THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 79 



Health and Longevity of Irrigated Vines. As regards the health of 

 the vines, the old idea in this country that vines would suffer from 

 irrigation is decidedly erroneous. The vines of Denia in Spain have 

 been irrigated for eighty years or more, and are to-day the healthiest 

 vines in Spain. Similarly, the Fresno vines, where the water level, as 

 in Denia, is only from five to ten feet below the surface, show no signs 

 of decay, while many of the raisin-vines in other parts of the State, 

 especially where planted on the hillsides, show diseases which baffle 

 the cultivator. I do not, of course, mean to say that irrigated raisin- 

 vines are entirely free from diseases, but only that, so far, the 

 healthiest and strongest raisin-vines of the world are those which are 

 irrigated, and which have always been irrigated. Of course in this 

 respect the Muscat grapes, as well as the currant vines, differ mate- 

 rially from certain wine grapes, which as a rule have originated on 

 drier soils, and which, if grown with irrigation, deteriorate and yield 

 inferior fruit. The raisin-vines require much moisture, and, if this is 

 not supplied in one way or another, they will suffer and prove unprofit- 

 able. The same is observed in soils which rapidly lose their moisture. 

 In such soils the Muscat is not at home, and its health and vigor is 

 seriously impaired. 



The Bearing Quality of Irrigated Vines. In regard to the bearing 

 quality of the raisin grapes under irrigation, we know with certainty 

 that the irrigated raisin-vines yield by far the most. In Valencia and 

 Denia, the vines yield from five to ten tons to the acre, and so do those 

 of Riverside and Fresno, while the El Cajon unirrigated vines yield 

 only from one to two tons per acre. If the latter place would irrigate 

 judiciously, its Muscat vines would no doubt bear as well as those of 

 any other locality. I am led to this belief from what I have seen of 

 irrigated grapes elsewhere in San Diego county, which were fully as 

 well loaded as the heaviest vines in San Bernardino county or Fresno. 



Quality of hrigated Grapes. That the quality of the irrigated raisin 

 grape is increased by judicious irrigation is readily seen in all irrigated 

 districts, where those vines which receive their proper share of water 

 produce the largest bunches and berries. But it is also evident that 

 too much water will cause a deficiency of sugar in the grapes, as well 

 as a lack of flavor, by which the irrigated grapes can always be distin- 

 guished from those grown with natural moisture. Grapes too freely 

 irrigated are not alone wanting in sugar, but also in color. Such 

 grapes remain green to the end of the season, and never assume that 

 amber color so valued in grapes, and which always indicates before- 

 hand what raisins they will produce when properly dried. In our 

 interior valleys, where the sun and the wind sometimes produce sun- 

 scald of the berries, which again causes them to fall off or dry up long 

 before they are properly ripe, this defect is much more frequent on 

 vines which suffer from want of water than on those which have had 

 enough. When the soil is not subirrigated, it is therefore advisable to 

 irrigate the vines at the end of June, just before the hottest part of the 

 summer arrives. Similarly, irrigation will help to swell out the berries 

 if applied just before they commence to ripen. 



-In conclusion we might with truth say that the raisin grapes may in 

 many localities be grown without irrigation, but that in California, in 



