The record-union., 1898-12-17

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to dry; we are almost at our wits end
to know how to accomplish that result.
1t mouIds very easily. and We have
about concluded that one of two things
will have to be done, either dry it in
an evaporation, which of course is very
costly, or else stack the prunes every
night from the time they are put out
until finished, which is almost as much
So
The prunes are very large and hence
| it takes several weeks to cure them.
BY the time all extra expenses are paid
it is a serius question whether it does
not eat up all the extra price that is
lreceived on this prune over the French
prune, especially when it shall have be-
come more common and the price will
be more at a par with the smaller
prunes
L might add in reference to this
lprune that we have found considerable
trouble in softening such large fruit
sufficiently for the facers' in packing
the prunes; still, when all has been
said, when the prune is cured properly,
l think it has a flavor unequalled and
(which is all its own.
Luther Burbank whose place at
Santa Rosa l have visited this summer
several times has a new prune-'the
Sugar prune'-which I think will sup
plant it and all other varieties 1t is,
I think, as large as the Imperial and
has one-third more sugar than 1t or
the French prune and ripens IN the
latter end of July, so that its drying
is easily accomplished. Were L to ex-
tend my operations further IN the
dried fruit line / would certainly dem
onstrate whether it was success IN
my locality and on my soil and II SO
would confine myself to it exclusively
thereafter. l understand it has not yet
been put upon the market, but L take
this occasion to call the attention OF
fruit growers to it, as it surpasses
anything in that line have ever seen
T. J. True of Forestville, Sonoma
County, under date of October 81 1898,
says: My Imperial Epineuse prunes
dried trifle heavier than 5 to i; 1o'
pounds of fresh fruit dried 54 pounds.
My Petite prunes dried trifie heavier
than the Imperial, the shrinkage OF
Petite being 27S This prune is a trif1e
more difficult to dry than the Petite, but
not enough to make any material diff
ference The average size was Al
cured prunes to the pound; of Petite
S., to the pound on the same soil"
I. H. Thomas of Visalia, under date
of November II, 1898, says: Il have
consulted with Beal and Jacobs and
the consensus Of opinion is that the
prune is worthy of Introduction. The
quality not being quite up to the Robe
de Sargent and Petite, but the size
will recommend it favorably."
John Markley Of Geyserville, Sonoma
County, under date Of November "A,
1898, writes as follows:
B. M. Lelong, Sacramento, CAL
Dear Sir: Your esteemed favor of
November 49, 1898, asking for my ex-
Iperience with the Imperiale prune, is
at hand.
1 purchased the trees 1 have from
Mr. Gillet of Nevada City, Cal, under
the name Of Clairac Mammoth.
I am inclined to think they are
about the same. The Clairac Mann
moth grows very large if thinned. At
my place in Sonoma County they
get ripe about August 10th for the
first ones, on warm, early soil
with gravel in it. If we'll thinned, as
I have grown them 15 ripe prunes will
weigh two pounds. They are thin
skinned, very easy to cut with lye.
The lye that will cut French prunes
will skin Clairac Mammoth; inclined
to dry dark to black around pit. If on
good soil, fully ripe and carefully
handled make fine. large, black dried
fruit, but are easily sunburnt; very
liable to dry dark at pit. Many make
only second class fruit 1 do not con-
| hut ma n
until I have had more experience with
them I have about 600 trees and am
not planting any more for the present.
John Rock of San Jose says:
This past dry season the Imperiale
Epineuse trees were not so much affect
ed by the drought as the French prune
trees growing side by side, and retained
their foliage until frost.
| have fruited the Imperiale EpineuSe
the past ten years. Trees had a good
crop every year for their age and size.
Some seasons the crop was heavier than
in other years. This past season the
crop had to be thinned to keep the trees
from breaking down. Good care is re-
| quired in handling this prune when
! ripe, owing to their thin and tender
skin.
When dried, an average crop will run
| twenty to sixty to the pound; three
fourths will be twenty to forty to the
pound.
The following are extracts from a let
ter from Felix Gillet, under date of
November 16, 1898:
THE Imperiale Epineuse prune was
a chance Seeding originated over twen-
ty years ago in the great prune district
Of France, having been found in an old
abandoned monastery near Clairac. in
\ the Valley Of the Lot, hence it's new
name of 'Clairac Mammonth,' adopted
at the time put it On the market. sea-
son of 1884. The Imperiale Epineuse
on account of it's size was duly and
properly tested at the time of its in
PRODUCTION in France, somewhat before
1880, but it was found so hard to cure
in driers-and all the prunes in France
are dried in that manner-because OF
its great juice, that the French finally
gave it up, after having given it a fail
trial.
And as to the assertion that it is
from this variety the dried frait COM
ing to this country in fancy packages
labeled Imperials' is made, is untrue
The Imperials imported into this coun-
. try in glass jars and fancy packages
are Imperials only by name, being
prunes of 65 to 20 to the pound: the
, larger grades, 40 to 90 and even 80 tc
; 90 are never imported to this country
: but are all exported to the capitals OF
Europe, in which places they find peo-
pie willing to pay the fancy prices asked
!. r