The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-06-01
EAcTs ABOUT RAislns.
How Grapes Are Dried ia various Por-
tIons OF the Csfoba.


tlons of the Globe.
Several varieties OF grapes nre used
In making raisins. but the different
names of the varieties of dried fruit
are usually given from the locality
whence they are imported. The COM
mon mode of drying Is to spread the
lunches on platforms or suspend them
on lines in heated rooms, where they are
allowed to shrivcl slightly. They are
then dipped in lye of wood ashes and
barilla. to each four gallons OF which
pint of oil and handful of salt is
added. This causes the sugar to ex-
ude through the skin. and makes a
slight varnish on the outside of the
fruit. In this way the Valencia raisin,
the favorite cooking raisin. Is pre-
pared 1t is shipped principally from
Valencia, Spain. Malagas also take
their name from the Spanish port,
whence they are most largely sent.
These are made from richer grape
than the Valencia. and are dried on
the vine in the sun. The grapes do
not fall off when ripe, so the stem is
twisted and the grapes shrivel by the
evaporation of their own water.
In this way the fruit keeps
more freshness and bloom than
| in any other, and there is
very little exudation of sugar These
rai>ins are also called Muscatelles, and
are the favorite table raisins. Spain
| is still the greatest producer of raisins,
| though large quantities are also raised
in Turkey, and California is becoming
al important locality for the produce
tion of this favorite fruit The Sui
tana or seedless raisiiis are produced
in Turkey. These are cured in the
sun. light sprinkling of oil being eru-
ployed to prevent the too great evap-
Grafton of the moisture. and also to as
sist IN the preservation of the fruit
when packed and shipped. The Eleme
raisins arc also produced in Turkey.
and are used chiefly for export TO dis
tant colonies and for ships stores. As
their name implies. they are picked
raisins. and are packed specially for
ship use from the vines of the Car
hourna and Vouria districts in Asia
Minor The great proportion of the
} raisins from Smyrna are known as
! "Chemse. the name of an island near
the mainland. These are the Turkey
grapes. rure and simple. without Sc
lection. picking of stalks. or any
manipulation whatever. They find
ready market in Eastern countries
but are the special feature o.
: fruit trading between Turkey and Ger
man ports There are vast district,
! in Persia where raisins are cultivated
! but the d .iiicultY of getting them I,
!, market is so great that it does not pay
! 70 export. consequently they are useC
:, for distilling and local purposes. A
: the Cape of Good Hope raisins ar
: produced which find a market ehiefli
!, in Australia. Distillation Of raisin
4 into wine is becoming quite an i'm
. portant business. the flavor of the dr.
). fruit giving very pleasant taste {
J the beverage The raisins used 10
a this are the small black Smyrna raisins
/ The dried fruit known TO commerce a
e the Zante currant is variety of raisin
q 1t is not made from a eurrant, bu
e from very small grape dried in tn
y sun. These small raisins were at frs
Y called Corinths. because they were in
1t ported from the port of Corinth. Thei
r similarity to currants caused the nam
1t to be corrupted later, as many SUI
re posed them to be kind of dried cul
er rent Toledo Blade