The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-14
Future of the Dried Grape and
RaiSin Industries.
A Commissioners neporr-s something for VIII
culturists and Intending Investors to
Ponder Upon.

Veiopeu In this district than any other dur
ing the past year, he takes up the district
by counties and proceeds as follows:
SAN JOAQUIN VINEYARDS.
In Inc county of San Joaquin there has been
10 mar eu increase In the acreage of vines.
ine ent IRE acreage Will not exceed three thou
sanu; these Vineyards are devoted exclusively
10 taoie aud wine grapes, both OF which are yefy
p du.t s,a Many OF the wine vineyards have
pau Snoo per acre at the prevailing price of SIP
anu 90 peT ION Tor grapes. Table grapes are
more pI ohtahle, and have bren sold at from S35
10 Soo per lou. The demand seems unlimited
~ ii 10 p'opaoie that a large acreage VIII be
about 500 600 gallons. "A'
otahisians County has done little so far bur
contains thousands of acres OF fine land which
VIII soon De developed by the several irrigation
schemes now materialiZiBg. The county is well
adapteu 10 inc growth of rasin grapes, TO which
INC must attention VIII probably be paid for the
present. There VIII be large planting this win
MERGED County has done considerable planting
III lhe past year, and this season will large
hcieaSe planted III Muscats. which Will undoubt-
EDDY thrive Wines and brandies OF good quality
nave Deen produced. The county now contains
he1'iy ZOoo acres OF vlues.
hern County has about 1900 acres OF Muscats.
Ih93s.iy Young Vines. all OF which are doing well.
larger Planting will follow this winter.
Iulare County has done more than any other
county III The district except Fresno in develop
lhg tne grape Industry. The growers now mum.
Der 46o owning 10000 acres of vineyard, 1900
OF winch me bearing Few wine grapes are
grown. All the ralsIn VINEYARDS are In good CON
altioI anu those In bearing are paying hand
sohely, Inc present winter will see an exceed
ihgis large acreage OF new vines planted.
THE BANNER COUNTY.
Fresno County, the banner grape-growiug
county OF the State, contains $500 acres of
fmeyaio' owned by 1000 growers Five thou
SAND six hundred acres are planted In wine
grapes and 1900 acres are in raisin grapes.
me VINE vineyards are nearly all in full bearing
now, ana are good paying investments. The
vintage OF 1890 was probably the largest that
VIII De seen IN California for many Yeas, and as
the production aud consumption are nearly
eQueI, Inc consumption incrr aSing and the pro-
auction as large as II VIII be for many years, the
growers Can look forward with Iolerable GER
talnty TO at least zen years of good prices, even
II the conditions OF marketing were not changed.
1 can, however, see nothing tn encourage or
stimulate the planting OF wine vineyards at pres
ent The market for The past two years has
been greatly relieved by the drying OF many
thousand tons OF wine grapes which
are sold as dried grapes a general
impression prevailed last season that these
grapes We're largely used in making wines In the
East. In this opinion | do mol share, as | know
posHively that very large quantities were actu-
any soid 10 lake The place of other dried fruits,
especially prunes. There Will be market for
this product until suppianted by the Muscats
but by that time tue quantity now dried VIII not
III any way Affect the market when turned into
wine.
Fresno County produces ports, snerries, angel.
lcaS, sweet muScats ana brandies of excellent
qushty; The sweet wine INDUSTRY, developed
under the new sweet wine law. will undoubt-
ediy assume large proportions, and the growers
are certainly 10 be congratulated on the bright
prospects for good prices and The constantly in
cTeaslng demands Tor the product. A very con-
siderable export trade has been built up in The
business OF shipping California brandes TO Eu-
rope, which viii have tendency to relieve the
market Of any surplus ana insure good prices.
la lie wineries OF Fresno County about 10000
TONS Oh grapes were crushed DUNG The vintage
oil 1880, tile product being turned Into sweet
ana dry wines and brandy.
RAIsIN-GRowERS.
1t Is upon The raisn business that the chief
interest Ol lie growers OF The district Is conferred.
HE Importance OF this industry to the State In
general and the San joaquin Valley In particu-
lar cannot be oYer-estlmated. There are now
over 23O0 vineyard proprietors IN This valley,
most oil whom are growing raisins. This number
VIII be la gely augmented during The present
winter. Large tracts OF land In all the counties
OF The valley are being subdvded aud sold In
tracts OF from ten 10 forty acres, many of which
are bought by people Who intend settling upon
Tue land purchased and embarei ing their all in
the raisln business. Whether they VIII meet
with disaster or not time only can tell,
idea That The present prices win be be
maintained, they Will most unGuestionably be
disappointed for the most enthusiastic prophets
of the business admit that prices must come
down, and there are many of our best-nfoTmed
ralsn growers aud packers who are now pre-
dlctiUg that the raisin business Will in few
wears be In worse condition than the wine
business was In The years 1888 and 1889"
This Industry has been drv Oped at such a re-.
narkADe rate that II was deemed of the utmost
importance by this commission that the most
accurate possible statistics be compiled to show
The TOTAL acreage planted, the acreage in bear
Ing and the acreage not yet producing, iB order
that these figures could be placed before those
who are now contemplating planting. This has
been most carefully done, as The directory OF The
counties mentioned Will show.
STARTLING STATISTICS.
A table is then presented, showing the
total acreage for the district, in vines, as o.
4I4, OF which GOA acres are in wine grapes.
20,ol4 In ralsin grapes bearing, and 1896 in
ralsin grapes not bearing. The number OF
grape-gTowers in the district is 2l7O The
Commissioner adds that it must be borne in
mind that of the 20,5i4 acres raisin grapes
III bearing, not more than one-half are in full
bearing Other computations then follow
to show that four years hence, when all of
the IalSin grapes now planted are in bearing,
the San Joaquin Valley may be relied upon
tanning twenty pounds to the box, and that
the vineyards in other counties may be
counted upon as adding 100000 boxes to
that number, making 100000 boxes for the
state, as against 2,O40,0OO for the season of
1890. Adding the California product in
twenty-pound boxes. and the imports from
abroad i'll the same unit, the result is the
total American consumption, which amount
ed during the fiscal year of 1890 to 5, 245, 716.
The report then goes on to say:
The consumption of raisius of this country in
creased only 100000 boxes in the seven years
from 1884 10 1890. Allowing for much greater
prOpOItIOnale Increase OF consumption for the
next few years, the consumption OF America,
when the California vineyards OF today are In
bearing, may be placed at 100000 boxes
From These estimates we may place tile Caifor-
MIA product OF 1895 al 100000 boxes and the
American consumption at 100000 boxes, al
lowing Tor no further planting.
FOOD FOR REFLECTION.
With these facts in view, is II not well fol
those who now contemplate planning raisn vine.
yards, To pause and consider aud 10 study well
tie future OF The Industry?
1t is The opinion OF many that the relief will
come from Increased consumption. Raisius, as
used now, are a luxury, and are not found upon
The tables of the poor. As O luxury, the con-
sumption Will not increase in any ratio much In
excess CT the Increase from 1884 TO 1890 men
Toned above, for the reason that rise or fall of
2 or 3 cents pound would not in any way affect
the consumption OF raisins among the people
who are now using Them. 1t Is before the
poorer classes that raislns must be placed as a
staple article OF food, and placed at price which
will attract them.
There is small profit in growing raIsIns at
three cents per pound stemmed and put up 10
sacks ready for The market. This would place
the raisins OF California before the people Of the
East at price lower than any other dried fruit,
and no other fruit is SO valuable as food. When
the rilsins OF California are introduced, there
can be no doubt but that the consumption Will be
wonderfully Increased, but 10 what extent re.
mains 10 be seen. / viii state that there are now
500 carloads (abouD OF ralsins In California stu
unsold, a large part OF which can be Bought at a
price which VIII not net more than three cents
per pound 10 The producer. The stringency of
The money market IS partly the reason of his,
but AT The same time We are not supposed by the
general public 10 have a surplus at the present
time.
THE SURPLUS CROP.
with future crop of 1900 900 boxes l. o0O-
600 oil which may be considered as consumed,
we have surplus Of 100000 boxes or 5000
carloads To dispose as cheap goods In 1895. No
grower IN planting a vineyard expects 10 aver
age less than four tons oil grapes per acre, and Ii
these eKprciail0ns should be realized The sur
plus OF 1898 would be $500 carloads. These
ralsns VIII come IN competition with low grade
Valencia raiSlns. The tariff, OF course cuts a
most important hgure in tie future of this In
duStfy Should II be reduced The result can but
be disasti Gus. II Is a common assertion that
we nave the world for 4 market for our raisins.
but lhis point Is at least disputed. Al The pres
emf time we could possibly market very few
fancy goods In England but the quantity would
not De III any way perceptible In governing The
general market 1t must be remembered that
WDeu the foreign Tai>in5 are driven out OF The
American market they must find a market some
where else. III put upon the market in England,
which Is already well supplied, q heavy fall In
prices must result, which would make 1t I'M
possible tor our growers to compete with Them.
In CONCLUDING his rannrt Mr. West avs.