Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-04-23
USE RAISINS OR EAT
RAISIN BREAD APRIL 80.
National Raisin Day, Four Years Old
Started by People of Golden State,
Observed Yearly.


tional raisin day. first observed four
years ago and originating in a desire
on the part of the people of California
ID educate the citizens of other states
to appreciate the value of this fruit
as an all the year-round article of
diet.
The fact that raisin growing is dis
tinctly California industry, and that
each year more than 100 900, 900 lbs.
of raisins are shipped from that state
to various parts of the world accounts
for the Importance that the people
there attach to the observance of a day
specially devoted to the praise and
consumption of this fruit.
TO lovers of all good wholesome
foods, the raisin appeals as one of the
purest, best and most nourishing. It
is also food with a history. We
read of it in the Bible, where first of
all it is spoken of as dried grapes
later it appears IN the role of peace
maker.
Raisins have been in all ages an
important article of commerce. They
filled in the earlier periods the place
of nourishing food and also of a
simple and delightful sweetmeat.
Sweet foods and drinks were made
from raisins and honey. For men
making long journeys they rank as
food and are easily carried.
The earlier methods of curing the
raisin differed somewhat from those
employed today in California. The
branches we're partly cut through and
then twisted to. stop the flow of sap,
after which they were left on the
vines to dry. They were also cut and
laid on the ground to dry. The
California method is to place them
on clean trays laid between the vine
rows to dry in the sun. At the end
of 10 days they are turned by taking
an empty tray and turning them into
that, repeating the process to the end
of each row. They are then taken up
and put into what are called sweat
boxes. The reason for this is that
after being dried in the sun they be-
come hard and tough in the skin. but
after being left in the sweat box a
few days the moisture still left in
the grape permeates the mass. making
the fruit soft, tender and highly
palatable.
Bulletin No. 142, published by the
United States Department of Agri-
culture, gives the comparative food
value of the ralsin as follows: lone
pound of California raieins represents
food value equal five pounds of
bananas, six pounds of apples. four
and one fourth pounds of potatoes. one
pound of bread, four pounds of milk,
four and three fourths pounds of fish
edible portion, two pounds of eggs,
or one and one third pounds of beef. -
When Raisin day was first observed
four years ago. one of the most novel
plans for vertising an agricultural
product ever put into effect in any
community was adopted by the farm
ers, packers and brokers OF the San
Joaquin Valley, the great raisin and
grape belt of the Pacific Coast. On
that day the raisin industry was
advertised from one end of the United
States to the other on every dining car
and on every steamer and sailing
vessel. Thousands of posters, pamph-
lets and other advertising matter
were distributed, and statements of
the food value Of raisins and recipes
| for delicacies made from raisins we're
scattered on the doorsteps of private
homes. In addition, the Hartman
lines, and almost every other railroad
in the world. the large department
stores and the chambers of commerce
displayed raisins packed or in their
native punches as taken from the
vine.
The people Of California are proud
of the fact that their raisin industry
is the best in the world, ranking
second only to that of Symrna in the
amount produced. Raisins were de-
scribed by Shakespeare as ''raisin O.
the sun, ;" and their tempting
quality is that they are filed with
the delightful essence of concentrated
sunshine. The people of the United
States, therefore. should scarcely
find it hardship to observe the
last day of this month by using
raisins or eating raisin bread.