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
_Pruning and Other Operations._--The heads of the vines are kept
low,--from six to sixteen inches above the ground. The canes are cut to
two or three eyes, and the number of canes left vary from five to
fifteen or more. The pruning is done between December and February.
Summer pruning is practiced by some, but not by all growers, there being
considerable difference of opinion as to the value of this operation.
Sulphuring is practiced by all growers, some sulphuring only once, but
the best vineyards are sulphured three or more times. Oidium or mildew
never appears in sulphured vineyards. Some few growers sulphur with
great success against the colure or dropping of the grapes. Leaf-hoppers
are common, but do no great harm. Grasshoppers and grape caterpillars
were troublesome one or two seasons, but have not reappeared of late.
Black-knot is common in many places.
_The Crop._--The grapes begin to ripen in the middle of August, or from
the middle of August to the first of September, and at the latter date
the first boxes of cured and packed raisins are generally heralded
through the press. The first grapes dry in from seven to ten days, but
the later grapes require three weeks or more. The drying continues
through September, and for the second crop through October and even in
November, or until the rains set in. The grapes are dried on trays two
by three or three by three feet. The sweatboxes are generally two by
three feet and from six to eight inches high. A large number of brands
are packed, such as Imperial Clusters, Dehesas, Layers, Loose and
Seedless. The common price for raisins in sweatboxes is from three and a
half to six cents, five and five and a half cents being the average for
good layers. Good land for raisin purposes can be had for one hundred
dollars per acre, but nearer the town of Fresno is held higher. Bearing
raisin vineyards have changed hands at as high as $1,000 per acre. From
one hundred to two hundred and fifty boxes of raisins are realized per
acre, and the profits vary from seventy-five to two hundred and fifty
dollars per acre, according to location, soil, management, etc. From
thirty to fifty dollars per acre is spent yearly in many vineyards. Few
dipped raisins are produced. Some dipped Sultanas have brought seven
cents in the San Francisco market. Last season about four hundred and
seventy-five thousand boxes were produced in the Fresno district, and
some twenty thousand boxes more in the other parts of the San Joaquin
valley.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY AND RIVERSIDE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account