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
_Quality of the Raisins._--It has already been stated that the grapes
grown in Denia are the Muscat of Alexandria, which were introduced there
by the Moors. Farther south, in the Alicante district, other varieties
are more common, but play no important part in the raisin production of
the district. The Valencia raisins are inferior to those of Malaga, the
want of heat requiring them to be dipped in lye before drying. This,
again, gives these raisins a peculiar reddish, semi-transparent color,
which unfits them for table raisins. The Valencia raisins are
principally used for cooking; even the best grades of Valencias are
inferior to the inferior grades of Malaga raisins. During the last
season (1889) large quantities of Denia grapes were cured on the Malaga
style, and with great success. Large quantities of such sun-dried Denias
were sent in bulk to Malaga, and there repacked for export to the United
States, the Malaga crop having so diminished that the usual demand could
not be supplied. Years in which such sun-drying is possible in Denia are
rare.
_Planting and Care._--The Muscat cuttings are planted generally in
February. The best cuttings are considered to be those taken from vines
at least six years old. The cuttings are set at various distances
according to the richness of the soil. The richer the soil the less room
is given the vines. Thus the vines are set either five by eleven feet or
five by twelve feet, or, in other words, they are set in rows eleven or
twelve feet apart, with the vines five feet apart in the row. The depth
of the cutting is regulated by the moisture of the surface soil, but
averages eighteen inches. The vines begin to bud in the middle of March,
and are from the start subject to great care and constant cultivation.
The first operation after the cutting is planted is to cut off the top
bud as soon as the vine starts to grow, leaving the two shoots only from
the two lower buds. No more shoots are allowed to grow the first year.
Next winter the smaller of these two branches is cut off completely and
the remaining branch is pruned back to two eyes. In the second year the
young shoots from the vine are allowed to grow to ten inches or so long,
when all are cut away except two of the strongest. Next winter again
these are pruned so to leave only two eyes on each, or four buds on the
whole vine. In the succeeding years the branches are gradually increased
in number, but always pruned back to two eyes. After the vine is five
years old, it is seldom increased as to branches; it is then always
pruned back to the same number of spurs. It can be said that the Denia
growers pay less attention to the quality of the raisins, and prune more
to attain quantity. They leave more spurs on their vines than do those
in Malaga, and in this respect resemble many of our own California
growers, who frequently leave from twelve to fifteen spurs on a vine.
The vines in Denia are also raised higher above the ground than in
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