-II Jan., 1909.] Valeucia Raisins or Lexias. u 



told that they injure the fruit. No doubt Spanish conservatism hias 

 something to do with this prejudice and, at the low rate of wages ruling, 

 a change is not necessary. There is nevertheless no doubt that the re- 

 moval of the stalks can be more completely and thoroughl) performed 

 by hand than by any machine. 



The almacen I visited was a large two storied stone building, the 

 ground floor of which was chiefly a series of store rooms for the cased 

 fruit. It was on the first flocvr that the handling of the raisins was 

 carried out. This floor was divided into three large, airy rooms with 

 cement floors. The first of these was a store room about 80 ft. x 45 ft. 

 into which the crude drv fruit is carried in lar:ge palm baskets known 

 as capazos of a capacity of 2 arrobas each ; one man carries two of 

 these up the stairs at a time, a load of 1 cwt. of raisins. These are) 

 emptied out in a layer of from 3 to 4 ft. in depth over the whole floor. 

 Adjoining this is the stemming room, also 80 ft. x 45 ft., in which the 

 raisins are removed from the stalks. This work is performed by women, 

 from 150 to 200 being emplo)ed at a time. Payment is by contract at 

 the rate of 35 to 40 cents per arroba of about 28 lbs. A woman can 

 stem 4 arrobos, = i cwt., per day, for which she would xeceive 1.40 to 

 1.60 pesetas equivalent to is. 2d. to is. 4d. of out mone) . 



From the stemming room the raisins go to the grading room, which 

 is a little smaller (60 ft. x 45 ft.). Here they are sorted out into dif- 

 ferent sizes bv means of sieves or riddles of simple construction. These 

 consist of a wooden hoop, about 2 ft. in, diameter, across which is stretched 

 a sheet of parchment punched with circular holes of sizes corresponding 

 to the different grades. In one corner I observed a large hanging riddle 

 of wood and metal, which had been discarded as it was considered to 

 injure the fruit. 



Packing is the final operation ; the raisins are put up in cases of 

 7, 14 and 28 lbs. the last being the most usual size. The highest grade 

 fruit is often put up in 7 lb. cases. The principal grades and last 

 year's prices for them, C.I.F. London, were as follows:- — 



Extra Flor ... 8Ss. to 40s. per cwt. 



Flor ... ... 32s. to 3 is. 



Superior Selected ... 28s. to 30s. ,, 



Selected ... ... 238. to 28s. ,, 



Seedless ... ... 27s. 



For shipment to the Baltic, a cheap form of raisin is put up 

 known in the trade as ' ' oft" stalk. ' ' This term is rather a misnomer as 

 it is only the large stalks which are removed the smaller fragments being 

 left attached to the raisins. Sometimes high grade fruit is put up in 

 this way but it is usually inferior tO' that which finds its wav to England. 



The raisin drying season commences in August, extending into Sep- 

 tember and even October. The earliest dried are lighter in colour but 

 somewhat smaller than the September fruit which is looked upon as the 

 best. The size has a good deal to do v,'ith value but the substance of 

 the flesh is of equal if not greater importance. In appearance the chief 

 difference between our raisins and those of Spain lies in the colour — 

 theirs are redder and not so golden as (Durs. 



***** 



The Denia raisin trade is almost entirely in English hands. The 

 puddin"- raisin, though one of the necessaries of life in English sneaking 

 countries, and used to some extent in Germany and Scandinavia, is in 

 very small demand in most other continental countries where puddings 



