THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 151 



placed over the dipping tray, and two men transfer the fruit by turning 

 over the two. ' ' 



The length of time required for dipping can only be ascertained by 

 experience, and must differ with the strength of the lye, with the heat 

 of the solution, and with the thickness of the skin of the grapes. 

 Thus in different localities the strength of the lye and the length of 

 immersion must always be different, and may even differ from year to 

 year. When properly dipped, the skin of the grapes must show some 

 very minute cracks, similar to cracks in glass which has been heated 

 and suddenly immersed in or sprinkled with ice-cold water. Deep 

 cracks are not desirable, as they will cause the juice of the pulp to leak 

 out, after which the raisins will sugar. In Valencia the grapes used 

 for dipping are the various varieties of Muscats, while in Smyrna both 

 Muscats and Sultanas are used. Corinths are never dipped, as they 

 dry readily and make superior raisins without this process. 



Drying and Curing. After the grapes are dipped, they must be im- 

 mediately dried either in the sun, or in sun and shade alternately, or 

 entirely in the shade. According to the circumstances attending the 

 drying of the grapes, the color of the raisins becomes more or less red 

 or yellow, transparent or opaque. The most perfect amber color is 

 attained in the shade, while in the sun the color rapidly changes to 

 reddish, a less desirable color in dipped raisins. The more favorable 

 is the weather for drying, the choicer will be the raisins, and the better 

 their color. If the sun is very warm and the chances are otherwise 

 favorable for drying, the trays should be exposed to the sun only long 

 enough to have their dip thoroughly evaporated, and for this purpose 

 one day in the sun may suffice. After this the stacking of the trays is 

 advisable, and only occasionally may the trays be spread if the drying 

 does not proceed rapidly enough. Such shade-dried dipped raisins 

 will assume a beautiful amber-yellow color, and bring several cents 

 more than those exposed to very warm sun. If, however, the weather 

 is not very warm, the grapes must be dried in the sun, and the grower 

 has then to be satisfied with the color that nature will give to his rai- 

 sins. Dipped raisins do not necessarily require turning, as they gen- 

 erally dry well anyhow in from four to six days in fair weather. For 

 this class of raisins dryers are very useful to help finish the drying. 

 Such dryers must be almost air-tight, as sandstorms would invariably 

 spoil the raisins, which, on account of their stickiness, are almost 

 impossible to afterwards cleanse. Dipped raisins should always be 

 dried on their trays, and on special drying grounds, which should be 

 so constructed that no sand can blow on them, or at least so arranged 

 that in case of rain the sand from the ground will not be splashed over 

 the trays. In California we have at present no such drying-floors, but 

 it will pay any one who intends dipping his grapes to construct them 

 either of bricks, bituminous rock or lumber. 



Stemming, Grading and Packing. Dipped raisins should be stemmed 

 when well dried, and then graded in two grades. The proper recep- 

 tacles for them are either sacks lined with paper, or twenty-pound 

 boxes, in which they may be packed without fancy paper, or in the 

 same way as prunes or other dried fruit. So far no uniform method of 

 packing such raisins has been adopted in this State. 



