The record-union., 1892-04-15
FARM And ORCHARD.
California Prunes---Description of
Their Harvesting and Curing.
Latest Things in Acknowledgements
ton of Tropical Fruits and Nuts
Description of Ladder Which is
Interesting to Fruit Gatherers.

AS many prune orchards are for the
first time, in bearing this year, we give
somewhat in detail instructions that can
be safely followed. While primarily in
tended for beginners, some OF the older
growers, who have not successfully cured
their crops, may find in the points made
the cause Of their failure
As the prune d'Agen, or California
prune, is the variety most extensively
grown, our descriptions will apply par
ueularly to its harvesting and curing.
The fruit usually begins to ripen from
the 18th to the 10Th of August. The
prunes should be allowed to remain upon
the tree until perfectly ripe, at which
point the fruit viii commence dropping
10 the ground; that which drops yoiunta-
rlly should be gathered up and cured
separately from fresh-gathered fruit,
as the drops become more or less dry
and sunburnt, and very many are not
fully ripe and are otherwise defective, re-
curing somewhat different treatment
from the pruneS shaken from the trees.
commence the harvesting by shaking
the trees gently, securing only thorough
ly ripe fruit. Repeat this operation, 60
ing over your orchard four times at least
before the entire crop is gathered. Nari-
APP quickly and keep 1t clean; such as.
large cotton cloths, made for the purpose,
Whlcn are spread upon the ground under
the trees. Others suspend these cloths
beneath the tree In the Santa Clara al
ley fruit trucks are provided with a
patent prune gatherer attachment, which
consists of cloths fastened TO the side OF a
truck and held under the tree, into which
the iruit is shaken. The first time you
go over your orchard only few speci
mems of fruit will be secured from each
tree. This, however, is no cause for dis
couragement, as satisfactory results de-
pend entirely upon securing ripe fruit
only. Keep close watch as to the guam
tity that drops to the ground during the
night as this is one indication of the ma
turing of the crop. Gently shaking the
trees once every four or five days Will
secure all the ripe fruit and Will distribute
your operations over period of time suf-
hcient to allow you to carefully care for
and handle the gathered portion of the
crop while the balance is ripening.
Prunes are sometimes picked from the
trees, but it is a slow and generally I'M
profitable process. The Robe de Sergent
generally has to be picked on account of
the tenacity with which the stem of the
fruit clings to the tree.
1t has, in previous years, been theusual
method to grade prunes after they have
been dried, but it has now been clearly
demonstrated that it is much easier and
better TO grade the prunes previous to
dipping and drying, and that fruit so
graded VIII dry evenly. There are now
mechanical appliances which do the work
admirably, as was demonstrated in sew
eral Santa Clara County orchards last
summer.
Sun-cured prunes are considered pre-
ferable to those which are machine-dried;
but, as the skin OF the prune is tough and
the fruit slow to dry when eX posed to the
sun, the operation is facilitated by dip
ping it in boiling solution of lye-one
pound of concentrated caustic I've to fif-
Teen or twenty gallons Of water, using
for the purpose galvanized wire bucket
Give the fruit a plunge bath, allowing it
TO remain in the boiling solution about
minute, or until the fruit is thoroughly
wet; then plunge in the rinsing tank to
remove the I've. Dump the fruit on your
drying tray, spread it evenly by gently
shaking the tray, and then place it in the
not sun to dry. Patented machines may
be had which will handle the fruit, dip
it in the I've, rinse and dump it upon the
trays.
In selecting a spot for drying ground
remove all litter, stones and other OBJ
structions. Roll the ground carefully
then sprinkle it ana allow it to remain a
few hours and roll ii again; repeat the
sprinkling and rolling until it is quite
hard and smooth and the dust thor
oughly laid. Ii the dipping is to be done
with home made apparatus, erect at a
convenient point a small crane or plant
two posts, eight feet high, five feet apart,
with a cross-piece at the top, to which
attach a block pulley; over this pass a
rope to which is attached your dipping
bucket, capable of holding from twenty
to twenty-five pounds of fruit. Your
large kettle, or dipping tank, should be
so Urpn IN no direct lV hc
posts, beneath the suspended pulley.
This permits the lowering OF the bucket
IN the boiling solution without loss of
time or false motion. Your dipping So
luton should be kept at the boiling point
Ov steam heat. Ii the operations are of n
sufficient magnitude, Il small railway
track from the dipping stand to the dry
ing ground should be constructed, upon
which run small platform cars or trucks
to carry the trays of fruit ready to be
dried ana TO return the same after dry
ing.
1t is very important that the trays
should be taken up from the driving
ground at the right time, but this can
only be determined by actual experience.
The pruneS viii have to remain in the
sun from ten TO twenty DAYS according
TO the weather; they should be cured, not
dried as hard as bone. Properly cured
Drunes remain soft and pliable to the
4
when squeezed between the thumb and
finger or broken open. When cured, re-
move the fruit from the drying trays by
dumping ii into sweat boxes, holding
from forty to nifty pounds. If there are
sufficient of these boxes on hand the fruit
can be allowed TO remain in them to
sweat and equaliZe; ii not, dump the
lruit upon the floor of the packing-house
IN pile, where it should remain three or
four weeks. Watch it closely, and exam
me every day or TWO TO prevent heating;
turn it occasionally, using large wooden
shovel for the purpose. If the sweating
i being done in boxes, dump from one
box to another occasionally, in order to
stir the fruit.
When the prunes are ready for pack
ing, il they have not been graded. or if
YOU desire to re-grade them, the follow
lng are the recognized commercial sizes:
a0-40-50-60-70- Observation-Disclosures This
means thatthere are 50. 40, 80 or 90 prunes
10 the pound. Prior 10 packing, another
dipping should be given; use the same
basket as before, and plunge the fruit IN
clear, boiling hot water, IN which has
itrSt been placed small quantity of pure
glycerIne- one pound TO hfteen or
twenty gallons of water. This makes
one OF the best finishing dips known.
The glycerine has natural affinity for
water. is tasteless, not sticky, and, in con-
nection with the hot water, gives the
prune a clear, glossy black finish, so
much sought for, kills all insects and
their eggs, and effectually removes all
loose particles of dirt that were attached
TO the fruit. After dipping in the boiling
water and glyeerine, Tor, say one minute,
or until the fruit is quite warm, dump it
on TO the trays-wire trays being prefer
able for the purpose-and allow the fruit
to drain, after which place in pile in a
perfectly clean place in your packing
house, covering 1t with your picking
cloths TO keep the prunes warm and soft,
and nreYent the dust from settling ON