The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25


not far distant when we will make a
product that will compel our foreign COM
petitors to initiate our best efforts in order
to enter cur markets at all. This is the
case to-day in prunes and will in few
years be in raisins. The good point about
our raisin-making is its absolute cleanli-
ness from start to finish.
Time has been when Chinese were al
most alone in our raisin vineyards and
packing-houses, but gradually as the sup
ply has increased white labor has been
substituted. In the vineyards our men
from the cities and boys from the public
schools all turn in and help pick the
grapes and care for them while on the
trays drying, and in the packing-houses
Tor all the higher grades women and girls
are employed exclusively where they can
be obtained. The result is that we have
built up a settlement of thrifty owners Of
homes embowered in roses and evergreen
climbers in marked contrast to the usual
filthy quarters of the Chinese.
The raisin grape blossoms compare
lively late IN the spring. When it does
start it grows right along unhampered by
the cold spells that in many countries are
first blossoms come from fruit buds formed
on the wood from the previous seasons
growth, but it is popularity of this and
other European varieties of grape that
they continue to blossom on the present
years growth until cold weather comes in
the fall and stops growth. This causes
maturity of the grapes at different times
and makes two pickings necessity.
The second picking, which is sometimes
almost as large as the first, is subject to
many vicissitudes in drying from rain
and from dull, damp weather, with rapidly
frightening nights, and frequently it will
be along in December before the raisins
are all secured. Length of time in curing
is no drawback to the raisins in drying
provided they have not been subjected to
such an amount OF foggy or damp weather
as to cause the stems to mildew and
blacken. Rain does the drying grapes
comparatively little harm, provided it
clears off Immediately after, but if they
have not been stacked up before lain, and
it comes rain with few days damp
weather thereafter. they will rot on the
trays and have to be thrown away. This
has happened very rarely in our history
like total loss. In years like the present,
with comparatively heavy rains early in
the season and a long, dry season reach
ing to the middle of December, no loss can
arise provided care is taken to turn the
raisins when the rains have passed over.
Grape-picking commences in Riverside
from the middle to the end of Septem Der.
In order to make good raisins, the grapes
must be thoroughly ripe. The raisin grape
is a fleshy grape, and it is this tleshy
principle that makes a good quality of
rasin. The Muscatel Gordo Blanco in
plain English means fat, white Muscatel.
Time seems to be an i'm Important element in
curing the raisin, as the change from the
ieshy principle of the grape to the rich
pulpy syrup OF the raisin goes on very
slowly, and the sun seems to be one of the
important features in bringing about this
result. For the better grades of raisins
great care is necessary in picking the
grapes not to touch them with the hands
and rub off the delicate bloom. Once dried,
the bloom is set and cannot we'll be rubbed
off. In picking, the stem of the cluster is
held in one hand and separated by knife
in the other. 1t Is then examined care
fully for imperfect or rotten grapes, which
are then removed and cluster laid on the
tray evenly and left in the sun.
From twenty to twenty-five pounds of
grapes will fill an ordinary-sized tray
measuring 2x3 feet. AS we are not
troubled by heavy dews no further care is
necessary until about half dry, which may
be known by a change of the color to a
dark brown and the wrinkled appearance
of the upper side of the grapes. Two men
can turn very rapidly IN the manner here
tofore indicated, which is in favorable
weather in about ten days from time of
picking, and they will be fully dry in about
ten days more. When dry the trays are
stacked up in piles of about twenty trays,
where they are comparatively safe from
rain or other casualties and can be put
into the sweatbox at leisure. The best
ra sins are on the clusters and must be
handled carefully when dry to keep from
breaking off, as in the hot sun they are
very brittle and are best put in sweatbox
in the cool of the morning or in damp
weather.
The sweatbox is a large fiat box 8
inches deep, feet . inches wide by feet
inches long and holds about 100 pounds
VI ldiSiHo. L hC SldpCo Ill
about two-thirds and must not be too dry
or much of their value is lost. When put
in the sweatbox the moisture in the raisin
gets equalized and the stems get tough,
when they can be handled safely in
packing
The best grades are packed in boxes,
full boxes containing four tive-pound lay
ers, half boxes with two five-pound lay
ers, quarters with one layer. eighths with
two and a half pounds and fancy boxes
with lesser amounts. They are pressed in
the process OF packing, which improves
| their appearance, and are packed in fancy
papers with colored Autographs to add to
their attractlveness. Inferior grades of
raisins are stemmed, cleaned and sorted
into various sizes and packed in boxes or
sacks as the demands of the trade may
| justify, but the best quality of loose raisins
are packed loose in fancy style the same as
those on clusters, and bring about as good
prices.
The absolute cleanliness of all the pro-
cesses of raisin- making ought to be one of
the chief attractions to the consumer, for
in ordinary vineyards there are no flies
and no dirt of any kind and the packing