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which so materially affect the subsequent oi)eratioii of packing, that the 

 subject is worthy of some consideration. 



In i^icking the bunches of grapes, scissors should be used, so that in 

 this operation the fine ones should not suffer any rough treatment or 

 handling, as, above every other consideration, the beautiful bloom of 

 nature should be preserved intact. 



The gatherer should, on the spot, sort out the superior fruit, and from 

 the vineyard convey it in flat baskets, of about 2 feet diameter, and hold- 

 ing about forty pounds of grapes in a single layer, (as they must never 

 ju-ess upon each other,) on his head, to the drying-floors, where he must 

 lay the bunches most carefully, close up against each other, so as com- 

 pletely to hide the ground, especially taking care to place them with 

 their finest, handsomest, and most perfect sides downward and next to 

 the ground. The object of this is to preserve the beauty and bloom, so 

 that they may subsequently adorn the face of the packed layers. The 

 drying-floors require nothing but the natural earth on which the grapes 

 have been grown, except that they must be nicely and neatly laid, and 

 be kept free from dust. 



The practice has always been to shelter the flats with boards or can- 

 vas tents at night or when it threatens rain. It is not a good plan, 

 however, to cover the grapes for the first few nights after they are laid 

 down ; for it is found to be a very good thing to let them enjoy the dew 

 and freshness of the night, which counteract in some degree the ten- 

 dency to dry too rapidly. The writer, however, has introduced into his 

 establishment covers made of galvanized corrugated -iron, which, 

 although more expensive, he finds incomparably superior to those hith- 

 erto used. They are placed more rapidly, more completely, do not suffer 

 through the sun as do the planks and canvas : and, above all other con- 

 siderations, instead of absorbing the damp, which in a slight degree is 

 drawn out of the ground, they rather retain it on the flat, thus keeping 

 the stalks of the raisins tough and pliable, whereby the packers are 

 enabled to arrange and lay their layers without such a large amount of 

 fine fruit being snapped off and condemned to the loose-raisin class. 



The time required for raisin-drying varies according to the season, 

 the aspect of the flats, and many other causes, but I should say the 

 average consumed may be computed at fifteen days ; and one of the 

 most important things attending the process is the selection of the 

 proper moment for picking them up off the flats and packing or storing 

 them. 



The art of iiacking the fine fruit as at present in use, in the opinion 

 of the writer, is a deplorable error, and one which should be abolished. 

 It is dreadfully expensive and tedious, requiring an amount of handling 

 which in food should be avoided. Instead, he would press on the i^ublic 

 the superiority of the light-bunch-layers system, where no fraud can be 

 practiced, and which can be carried out with scarcely any fingering, and 

 'where the purchaser sees at a glance the class of fruit which he is intend- 

 ing to eat. 



The fine packing, except in certain and honorable cases, is the cloak 

 for every kind of trickery and deception. 



I should mention that one extensive grower has introduced an oven, 

 with stoves, for the purpose of drying ; but I understand from the pack- 

 ers who frequent his establishment that the raisins do not present the 

 beauty of the sun-dried fruit. 



