The Raisin Industry: A practical treatise on the raisin grapes, their history, culture and curingEisen, Gustavus A.
History
The Raisin Industry: A practical treatise on the raisin grapes, their history, culture and curing
Eisen, Gustavus A.
Raisins; Viticulture -- California
The raisins which are to be sweated are only the clusters or layers, and
not the loose, which as we have seen should at once be taken from the
field to the stemmer, while the stems are yet crisp and dry. It is
therefore of importance that the bunches or layers should be separated
from the loose already in the field, or, which is much preferable,
before they are dried, at the time when they are picked from the vines.
If the latter is done properly, there will be only a small quantity of
loose which will go in the sweating-house with the layers. The layers
should at any rate be placed at once in sweatboxes when taken from the
trays, and between every two layers of bunches there should be a stout
sheet of manilla paper, in order that the bunches may not become mixed.
When taken to the sweathouse the boxes should be so placed that air can
enter every one. It will not do to place one box on top of another so as
to cover up the top entirely, as the raisins are then apt to ferment in
a very short time, and, before the raisin-packer is aware, whole piles
may be absolutely spoiled. It is not necessary to place the boxes
crosswise, as it is enough to allow the short side of each box to
overlap the underlying box a little; sufficient air will then enter. In
very dry weather the floor of the sweathouse may be sprinkled with
water, but this is generally not needed, as the underdried raisins will
give out moisture enough to soften those that are too dry, as well as
the stems. Every day the sweathouse should be aired, and it is a mistake
to believe that all air should be excluded. If air is not daily
admitted, the raisins will mold and spoil, and it is even advisable to
keep a circulation of air constantly through the house during the
daytime. The attentive packer will soon learn to regulate this, and
nothing but actual experience with his particular sweathouse will enable
him to decide how much air should be let in and to what extent the doors
should be closed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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