20 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



blast, thereby starting the packing opera- 

 tion with a thoroughly clean product. 



The loose dried raisins are next run 

 through a recent invention a "large ma- 

 chine called a ; 'stemmer' ; or '"grader" that 

 is the evolution of a great deal of work 

 and mechanical ingenuity. This machine 

 stems and grades into*four different clas- 

 ses, from 30 to 40 tons of raisins per day. 

 It is the two grades the Two-crowned 

 Loose and the Three-crowned Loose, as 

 they come from this machine that are 

 seeded and have become such an impor- 

 tant factor in the raisin business. 



The seeding is done by another machine 

 that is a wonder in the mechanical line. 

 In this piece of mechanism the raisins are 

 passed between a steel roller and a soft 

 rubber band. The steel roller is provided 

 with needle points about one-sixteenth of 

 an inch apart. These needle points pierce 

 the raisius and push the seeds through 

 into the soft rubber, from which they are 

 removed by a scraper, and the raisins pass 

 out and are packed into pasteboard boxes, 

 without having been touched by hand 

 from the beginning to the end of the pro- 

 cess. 



The benefits of organization are illus- 

 trated in this business by the California 

 Raisin Growers Association. This asso- 

 ciation is controlled by officers who tran- 

 sact all the business, sell the product or 

 make any necessary arrangements with the 

 packers and return the amount of money 

 due the grower. The result is a good pay- 

 ing and an even product that is satisfac- 

 tory to the trade, the grower and the con- 

 sumer. 



By way of advertising the association is 

 distributing 250,000 sample boxes to visi- 

 tors at the Exposition. This will doubt- 

 less do a great deal to acquaint the general 

 public with the quality of the product, as 

 a great many people are. eating these rai- 

 sins, who are unfamiliar with this new 

 American industry. I am indebted to 

 Mr. Chas. F. Wyer. who has charge of 



the exhibit in the Horticulture Building, 

 for much of the information contained in 

 this letter. 



THE MODEL DAIRY. 



The Model Dairy has been in operation 

 long enough to establish the importance of 

 rtie undertaking, and the results as pub- 

 lished from time to time have produced 

 more enthusiasm throughout the country 

 in regard to the different breeds of milch 

 cows than has ever before been made 

 manifest. It is not to be supposed that 

 these cows have done their best under the 

 trying circumstances and disadvantages 

 under which they have been placed, 

 though conditions, with very few excep- 

 tions are as fair for one as for the other. 

 Removing cows from their natural sur- 

 roundings to be housed in an exposition 

 building for six months under conditions 

 that are more or less detrimental is not 

 calculated to assist in producing the best 

 results. To appreciate this feature of the 

 Exposition, it is necessary to carefully in- 

 spect each herd and to take into consider- 

 ation a great many details and side issues 

 which it is impossible to give out in an 

 ordinary report. 



While the old-time favorites still retain 

 the apparent advantage there are other 

 breeds that have shown astonishing sustain- 

 ing qualities that have won them fame. 

 One of the least known, perhaps, is the 

 French Canadian, a herd of five little 

 cows, whose record has far exceeded their 

 looks or previous recommendations. In 

 fact, a study of this model dairy will re- 

 veal more surprises than the ordinary 

 stockman is aware of. 



A very important livestock side issue is 

 a large assortment of forage plants that 

 are now growing in a section of the 

 grounds near the livestock buildings. 

 This exhibit should be carefully studied 

 by every stockman in the country. It is 

 under the supervision of Prof. Lameon 

 Scribner, Agrostologist of the Agricul- 

 tural Department at Washington. This 



