6 THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 



from that time on the different spellings were used, if not promiscu- 

 ously, still without any great uniformity. The term of "greate ray- 

 sens" was introduced to distinguish them from the smaller raisins, or 

 currants. In our own days, the latter is seldom classed or alluded to 

 as a "raisin" proper, although it, strictly speaking, should be consid- 

 ered as such. The tendency at present in California is to make the 

 distinction between "raisins" and "dried grapes," meaning by the 

 former certain varieties of grapes which have been skillfully dried and 

 cured, and which are superior in taste, flavor, thinness of skin and 

 saccharine matter. "Dried grapes," again, are simply any kind of 

 grape, especially wine-grapes, which have only been dried, and 

 which have not undergone that skillful treatment which the grape- 

 grower is so proud of, and justly enough designates as "curing." 

 They are an outgrowth from the late efforts of the French wine mer- 

 chants to make genuine French wine out of anything that is sweet, 

 and as they are immensely preferable to beets, potatoes and glucose, 

 they will always be in demand. 



With the above definition of the ' ' raisin " accepted, we can pro- 

 ceed to consider their different varieties, their names and deriva- 

 tions. The old designations of the different varieties were derived from 

 the places where they were produced, without special reference to the 

 grapes from which the raisins were made. Thus we had Malagas, Cur- 

 rants, Valencias, Denias, Turkish and Italian raisins. But since it has 

 been found that the same kinds of raisins have been produced in very 

 different localities, and that some localities can produce all the different 

 kinds, a new division has been found necessary. Thus, disregarding 

 the many various brands with which this and other markets are flooded, 

 the following different varieties of raisins will be found the principal 

 ones: Currants, Muscatels ', Dipped and Sultana. 



THE CURRANT. 



The currant is one of the very oldest raisins known. As early 

 as 75 A. D. Pliny speaks of the fine grapes grown in Greece, the 

 berry being thin-skinned, juicy and sweet, and the bunch being 

 exceedingly small. This, then, must be the currant of later times. 

 After this first mention of this grape, the same drops out of history 

 for ten centuries, and the name currant is first to be identified with 

 raisins de Corauntz, or rather, "reysyns de Corauntzs" as late as 

 1334. As early as the eleventh century, a lively traffic in this kind 

 of raisins had taken place between the Greek producers, the Veni- 

 tians and other of the Mediterranean merchant nations. In 1334 we 

 find them called "corauntz;" in 1435, "corent;" and old MS. of the 

 Grocers' Company in London, speaks of "x butts and vi roundel- 

 letts of resins of Corent." Thus spelle^ the name was used for 

 years. In 1463 " reysonys of Corawnce " were three pence per pound, 

 and in 1512 the Duke of Northumberland paid two pence per pound 

 for rasyns of Corens. In 1554 the name had changed to currans, 

 and the Stationers' Company provided for a banquet ( ' 5 punde of currans 

 at one shilling and eight pence." In 1558 the same company pro- 

 vided for "6 punde of currance for 2 shillings." In 1578 we find in 



