42 THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 



cross-plowed, the first plowing being from the vines, and the second 

 to the vines. Harrowing and cultivating both ways are secondary 

 operations, continued to the middle of May, but seldom later. Hoeing 

 the vines finishes the work of the soil in the middle or end of May. 



In pruning, the crowns are never raised over six inches above the 

 ground, from seven to eight spurs are left on large vines, and each spur 



I is pruned to two or three eyes each. Formerly more eyes, say from four 

 to five, were left on each cane, but it was found that this was too 

 many, hence the change to two or three eyes. Summer pruning is 

 practiced by some, but not by all; there is yet a controversy in regard 

 to its usefulness. When practiced, the vines are cut six or eight 

 inches from the tops, and this is done not later than June. Sulphur- 

 ing is in use everywhere; the vines are sulphured two times, once 

 before and once after the bloom. Sulphured vines do not suffer from 

 mildew. Colure, or the dropping of the young berries, is not com- 

 mon, the Muscat of Alexandria even setting well. The leaf-hopper 

 {Erythroneura comes) is more common in some years than in others. 

 They eat the leaves and cause the grapes to sunburn. Grasshoppers 

 have never caused any damage. Grape moths are more or less com- 

 mon, but never troublesome. Black-knot is often seen on neglected 

 vines, but is rare in old vineyards well cared for. 



The Crop. The grapes ripen in September, generally from the first 

 to the tenth. The drying and curing occupies three weeks. The 

 bunches are placed on trays made of pine two feet by three. Several 

 growers have artificial dryers, which are needed for curing the second 

 crop. The sweatboxes are large enough to contain seventy pounds of 

 raisins, and are eight inches deep. In the Briggs raisin vineyard, 

 the following brands are packed: three crown Layer Muscatels; two 

 crown Layer Muscatels; one and two crown Loose Muscatels; Dehesas 

 and Seedless Muscatels. The raisins are seldom sold in sweatboxes, 

 and no fixed price is known for such raisins. Most growers pack their 

 own raisins. The oldest raisin vineyard is that started by the late 

 G. G. Briggs, and now owned by his widow. The most renowned 

 vineyard was that owned by R. B. Blowers of Woodland, which has 



, | of late years been mostly replaced by other crops. Raisin land can 

 . I be had for from one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars per 



*' acre. This is vacant land of the very best quality. An average 

 profit of fifty dollars per acre is realized, although some have made 

 more money out of their vines. A yield of two or three tons of grapes 

 per acre is common. As regardsprices of _ labor, etc., the following 

 were those most commolT"Iast~ season : Man and te"am, who boards 

 himself and animals, three dollars and twenty-five cents per day, can 

 plow one and a half acres of vineyard well. Pruning, one man, one 

 dollar per day, can prune three hundred vines, or three-fourths of 

 an acre. Laborers generally board themselves. The raisins of this 

 district were the first ones in the State or on this continent to attract 

 attention, and they were the first which successfully competed with 

 Spain. The crop of 1889 reached one hundred and twenty thousand 

 boxes. 



