed
in this State this season are superior in
style and quality to the average of NAL
aga fruit imported into this country dur
ing the last five years, and some special
packs compare favorably with the very
finest imported fruit under the Dehesa
brand. The raisin crop is handled almost
entirely by five firms in this city, viz
WIN. T. Coleman & Co., A. Lusk & Co.,
d. L. Beck & Sons, Geo. W. Meade &
Co. end H. M. New hall & Go. The
brands and packs represented by these
firms is as follows. The quantity set
down to each packer i, of course esti
mated, and we have in every instance
taken the figures of the different houses
for the packs they represent. VIM. 7.
Coleman & Co. represent the following: