The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-02
THE RAIsIN INDUSTRY.
One of the Most Pleasant and Prof.
BILE Branches OF Horticulture,

One of the Most Pleasant and Prof.
BILE Branches OF Horticulture.
LOS ANGELES, April 3O.-In the
raisin industry Fresno county, in the
San Joaquin valley Of California, pos
sesses a mine Of unlimited wealth,
Raisfn growing Is now considered as
the safest and most profitable horti-
cultural industry not only Of this state,
but Of the United States. The area in
Muscatel grapes was almost doubled
during the last planting season. F'res-
no county now possesses very nearly
$4,000, acres OF grape vines, nearly all
Of which are Muscatel or raisin grapes.
The success Of the raisin industry
has naturally attracted the attention
Of capitalists all over the content. The
culture OF the raisin grape, Its curing
and packing il pre- eminently the
most refined horticultural industry.
Nothing requires more neatness, more
taste or gives more pleasure to the
hOrticulturist than the various labcrG
connected with the VINEYARD and the
packing house. If we add to this that
no other horticultural industry known
is equally profitable, and that no other
branch of horticulture responds equal
ly to intelligent care and study, it Is
but natural the capitalist, the well-to-
do tgadesman, the banker, the literary
student aid the professional teaeser
should all look to the industry as
conveniently adapted as q recres-tion
from other work, horticulture al pur-
suit in which the health CT the body
and the soul is equally improved and
where the enjoyments Of rural life
may be INDUCED in to the fullest ex-
tent From the very beginning this
was the case. The raisin vines in
Fresno and elsewhere in this state
were first planted by these classes ofs
f6a i<y;v
onymOus with refinement and culture.
more so than any other settlement in
this state or elsewhere. During the
last year the additions to our raisin
growers have come principally from
the large cities and nearly exclusively
from people Of refinement and means.
This again gives to the raisin commune
ity an aspect Of refinement and taste,
and traveller through the districts
where ratsins are the almost exclusive
crop rather considers himself viewing
the outskirts Of a large city, where
villas and pleasure gardens alternate,
than the cultivated acres Of the raisin
grower, where every foot Of ground
is guarded with Jealous care and made
to produce to its utmost capacity.
There is no horticultural industry
which pays as well and yields q re-
turn as quickly as the growing of rails
In grapes and their curing. The vines
are hardly planted before they begin
to bear some. Some grapes are borne
on the vines when they are year
old. while two-year-olds have been
known to bear crop. At three years
the vines pay the expenses and inter-
est on the money. and at four years
from planting they bring the first large
paying crop. The raisin is the poor
mans friend. the crop that will give
him quick returns, the crop that will
onY-tc-
his farm the quickest, the crop which.
IL he preserves and cares for it., will
make him independently rich in the
shortest time Fresno and the San
Joaquin valley are the only places
where the vines bear a second crop Of
grapes annually. In all other sections,
In this state as we'll as in Europe, the
vines bear only first crop. and no
one ever expects to harvest anything
else. The raisin grower there Is salts
fed If weather and wind leave him to
harvest and cure this first and only
crop Of his vines, and prosperous in
deed is the year when the rain and fog
do not injure even the earliest picked
grapes.
1t is known that as much as $430
per acre has been realized by careful
cultivation and by thorough study of
the nature of the vine and its require
ments. Such yield is. however. rare.
and can only be the outcome Of mum.
Der of propitious circumstances, such
as rich soil, manuring, favorable
weather and skill in handling the
grapes. Smaller yields Of $3.50 per acre
are not uncommon. A colonist with
ten to fifteen acres in raisins can,
with little care. realize from $500
to $4,000 from his raisins alone. The
balance Of twenty acres gives him an
abundance of vegetables. eggs. pouI-
try milk hIJttpr> nd ut hoI. "a y.,,a rro5-
ucts to live on for himself and family.
Thus it will be seen that the life OF
the raisin grower Is both profitable and
pleasant Frank H. Brown.