Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-04

identical with the Sultanina of the Med
:terranean and resembles the Nante cur
rant of Greece. II. r. Stabler. VINO Is
the largest producer in this vicinity. tells
me that in 1873 William Thompson. a
farmer of Yuba City, received some stock
from a nursery in Rochester. n. Y. IN
cluded in the shipment were three grape
vines which the nurseryman desired 20
have tested in the soil and climate or Cal
ifornia Two of the vines died. but the
third grew and proved to be superior
SeedlesS grape, which was anopteo ny
ether farmers in the neighbornood ano
called by the name of the man who had
received It from the Rochester nrm Ihere
was already a seedless grape, known as
the Sultana which was cultivated Tor
years before the Introduction OF Inc
THOMPSON and II is still grown in large
quantities. While 1t has the merit OF De
ing heavier bearer, Mr.. Stabler says II
is not considered of much value as Ia
BILE grape. and is used chiefly for making
raisins. The Sultana usually produces
embryo seed and occasionally natures
perfect seed, while the Thompson is ao-
soI,,selv seedless. This makes the latter
more desirable for the table and TOT
raisins. The skin is thin. of greenlsh
yellow color. the flavor Is good clearly
marked and without acidity. The grape
is small, slightly oval in shape and grows
in large clusters which frequently reach
pound and a half in weig Int and length
of ten and even twelve inches.
The grapes are picked as fast as tney
mature from the middle OF August TO the
LIST of October and are taken TO the
hacking house on wagons in boxes. each
box marked, with the number OF the pick
err The best are carefully packed by
Chinese for shipment to market Inose
reserved for raisins are dumped INTO
chute from which by an endless elevator
they are carried slowly through a soiu-
ton of olive OIL and caustic soda. Whicn
cracks the skin releases the sugar in tne
pulp and facilitates drying by allowing
evaporation to take place. After TINS bath
they pass through fresh water to WASH
them and are then gently dumped INTO
large shallow trays. three by seven Feet
in size, an average of sixty POUNDS VI
grapes to the tray. The trays are plea
criss-cross upon a car, which, when load
ed is rolled along a track to another
building where the grapes are given
bath of sulphur fumes to XII the germs
and bleach them. The car is then showed
along into a siX-acre field, where the
trays are spread on the ground to dry
in the sun. After an exposure of four or
FIVE days an inverted empty tray is placed
over a tray of na'f-cured grapes" and by
a dexterous movement the two are turned
so that the underside of the grapes is
exposed to the sun. The trays are turned
only once.
Removing the Stems.
After they are cured they are passed
through sort of thrashing machine CALL
ed 'cap-stemmer.' which removes the
stems They are then carefully packed in
boxes each holding about two hundred
and fifty pounds of fruit, and sent to the
sweathouse. where the moisture is drawn
from them, and they are ready for ship
ment to market. Nearly all the product
goes east. Thompson seedless raisins are
Ill for f,y.aa Snny
rants, which are Their closest competitors
Mr.. Thompson, the originator of the
seedless grape, is dead. but his two sons
still own and operate his ranch. H. p
Stabler, however. Is the principal pro-
Queer. There are altogether about three
thousand acres in Thompson seedless
grapes in this county. and about five
thousand in the rest of the state. They
will grow in the same soil and require
the same cultivation as other grapes, but
the v.nes are usually allowed to run
longer. which makes them more fruitful.
The average yield is about one ton to
the acre. and the cost of cultivation is
about one cent a pound, including the
picking. which is the greatest expense.
The pickers come from the cities for five
or six weeks. and earn from $l.:O to So
day. according to their skill. None but
white labor is used in the vineyards. and
none but Chinese labor in the packing
houses. because it is more careful. more
skillful and quicker in handling the
grapes. An experienced Chinaman will
pack as many grapes In d day as five or
six Americans, and never make mis-
take.
Muscatel the Favorite.
Mr.. Staber says that the adoption of
the seedless grape has been slow because
it's appearance and size have been against
it, but it's merits are becoming known
both to the growers and to the public
There is more money in the Thompson
saedless than in the ordinary California
grape, both for the table and for raisns,
but the larger black grapes are more
snowy and have therefore been more pop
ular in the eastern markets. The most
popular California grape has been the
Mus, atel. and not less than fifty thousand
acres are devoted to that variety. Nearly
the entire crop is made into raisins. The
grapes are seeded by machinery, after
having been cured In the sun. and are
packed in pound packages. both loose and
i'm clusters, and are shipped all over the
world