The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-01-22
mAR1NG RAIaNs.
The Process Grapes are Pat Threngh
Before Dfshed Out rs Raisins.


The grapes are purchased on the
vines, some by actual weight, others by
estimating the crop by weighing the
product of every tenth vine, writes
correspondent of the Somervill Joterndl.
Good judges can make pretty close
guess at the number of tons on an acre
of vines, and years of practice enables
the buyer to tell very nearly not only
the amount but also the quality of rails
ins to be made from the vince which
grow on different soils.
The grapes are picked by crews of
men under experienced formen, and are
placed in trays of wooden frames.
which are put on wagons and taken to
the scales, weighed and then taken to
the drying grounds. These consist of
about sixty acres of land cleaned and
smoothed like a brick yard, and the
grapes are spread out to dry in the sun.
Ten days to two weeks from the "lying
down" is usually about the time required
to dry them, and then those thorou ghly
cured are taken up and put in sweat
boxes. Probably one-third are not yet
cured, and these are turned over and
placed in narrow rows until the action
of old Sol has made them ready.
The enormous quantity of grapes ham
died by one firm can be estimated when
it is known that at one time this sixty
acre plot was covered and a portion of it
covered the second time. Teams are
continually coming and going, and a
small army of men are employed to
take care of the grapes and keep the
teams in motion. Many women and
girls are also employed in picking up
the loose raisins which have fallen from
the stems. The trays are of number
snd capacity to hold three hundred tons
OF grapes. Another thing which catch
es the eye at the drying ground is the
preparations made for possible rains, in
the shape of rolls of oiled paper stacked
In all directions. This paper is in
sheets about four feet in width and
sixteen feet long, prepared to resist
the rain by being dipped in boiling oil.
When properly dried the grapes are
taken up and put in sweat-boxes, proba-
bly, seventy FIVE or one hundred pounds
to the box, and hauled to the packing
house, where they are piled from floor
to ceiling in the large front ROOM
They are left here some ten days, and
pass through sweating process, the
object being to equalize the moisture
contained in them. When placed in
boxes some are made .drier than others.
but when ready for the packer the in
tention is to make them, as nearly as
possible. equal and uniform in that re-
gard. Four layers are placed in box.
and each layer is weighed by the packer,
and the whole must make exactly the
twenty pounds required
When q box is filed the packer takes
it to the scales near the door, presided
over by an expert in the business, who
carefully weighs and examines It, and
if all right, it is carried to the next
room, where it is nailed up and the cor,
ners smoothed of, and it is ready fol
the shipment. Particular care is exer
cised in grading and weighing. About
| 125 men are employed in and about thC
packing house, and STEADY stream ot
boxes'' is kept going around the circle
About 1,50O boxes day were being
| turned out, or three car loads every tive
| DAYS.