The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-08-28
THEHARVESTOF PRUNES,
AN INDUSTRY OF GREAT mAcN,.
TuDE IN CALIFORNIA.

Inc magnitude Of the prune indus
Try OF California is little realized by
the people in the Eastern States In
decade the growing of prunes has
gone forward in California by lesps
and bounds, and to-day 500, 900, 900 is
invested in it-that is, in lands, trees,
irrigation systems, agricultural tools
and packing houses. Notwithstanding
damaging frosts last spring through
out the lower part of the San joaquin
Valley, and all over the horticultural
valleys Of Pomona, San Gabriel and
Santa Anna, the total product of green
prunes now on the trees in this State,
says a Los Angeles letter to the Chi
cago Record, is estimated at $4,000
tons. OF this quantity about one-fifth
will be shipped East as green fruit for
sale at fruit stands and for canning
purposes; the remaining four-ffths
will be dried for market, making about
$4,000 tons Of dried prunes.
Ten years ago the total area of bear
ing prune orchards in California was
less than 1000 acres. In 1890 the to.
tai area of bearing prune orchards was
$4,000 acres, and there was an enor-
nous planting Of prune trees that wear
in all the fruit growing valleys of Cali
tornla, because Of the large profit in
the industry, Twelve thousand acres
Of prune orchards were set out in the
winter of 1S91-91, and $4,000 acres
more We're planted in the next two
years. These orchards have now come
into bearing, and the State Board of
Horticulture finds that there are 49,
600 acres of bearing prune orchards in
California to-day and about 5000
acres more to come into bearing. Con-
servative estimates put the total crop
OF California prunes in favorable
year at not less than 10000 tons.
The value Of the crop has gone down
very rapidly in the last three years.
In the season Of 1892 good prunes
fresh from the trees sold for $35 q ton.
In 1894 the same product brought $25
o ton. This year the very best prunes
bring $l8 ton, but tie general mar
ket price is $15 a ton.
When the prune crop is harvested
in August the scenes in the orchards
and in the drying fields are long to be
remembered. Thousands Of men,
women and children throughout the
valleys Of central and southern Cali
fornia are busy in the prune orchards
and at the fruit-packing houses in
these days.
A prune orchard in itself is one of
the most beautiful things in the realm
OF horticulture and when the throngs
of workers are there it is an interest
ing sight. The thousands of trees are
planted in long rows, SO equidistant
one from the other and in such sym
metry that one may look in any direc-
ton among them and the alignment is
perfect. The ground is soft and even,
and the years of monthly cultivation
and care have made it so smooth that
not even pebble or clod or blade
Of grass or the smallest weed may be
seen anywhere.
When the fruit grower, who has
been daily watching the process of
ripening Of his crop, finds that the
fruit is so thoroughly ripened as to be
soft to the touch he employs force of
workers. Great sheets Of cheap cloth
are laid on the ground beneath the
trees. Strong men shake the trees
and boys shake branches SO that the
prunes may fall. The sheets are
gathered UP at the ends and the fallen
fruit poured into padded boxes, SO as
to avoid handling as much as possible.
Tree after tree is treated in this way,
once each day, until the crop is gath
ered The operation is often repeated
once day for twenty days before all
the prunes are harvested
Meanwhile the gathered fruit has
been carried to the washing boxes and
the dripping caldrons. The prunes
are put into great heavy wire cages
holding several hundred pounds each
and are first dipped into running
water, where the dirt and dust are
washed away. In moment more the
cage is elevated on q crane and let
down into a caldron of hot water,
heavy with concentrated lye. The
purpose Of this operation is to remove
the bloom and crack the skin that en-
velops the flesh Of the prune in order
that the drying process may take place
more rapidly. In its natural state the
skin is SO smooth and tough that it
would take week to dry the fruit !
properly for market.
From the oaldrons of hot I've
water the cages Of prunes are lifted
again and once more plunged into hot
clean water, so that the lye may be
washed away and gloss be given to
the fruit.
Then comes the drying process.
Girls and boys come with shallow
wooden trays yard square and, as
the prunes pour down from hopper
into which they are dumped from the