136 l-s* TH ^ RAISIN INDUSTRY. 



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over the vineyard several times, each time picking only the ripest 

 grapes. In places where there are two crops of grapes, at least two 

 pickings are absolutely necessary, and in many places two pickings 

 are enough. The green grapes of the first crop are then left to be 

 picked with the second crop, at which time they will probably be 

 perfectly ripe and very choice. But if the vineyard is small and man- 

 ageable, and the owner wishes to realize the most that he possibly can, 

 he should make at least three different pickings, each time taking 

 /care only to pick those grapes which are fully ripe and which would 

 / make a first-class quality of raisins. As long as the smaller vineyardists 

 sell their raisins in bulk at a contracted price of so much a pound for 

 any kind or quality of raisins, we cannot expect any great improve- 

 ment in the too common mode of picking, \viiere good, bad and iad f- 

 ferent grapes go on the trays together. But i am certain that in a few 

 years this will or must change. Raisins in sweatboxes will bring the 

 price they are actually worth, and it will be to the interest of every 

 grower to pick his grapes at the time they will make the best possible 

 raisins, even if extra labor is required for the work. The pickers 

 'generally use small, pointed knives for separating the bunches, and 

 they are preferable to small shears, as better enabling the picker to 

 reach farther in between bunches and branches, and to cut the former 

 I without injuring the branch. 



In picking the bunches, great care should be taken, much more than 

 is at present in use. It is always best to begin picking in the poorest 

 part of the vineyard, as it will take some time for the pickers to learn; 

 they are almost certain to pick in the beginning too many green grapes. 

 The poorest part of the vineyard is also apt to have the ripest grapes. 

 The large, fine bunches should be handled with the utmost care, in 

 order that the bloom of the grapes may not be injured. The bunches 

 generally should be handled by the stems oglv^r. if this is imprac- 

 ticable, by the stem as much as possible. In separating a largejjunch 

 from the vine, the bunch should be cut as close to the stem as possi- 

 ble, and at the end of the stem of the bunch there should remain a 

 portion of that broader part by which the bunch is attached to the 

 mjiin_branch. There is nothing prettier on a bunch of raisins than 

 this broad end of thlTbunch; it gives an idea of strength and oddity 

 to the raisin cluster, showing the buyer at a glance that it is a cluster 

 which was once solidly attached to the vine. Many raisin-packers 

 place this broad end of the bunch so as to protrude above or between 

 the berries, as if inviting the purchaser to take hold of it and thus 

 lift the luscious bunch out of the box. With the poorer and smaller 

 bunches, no such care in cutting need be exercised, and it would be 

 to no benefit to so cut a small, poor bunch that it would cause the 

 purchaser to belive it was a large bunch. Poorer bunches might there- 

 fore be cut with short stems. As to the handling of the bunches, the 

 intelligent grower will soon learn how to instruct his men. If vine 

 branches interfere with the lifting of the bunch from the vine, some 

 of them may be cut without any injury to the vine, but too many 

 branches cut this way will cause a new growth to start, which often is 

 derived from the best fruit buds for the ensuing season, and which 

 always is apt to be injured from frost. 



