44 THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 



Colusa County. In the immediate vicinity of Colusa there are about 

 one hundred and fifty acres in bearing, and fully one hundred acres 

 more will be set out the coming season. The crop of raisins in 1888 

 was very insignificant; but in 1889 tne Colusa canneries packed forty 

 tons in boxes. The prices ranged from $1.75 to $2.25 per box, accord- 

 ing to quality. These figures refer only to the territory lying within 

 a radius of eight miles of Colusa. Some of the finest raisin grapes 

 in the county are grown near College City, and the entire output was 

 at least eighty tons of raisins. Many of the people around Orland are 

 reported as going into the business on a large scale. The ranchers in 

 and near the foothills are also producing raisins of excellent quality. 

 A single vineyard of fifteen hundred acres is being planted in one 

 place in the foothills. 



Butte County. While Butte produces a fair quality of raisins, her 

 vineyards are yet young and are just coming into bearing. The older 

 vines are those of General Bidwell, at Chico, covering about one hun- 

 dred acres, and those of Oroville and Mesilla valley, embracing about 

 the same area. A large number of young vines have been set out 

 during the past two years, and these number 52,200 near Oroville, 

 77,480 at Palermo, 67,200 at Thermalito, 20,570 at Wyandotte, 25,000 

 at Central House, 50,500 at Gridley, and something over 50,000 near 

 Chico. These have nearly all been planted within the past two years, 

 but a limited number are three years old. In the foothills are a num- 

 ber of small vineyards, but it is impossible to ascertain the acreage 

 and product, though the total of each is not large. Practically the 

 bearing vines of Butte number between 300 and 400 acres. The one 

 and two year old vineyards embrace about 350 acres, so that a con- 

 servative estimate for the total raisin vineyards of the county, young 

 and old, would be 700 acres. The raisins are all boxed and sold 

 directly by the vineyardists, the local demand taking nearly the whole 

 crop. The area to be planted this year will not exceed 250 acres. 



Tehama County. The area planted to grapes in Tehama county is 

 over ten thousand acres. The greater part of the fruit grown is used 

 for wine, and probably one-third for raisins. All the raisins produced 

 here are packed in boxes, and a large portion is used in home con- 

 sumption, while the remainder is shipped. Probably about ten thou- 

 sand boxes in bulk and packed will cover the yield. 



Shasta County. The raisin industry of Shasta county is only in its 

 infancy. There are 147 acres planted to raisin grapes within a radius 

 of fifteen miles from Redding. The largest acreage of raisin grapes 

 is in Happy valley. There are patches of grapes all through the foot- 

 hills. Probably not over one thousand boxes of raisins were shipped. 

 The planting of raisin grapes continues every year. Raisins are made 

 by many small growers, and sold here at-an average of six cents per 

 pound. 



FRESNO AND SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY. 



General Remarks. The San Joaquin valley is well adapted to 

 raisins along its whole length almost, but especially in its central and 

 southern parts. The farther we go south in the valley, the drier is the 

 climate, and the less is the rainfall in the autumn of the year, both 



