THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 65 



the heat seldom reaches one hundred degrees, and the grapes ripen 

 several weeks earlier than in Fresno, where the summer temperature 

 averages ten degrees higher. In Fresno, on the contrary, the season 

 is earlier than in Southern California, where probably the seabreezes 

 retard the ripening of the grapes. A temperature of over one hundred 

 and five degrees proves injurious to unprotected or exposed grapes in 

 the central region of California, but in San Diego county several 

 degrees less is sufficient to scald the grapes or give them a cooked flavor 

 if they are already exposed on the trays to dry. It is certain that with 

 an average highest temperature of ninety degrees, the grapes develop 

 better and become larger and sweeter than where the heat is excessive 

 and reaches one hundred and ten degrees or more.* 



The time when the greatest temperature occurs is of practical 

 importance. Excessive heat can be tolerated by grapes protected by 

 leaves and branches or otherwise sheltered, but if it happens at a time 

 when the bunches are exposed to dry on the trays, the injury to the 

 berries will be great or even ruinous. Early localities are especially apt 

 to suffer in this way, and it is well to experiment before too much con- 

 fidence is placed in very early regions. To such places, however, there 

 remains the possibility of curing the raisins in partial shade, as is done 

 in Chile, thus producing raisins of an entirely different type from the 

 Malaga or California product. 



Winds, Injurious or Beneficial. In the California raisin districts hot, 

 clec'crical winds are much feared in the months of June and July, or 

 before the grapes have begun to ripen. In the San Joaquin valley 

 these winds come from the northwest and sweep down over the vines, 

 often scorching the leaves and frequently drying the berries on the 

 exposed side. In the course of a few days the berries dry up entirely, 

 and the whole bunch is lost. These drying winds are not peculiar to 

 any certain part of California, but occur from time to time in every 

 raisin district on the coast, in the south as well as in the center, on the 

 coast as well as inland. The remedy is to grow the vines low and to 

 keep the berries well covered. The planting of windbreaks will also 

 modify these winds, and in places .where they formerly were common 

 they have now entirely ceased or become so modified that they cause 

 no injury to the grapes, but prove even beneficial on account of the 

 quicker and better maturing of the fruit. In certain districts, espe- 

 cially in San Bernardino and in Orange, some very drying winds are 

 experienced late in the season, in September and October. For the 

 raisin-growers these winds are a blessing. They quickly dry the 

 exposed grapes, which have been retarded in drying, or perhaps even 

 injured by a previous shower of rain or by continued heavy dews. 

 These winds are undoubtedly desert winds, and similar to the Terral 

 of Malaga, which, sweeping over the inland plains of La Mancha, 

 reach the coast vineyards and quickly mature the grapes. In Malaga 

 there is also a moist southern wind, the Levante, which retards the 

 ripening and the curing of the grapes, and which must be considered 

 as our southwesterly fall winds, which, saturated with moisture, swell 



* Whenever the temperature is referred to it means the degree of heat (Fahren- 

 it) in the shade, and not in the sun except when so expressly stated. 



