CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



the grader, by separating according to size, determines the grade. 

 During the last few years the seeding of raisins has increased 

 rapidly, and large establishments for this work, with every ingenious 

 machinery, have been erected. Seeded raisins constitute a consider- 

 able portion of the product. 



Considerable quantities of dipped raisins are also made of loose 

 or inferior Muscatels. A lye dip of about one pound of caustic soda 

 or Wyandotte alkali to twelve gallons of water is- used, and the 

 solution is kept boiling hot. The ripe fruit is dipped for an instant, 

 then plunged in fresh water for a thorough rinsing, and then placed 

 on the trays, and put in tight sulphur-houses for three hours. They 

 are then spread in the sun for one day and curing finished in the 

 stack if the weather is dry and hot; but if cooler, moister weather 

 prevails, the trays must be spread out. The product is a handsome 

 amber color. 



Dipped Seedless Raisins. After much experimentation by Cali- 

 fornia growers to improve the process of making dipped raisins, the 

 following method largely used by Mr. G. H. Hecke of Woodland, 

 Yolo County, in handling Thompson and Sultana raisins has been 

 widely adopted : 



Dissolve 30 pounds of bicarbonate of soda in 30 gallons of water, by 

 thorough boiling; add 60 gallons of water to this solution and enough good 

 olive oil to film the surface of the dip about a teacupful will generally be 

 right. If this dip does not sufficiently cut the bloom on the grape, add a 

 pound or two of ordinary lye to the dip until it is strong enough to remove 

 it. Keep this dipping solution at about 90 degrees F. and add a tablespoon- 

 ful of the olive oil from time to time to replace the oil removed by dipping. 



These directions, of course, are general, and will serve only as a basis 

 for operations. Sugar content of grapes, cloudy days during the drying 

 process, different brands of olive oil, all are factors in the successful adop- 

 tion of this method, and hence, individual judgment is necessary to obtain 

 the best results. The raisins produced under this process should be of light 

 amber color and will dry in less than half the time needed for the undipped 

 grapes. 



GRAPE SYRUP 



The manufacture of grape syrup, as a means of disposing of 

 wine grapes, has recently received much attention and detailed 

 descriptive publications can be had from the University Experiment 

 Station at Berkeley. 



MACHINE EVAPORATION 



Although California summer conditions of adequate heat and 

 dry air favor open-air evaporation to such an extent that nearly all 

 our product of cured fruit is secured in that way, there are some 

 parts of the State where artificial heat would be a safer recourse and 

 there are occasionally years in which drying fruits collide with 

 early rains in a way to cause losses even in our best sun-curing 

 regions. 



In 1919, owing to great losses of prunes by the heavy September 

 rams of 1918 in the coast valleys (which have never been equaled 



