STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 189 



of the hand-basket; surely we ought to be able to give our vines the 

 proper pruning and thinning they need. Nevertheless, when we 

 look back and see what a marked improvement there has been in 

 our raisin interest during the past four years, we do not feel like 

 finding fault with our pioneer raisin growers. They, like all others 

 who have been connected with the grape interests, have had much 

 to contend with. 



THE SEEDLESS OR CURRANT GRAPE. 



There is another class of fruit that is destined to be very prominent 

 in our products. I refer to the seedless varieties of grapes. At pres- 

 ent they have not been largely planted, nor have they been, as a rule, 

 a success. I will describe the different varieties, and endeavor to 

 show why they are not more successfully grown in this State. 



The true currant of commerce, known as the Zante currant, is a 

 black variety, very productive, but has never been grown successfully 

 except on the Ionian Islands of Zante and Cephalonia, and the 

 southern coast of the Gulf of Corinth, from Patras to Corinth. On 

 the northern side of this gulf, it is a partial or, generally a total fail- 

 ure, as it is also in other islands near. In this State it has never 

 been tried with the same treatment that it receives in the Morea ; 

 that is, flooded in the Winter, and pruned long, but it has usually 

 been pruned like the Mission grape, and grown in vineyards with 

 other varieties. We have, therefore, no right to say it cannot be 

 grown profitably. The man who can grow the Zante currant suc- 

 cessfully has a fortune. The white variety of currant is quite com- 

 mon here, but it is too small and too poor a bearer to pay for 

 cultivation. The Sultana is the most promising of all the seedless 

 kinds. It is of good size, is productive, and finds a good market. It 

 is bound to supersede the Muscatella in many branches of cookery. 

 I find that the demand increases in a greater ratio than the supply, 

 which is at present limited. It did not attract much attention until 

 last year, and consequently has not been planted largely. When its 

 good qualities are known, it will be planted extensively. 



As the question of our ability to make raisins successfully has 

 been fully answered by the amount and character of those put on 

 the market last year, we will now consider the chances for a market. 



I believe it is generally conceded that our products have quite 

 shut out the foreign brands, except perhaps a few of the choicer 

 grades. Our production more than equals the consumption; our 

 vineyards are constantly increasing ; the time has come when we 

 have to seek other markets, where our fruit will come in direct com- 

 petition with that of Malaga. 



If we call our best raisins nearly equal to London Layers, our 

 average would be about equal to Layers. The price of Malaga fruit 

 has been very low since eighteen hundred and seventy-six, on account 

 of the depression in business which naturally followed the close of 

 the French and German war. 



We quote, however, the price of Layers in the New York market: 

 In 1875, $2 15 per box ; in 1876, $1 90 ; in 1877, $1 60 ; in 1878, $1 85 ; 

 in 1879, $1 65; in 1880, $2 25. It would be hardly right to estimate 

 upon the average of the years, as some of them represent seasons of 

 great depression. The vineyardists of Malaga complained greatly of 

 the low price of their fruit, stating that the culture was not profit- 



