THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 171 



On November 4, 1875, it was recorded that up to the ist of Novem- 

 ber there had been received 6,000 boxes of California raisins, "the 

 quality generally good, ' ' worth from eight to ten cents per pound, say 

 $2.00 and $2.25 per box of twenty-two pounds net; lyondon layers, 

 $3. 50 and $3. 75. 



1876. In January of 1876 Malagas were quoted at $3.25 and $3.50, 

 California raisins bringing ten and twelve and one-half cents per pound. 

 The following comment was made at that time, which may be consid- 

 ered as another mile-stone in the progress of the California industry: 

 1 ' Malaga raisins have been imported to very much less extent the 

 present than last season, owing to the large products of California 

 cured, which latter have amounted to upwards of 30,000 boxes, about 

 one-half of which have been of prime quality, suitable for table use, a 

 portion being poorly cured and considerably inferior to the imported, 

 but have sold at lower rates for ordinary cooking purposes. ' ' 



The California raisin was now fairly on its feet, so to speak, and was 

 in lively competition with the Malaga dried grape. The market reports 

 spoke well of Blowers' California Muscatels and Briggs' bunch raisins. 

 The jobbers, however, were loth to give up the Malaga; but to sell 

 that article they had to import an extra choice quality, as the public 

 was beginning to show a marked preference for the home product. In 

 proof of this the following extract, dated November 9, 1876, is given: 

 ' * The quality of the Malaga raisins now here is superior to any ever 

 before imported, and have a preference over our best California raisins. 

 This, however, will not always be the case, as experience makes per- 

 fect, and in a few years we will be entirely independent of the Old 

 World for all sorts of dried fruits." 



1877. In November, 1877, very complimentary notice is made of 

 Blowers' layer raisins from Woodland, which brought $2.75 and $3.00 

 per box. Briggs' raisins were worth $2.25 and $2.70. This extract, 

 dated January 18, 1877, * s st iU another landmark in the raisin indus- 

 try: "The consumption of raisins has been fully up to the average of 

 past years, yet divided between Malaga imports and our own Califor- 

 nia production. Of the latter, upwards of 20,000 boxes have been 

 already marketed; and, had it not been for the unusual and unexpected 

 heavy rainfall in October, there is every reason to believe that our 

 home crop of bunch and layer raisins would have reached 50,000 

 boxes of twenty pounds each. Blowers' Muscat raisins were superior 

 and in every way equal to the imported. Briggs, of Marysville, also 

 turned out several thousand boxes of bunch, and others have made a 

 creditable beginning. Enough has been done here in this line to sat- 

 isfy our grape-growers that raisin-curing is to be, in the near future, a 

 prominent California interest, and, to do it successfully, the sun-drying 

 process is infinitely superior to that of machine-drying. Sheds must 

 be erected and prepared in time to protect the fruit from early rain, and 

 then the working process is sure to all who have the right kind of 

 grapes. Then uniform weight in twenty, ten and five pound boxes, all 

 handsomely put up in fancy papered boxes, and California then will be 

 prepared to secure all the raisin trade west of the Rocky Mountains, 

 and a good part of that of the Eastern States. As it is, those of our 



