JF'ruit in J'nc/iiffan. 85 



G-rapes for Wine and Raisins. 



A CORRESPONDENT of the Pacific Rural Press, writing from Napa county, es- 

 timates the value of raisins annually imported into the United States greater than 

 the whole grape crop produced in California. Thinks there is no reason why this de- 

 mand of the country for foreign grown raisins cannot be supplied from the vineyards of 

 that State; that more attention than hitherto should be given to the production of raisin 

 and table grapes. Upon the best varieties of grapes for the purposes of wine, raisins 

 and the table, and the best method for curing the fruit for raisins, the writer remarks : 



" I would not advise any one to confine himself to one kind of grape, but a grape 

 which will admirably meet either one or all of these demands would seem to be 

 entitled to the first place, and this I claim for the Muscat of Alexandria. It is one 

 of the best table grapes both in flavor and keeping qualities, and as far as my expe- 

 rience goes, after trying some thirty different kinds, nnequaled for raisins. It also 

 commands the highest price for wine. If any one knows a better raisin grape, he 

 ■will confer a favor on hundreds by publishing the fact in the Press. The Flame, 

 Tokay and BlackMoroc co will bear transportation better than other grapes. For 

 red wine I prefer the Zinfindel and Rose of Paru. For white wine, German Mus- 

 catel, Riesling, Berger and Grerman Chasslas. These grapes in this valley this year 

 brought twenty-five dollars per ton for wine, and but a small part of the demand was 

 supplied. No reflecting man of this day will plant the Mission variety. The net 

 profit of the foreign vines in ray own vineyard this y.ear was more than double that 

 from my Mission vines, acre for acre. 



" Now a word about making raisins. I will give you my idea, derived from experi- 

 ments on a small scale, it is true, but I think it equally applicable to a large opera- 

 tion. All raisins that I have seen made h^ artificial heat have a cooked taste. They 

 can be made in the open air in the early part of the season, but they are exposed to 

 great loss and damage by insects, bees, wasps, birds and squirrels, and liable to be 

 ruined by rain. 



" My plan is this : construct a building with a single glass roof sloping to the south, 

 the lower side of the roof reaching nearly to the ground, the ends and sides boarded 

 tight, with double doors at each end of the building, the outside doors of wood, the 

 inside doors of wire cloth. The floor should be of earth, stone or concrete ; this, 

 with a curtain to di-aw over the glass roof when the sun is too hot makes the whole 

 complete. Opening the outside doors gives the necessary ventilation in the daytime, 

 and closing them at nighttime keeps the room warm all night without artificial heat. 

 The room of course can be made any length or width desired. I have made raisins 

 that have been pronounced equal to any imported ones." 



Fruit in Michigan. — At a late meeting of the St. Joseph Poraological Society, 

 the following conclusions were arrived at : The fruit crop of 1872 will exceed that 

 of any year. That there are two peaches which cannot be ignored or rejected — the 

 Early Crawford and Early Barnard. 



