Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-03-15
THE CULTURE OF PRUNEs.
RAISING, GATHERING AND CUR
ING A VALUABLE FRUIT.
Such Care Taken in Shaking tho
Pluma From tho Trce-DrYing.

Such Care Taken in Shaking tho
Piums From tho Trce-Drying-
Packing the Fruit.
The prune is species of plum, which,
| has been cultivated in Asia Minor froms
the most remote ages Some prunes are
grown and cured in Turkey, but France
! monopolizcs the bulk OF the trade,
| which, however, 10 now being shared by
California, where the fruit is grown to-
perfection. A report on the French.
prune industry by the American Consul,
| Roosevelt, gives some interesting par
ticulars of the culture and preparation,
of this valuable fruit of which we have
imported IN the seven years past about
$4,000, 600 worth.
! The prune grows best upon limestone
/ clay soils aud i'll temperate climates.
reaching the highest perfection where
the vine produces its choicest clusters
and wines of the highest excellence. 1t
is shallow-rootcd tree. and is freJuent--
/ ly planted in vineyards where its roots
are shaded by the low trained vines sup
ported on Hat trclliscs for the purpose of
getting the most of the SUMS heat that is,
! reflected from the soil. a double
! plantation of vines and prunes is valued.
in France at one fourth more than n vine
yard alone, and is commonly worth $500 f,
! per acre.
The trees are grated for the purpose :
of propagating the best varieties, and
are grown in commercial nurseries from
which the planters procure their supply
| of trees. The cultivation is simple; in 4!
some localities the orchards are irrigated,
and the most favorltcd sites for orchards /.
are the moist valleys that arc watered by
streams flowing from the higher slopes.
the trees are ca cfulIy pruned to develop
a growth of fine fruit, the value Of
which depends very much upon the size.
When ripe the fruit is covered with
light colorcd bloom which greatly adds 3.
to its market value As the final appear
ance of the fruit is large clement in its
market value, great care is taken in the
gathering and curing. The fruit is gath
cred only after the hot sun has dried the
ground and the air and dissipated all
dampness. Either straw is spread for
the fruit to fall upon or the ground is,
soitcncd b. narrowing, SO that the fall
| ing fruit is not bruised The tree is
gently shaken, so that only The fully ripe
fruit is gathered. The fruit is then taken
to the fruit house. where it is spread
upon tables to perfect its ripcucss
1t is then subjected to several cook
ing processes before it is ready
for packing. The first of these is to dry
the fruit and get rid of both external
and internal moisture. The later pro-
ccsscs are intended to give the fruit that
bright and brilliant surface which gives
to the finest qualities the handsome APP
pcGrancc that is so much desired For
certain purposes the pruncs are dried in
the sun, but this slow process. while it
gives high flavor to the fruit, enhances
the cost too much for the ordinary trade.
In some localities the fruit is plunged
into boiling water, ard so left until the
cooled water bois again, when it is
cooled and spread upon trays and cx-
posed to the sun until it is dried In
other places the fully-ripc fruit is impalcd j
upon twigs, which are stuclS'up in beds
of straw, to be dried by the suns heat.
The seeds arc then pushed out and the
prunes once more exposed TO the sun,
and then packed for sale.
In the most productive departments
of France large ovens are used for drying
the fruit. which is first washed 10 re-
move sand Or dust that may have become
attached during the gathering. 1t is
then dried in the air upon trays of rough
wickcrwork and put i'll single layers in
the ovens. The heat of the ovens is
carefully regulated so rs not to exceed
100 degrees ut first but afterward it is
raised to Ito degrees ut which heat the
juice of The pruncs Is gradually dried
without bursting the skin. Each en-
posture to these heats continues for six
hours, after which the pruncs are cx--
posed to the air During these airings
the prunes are turned, but are not touched
until they are cold, otherwise the
lingering spots the skin and Injuries the
bright, glistcning appearance. A third
heating is then given at u temperature of
$50 degrees to =l2 degrees, this heating
being continued until the kernel is COM
plctely cooked and probable fermentation
Of it prevented. The result of the last
heating is to give the pruncs dark pur--
pie color, solid and brilliant surface,
and an elastic. firm touch. During thea
whole process the fruit loses 70 per cent.
Of its weight.
The fruit is finally sorted into sizes,
by which its market value is regulated.
No. prunes runs 80 to % to the pound
No. ?, so to So No. 3, 70 to ~; No. 4,
GO to GO; No. ., 55 to So; No. q, Al to
45; No. T, 40 to II; No. 6, 81 TO 81, and
No. 8, 20 to 81. 1t is then pressed Hat
between rubber covered rollers. having
a certain space between them, and packed
in cases. Some packers use the feet for
pressing the fruit in the boxes: Others
prunes are packed in hogsheads and the
finest in bottles or Jars or in fancy paper
boxes lined with gilt paper. The chief
port of shipment OF the french prunes is
Bordeaux, from which more than 100
vessels yearly depart loaded exclusively
with this valuable product, beside many
others which take partial cargoes.-
Nep Tors Times.
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