New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-04
SOME FACTS Il BOUT RAISlNS.
RAPID GROWTH OF THEIR CULTURE IN cAL1Foh-
NIA-How THEY ARE CURED.


Few people in the East comprehend the rapid de-
velopment Of the rasin industry Of the Pacific Coast
Of the acreage devoted to IT, the amount OF capital
invested. large proportion Of consumers Is sun
under the impression that Spain furnishes the entire
product John NJ. Chapman, whose firm has been
appointed as agents of the California Dried Fruit
Association, has given The Tribune reporter some
Interesting facts about the management OF this
luxurious vine product
Unlike the cultivation Of grapes the Atlantic
seaboards or In the larg vineyards of Ohio the vines
are grown without trellls, being trained 50 that tbs
laerals tho stalk thus projecting tie huis
from the direct rays Of the The best fruit grows
close to the ground. shaded by the broad leaves
Fruit growing upon the laterals is likely to become
sun burned and only be used for making second
quality raIsins. The first crop natures about
August Is to 90 the socaed second crop from Sep
cmber Is to October l. Vines begin to produce at
the age of three years and at six years are IN full
bearing An impression prevails that raisins are
made from purple grapes on the contrary the rais'n
grape is a translucent green. The principal variety
used in California Is the Whlts Muscat OF Aexandna
The preparation of raisns for market Is rather
simple process. The branches laid on trays ex-
posed TO the sun; fermentation begins almost imrne-
diately after two weeks they turned over. when
the under side is cured In about week longer;
the grapes assuming the deep purple tint common
raisins. Some of the punches after leaving the
tra-s are moist, others dry. To eQuaize the
moisture and make the goods Of uniform consistency
the grapes put into sweat-boxes holding about
fifty pounds there they remain until proper con-
dltion of moisture is attained Then they ara removed
10 packing-hOuses and the clusters are separated
from the loose grapes and placed In boxes In layers.
making what Is KNOWN a the London layers or
choice table fruit Bunches that too small for
this purpose are of harsh texture put into
stemmin- machine, from which they are automatically
conveyed TO series OF trays or slftes, making
crown" rasins OF several grades for Cooking
-Four weeks on the coast from the maturity OF the
fruit, render them ready for market.
Grape raising IS prOft able. 4 vineyard OF good
average bearing will yield six tons Of grapes to tho
with value OF twenty dollars ton on the vines,
hundl and tvcify dollars AZ acre. Older
vineyards produce from eight TO ten tons and the
fruit brings better price than the product OF
younger n Is rcifer adapted 70 The larger
or bunch styles OF high priced raisns Thus forty
vineyard I'm fun bearing at six years OF age would
furnish a The glover OF over -oOi Larof,
however, high and growers hsve found difficult to
obtain a full complement Of hands 10 cure crop
needing such prompt attention This diniculy VIII
be leSsened as corners thcken California
produces In quantities only the raisins that compete
with the renowned Malaga varieties. The Pacinc
raisn OF l6-s Is expected 70 Approximate 1000
600 boxes. Some OF this has gone abroad, owing TO
the small crops Of Malaga this year. and the latter
fact Win help 10 distrDare ths domestic crop through
this country