REPORT OP COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION 311 



agreed that the Muscat raisins made from grapes below 25 Bal. were more 

 or less inferior. Some preferred those at 25 Bal. and considered the 

 raisins made from riper grapes less desirable commercially owing to their 

 stickiness and deeper color. Others stated that there was little difference 

 in value among those made after the grapes reached 25 Bal. In the case 

 of the Sultanina a similar difference of opinion was found. 



The quality includes a number of factors, such as size, color, flavor and 

 texture. Improvements in any of these factors usually accompany increase 

 of size, if we confine our comparisons to the same variety of grape, the 

 same locality and the same method of manufacture. 



If we compare the various tests of Muscat raisins made at Kearney in 

 1914, in respect to the ratios of the various "crowns," or sizes produced, 

 and use these ratios as measures of quality, we find a very regular increase 

 of quality proportionate to the increase in ripeness of the grapes. 



Table III. Ratios of Grades ("Crowns") of Raisins (by Weight). 



Kearney, 1914. 



Exp. Bal. 4 Cr. 3 Cr. 2 Cr. Seedless Waste 



1 18.6 7.45 65.95 23.32 1.62 2.10 



2 20.2 7.53 68.82 21.50 1.11 1.04 



3 21.8 8.26 70.19 19.03 1.51 1.03 



4 23.6 12.75 68.70 15.44 2.42 .76 



5 24.0 20.26 64.76 13.00 1.41 .57 



6 23.8 24.27 61.74 12.66 .94 .38 



7.... 26.5 30.41 56.55 12.28 .72 .15 



Table IV. Average Weight of Various Grades (in Grams per 1000). 



Kearney, 1914. 



"Float- 



Exp. 4 Cr. 3 Cr. 2 Cr. Seedless ers" 



1 13.95 10.50 6.35 2.45 1.30 



2 15.45 10.40 5.80 2.45 1.35 



3 15.70 11.75 6.05 2.40 1.75 



4 16.48 12.40 6.15 2.80 1.30 



5 15.48 11.95 5.75 2.20 1.50 



6 16.25 32.55 6.55 2.75 ,,1.60 



7 17.75 13.80 5.90 2.45 1.30 



Improvement of quality with increasing ripeness is shown in Table III 

 by an increase of over 300 per cent in the largest grade and a correspond- 

 ing decrease in the smaller, particularly the smallest. This increase is 

 both in size and in specific gravity, as it shown in Table IV by the regular 

 increase of average weight of the 3 cr. and 4 cr. grades. In the smaller 

 grades there is little or no change in specific gravity. 



4. Increase of Crop. Thus as the grapes develop, they increase in size 

 and in specific gravity, and the crop consequently increases in total weight. 

 As the drying ratio at the same time diminishes, the increase in the weight 

 of raisins is greater than in that of fresh grapes. 



An estimate of the total increase of weight of raisins was made by 

 weighing two average samples of 1,000 raisins taken from each drying test. 



