THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 43 



NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. 



General Remarks. The Muscatel and Sultana raisin grapes grow 

 almost everywhere in the State, and it is therefore natural enough that 

 the planting of raisin-vines should have increased considerably of late 

 years, even in localites situated outside of those raisin districts men- 

 tioned, which have already made a success of the raisin industry. 

 Below will be found a few notices from various such places which 

 aspire to raisin fame, some of which have yet to make their reputation 

 in this line. These notices are partly taken from the San Francisco 

 Chronicle, which paper went to the trouble and expense of collecting 

 such statistics at the beginning of the year. It must be remembered, 

 however, that these statements are more or less approximate. As will 

 be seen, all these localities here mentioned lie in the interior or the 

 Sacramento valley proper, enjoying an inland climate. The climate 

 in this valley is somewhat like that of the San Joaquin valley, of 

 which it is an extension. Only the heat in summer is less, the. rain 

 in winter is more profuse, the showers in the spring of the year are 

 later and those of the fall are earlier. 



Placer County. At Rocklin J. P. Whitney has two hundred and fifty 

 acres of raisin grapes, and is the largest raisin-maker in the county. 

 There are not over three hundred and fifty acres of Muscats devoted to 

 raisin-making in the county, and the total output this year was about 

 four hundred tons, most of which was shipped directly East. The 

 first carload of Muscat raisins sent East was shipped from the 

 Whitney vineyard about ten years ago. A large area of Muscat and 

 other vineyards will be planted this season, but none for raisin- 

 making. 



Yuba County. The raisin industry has received but little attention 

 in Yuba county, although it has long been known that raisins of 

 superior quality can be produced here. The area in raisin- vines is 

 about three hundred acres, which will probably be increased by sev- 

 eral hundred acres this season. Less than a hundred acres are in 

 bearing. The raisin vineyards planted last season are chiefly at 

 Colmena, midway between Marysville and Wheatland. The Muscatel 

 grape is planted to some extent, bufthe favorite grape is the Thompson 

 Seedless, a new variety of great promise. 



Suiter County. The raisin industry of Sutter county dates back to 

 the year 1876, and the venture was first made by the late Dr. S. R. 

 Chandler three miles south of this city. The area now in raisin vine- 

 yard is about six hundred acres, three-fourths of which are in bear- 

 ing. The crops marketed and prices received are about as follows: 

 Three thousand twenty-pound boxes at $1.65 per box; eight hundred 

 sacks of one hundred pounds each, at five cents a pound; five hun- 

 dred and twenty-five sacks of dried grapes of one hundred pounds 

 each, at three cents a pound. The home consumption is extensive, 

 but is not estimated. The county is well adapted to raisin growing 

 and curing, and received the second prize at the late Oroville State 

 Citrus Exposition. Muscatel and Thompson Seedless are the favorite 

 grapes. The soil of this county is very rich and warm, and no irriga- 

 tion has been practiced. 



