1496 



RAISIN 



ing purposes. Some "bleached" Seedless Sultana and 

 Thompson Seedless are prepared, and command a 

 higher price for no other reason than that they are con- 

 sidered more pleasing to the eye. The delicious flavor 

 and aroma are entirely destroyed in the bleaching with 

 sulfur, and all possible efforts should be made to dis- 

 courage the practice. Few, if any, "dipped" Raisins are 

 now prepared. 



The varieties planted are: White Muscat of Alexan- 

 dria, the Muscatel Gordo Blanco and Malaga; and for 

 seedless Raisins, the Seedless Sultana and Thompson 

 Seedless. It is safe to say that the first two are the 

 prevalent varieties and produce the finest Raisins. The 

 Gordo Blanco is the favorite with some on account of 

 its large uniform berries and full, even symmetrical 

 clusters. The seedless varieties are both small. "Cur- 

 rants" (which, by the way, are not "currants" at all, 

 but the cured fruit of the Zante or Corinth grape-vine) 

 are only partially successful, and as they command 

 a lower price, are not considered profitable in Cali- 

 fornia. 



The Raisin vines are subject to the same diseases and 

 insect pests as are the wine and table varieties of the 

 Vitis vinifera type, and these are combated by the 

 usual methods. Downy mildew is unknown in Califor- 

 nia, and up to the season of 1900 no phylloxera had made 

 its appearance in the Fresno vineyards. In the fall of that 

 year, however, it was discovered in the district, and to 

 what extent it will reduce the acreage, will, of course, 

 depend upon the vigilance of the growers and prompt- 

 ness with which replautings with resistant stocks are 

 made. 



Of late years high assertions have been made for the 

 Salt river and Gila valleys of Arizona as Raisin regions. 

 It is said the grapes ripen earlier and have that advantage 

 over the California districts, as well as that of being 

 nearer to market. How far these advantages will count 

 against the California Raisin in the competition remains 

 as yet to be seen. 



For a complete and detailed account of Raisin-grow- 

 ing and curing, as well as a bibliography of the subject, 

 see "The Raisin Industry," by Gustav Eisen; also, 

 "California Fruits, and How to Grow Them," by E. J. 

 Wickson. ARNOLD V. STUBENRAUCH. 



KAISIN-TEEE, JAPANESE. Hovenia dulcis. 



RAMONDA (L. F. E. von Raniond de Carbonnieres, 

 French botanist and traveler, 1753-1827). Often spelled 

 Ramondia, but originally written Ramonda. Gesneracew. 

 Ramondia Pyrenaica is one of the choicest and most 

 popular alpine plants. Few, if any, inhabitants of rock 

 gardens have been so often pictured. It is a small, 

 tufted, hardy perennial herb, like most alpine plants, 

 and its scapes bear one or few fls. in spring. These are 

 an inch or so across, and normally purple or violet, but 

 there is a pure white variety which is in great favor. 

 The Ramondas vary in the number of their petals, or 

 rather corolla-lobes. For example, P. Natlialice often 

 has 4-lobed and 5-lobed fls. on the same plant. The 

 floral parts in the genus are in 4's, 5's or 6's. These 

 plants are rare and local in Europe and are interesting 

 as being among the few alpine survivors of a family 

 that is now essentially tropical. 



A genus of about 3 species : corolla with scarcely any 

 tube, rotate or broadly bell-shaped: perfect stamens as 

 many as the corolla-lobes, affixed at the base of the co- 

 rolla: ovary superior: capsule oblong: seeds minus. 

 Ramondas are woolly or villous plants with soft, wrinkled 

 leaves. The plants require perfect drainage. 



Although three Ramondas are in the trade, only one 

 is well known. This is R. Pyrenaica, which is hardy 

 in the eastern states. It is a beautiful, dwarf, alpine 

 plant well adapted for the rock garden. It is rather 

 hard to establish but can be easily grown from seed. 

 If seeds are sown in the spring, and the small plants 

 grown along in pots for the first summer and kept in a 

 cool shady position, they will make neat little plants by 

 the end of autumn. They should be kept in a coldframe 

 for the winter. These one-year-old plants grown in pots 

 are much easier to establish than younger plants. They 

 can be planted in small pockets in the rockery in a 

 slightly shaded and elevated position, and given good, 



RAMP1ON 



deep, peaty soil. When the plants get established they 

 will blossom freely, and if allowed to ripen their seed 

 they will sow themselves freely amongst the rocks. Old 

 plants can also be increased by division. They ought to 



2072. Ramonda Pyrenaica (X %). 



be covered in winter with some hay or dry leaves so that 

 they will not be heaved out of the ground by the alter- 

 nate thawing and freezing. 



A. Color of fls. purple or white. 

 B. Corolla 5-parted, rotate. 



Pyrenaica, Rich. Fig. 2072. Sometimes called Ro- 

 sette Mullein. Well-grown specimens may have 6-12 

 scapes, each bearing 3-4 fls. 1% in. across. Native of 

 Pyrenees. Many inferior forms have been sent out in 

 the name of var. alba. Gn. 26, p. 129 (repeated in 27, p. 

 197); 29, p. 343 (repeated in 44, p. 555); 27, p. 197; 

 37:735 and p. 31; 51, p. 205; 56, p. 228. G.C. III. 12:vii. 

 J.H. III. 34:187. R.H. 1866:330. B.M. 236 ( Verbascum 

 Myconi ) . 



BB. Corolla 4-parted, more concave, short bell-shaped 

 to funnelform. 



Heldreichi, Janka (Jancwa, or Jankcea, Heldreichi, 

 Boiss.). Lvs. ovate, entire, obtuse, silky white above, 

 rusty -woolly below: scapes 1-2-fld. : fls. violet. Ac- 

 cording to Boissier it normally has a 5-parted calyx, 4- 

 lobed corolla and 4 stamens. Thessaly. Gn. 55, p. .394. 



AA. Color of fls. yellow. 



Serbica, Pauc. This is said to be distinguished by its 

 blue anthers; also the fls. are said to be normally 5- 

 lobed. Servia. R. Ifathdlue seems to be a variety that 

 is more commonly 4-lobed than the type. S.H. 1:161. 

 ROBERT CAMERON and W. M. 



RAMONDIA. See Ramonda, above. 



RAMFION (Campanula Rapunculus) is a vegetable 

 sometimes cultivated for winter salads. The roots are 

 chiefly used, generally in a raw state, but the leaves 

 may also be used as a salad. The roots are white, a foot 

 or so long, and spindle-shaped, like a long radish. They 

 are ready for use in Oct. or Nov. and may be used all 

 through the winter. According to Vilmorin's "Vegetable 

 Garden," the seeds of Rampion are the smallest of all 

 kitchen-garden seeds, and their germinating power lasts 

 five years. The seed may be sown in the open ground, 

 either broadcast or in drills. The precautions usually 

 taken with minute seeds must be observed. In order not 

 to sow the seed too thickly it is well to mix it with sand. 

 The seed should not be covered, merely firmed into the 

 soil. Frequent and careful waterings are necessary un- 

 til the plants become established. Thinning is an impor- 

 tant operation. Every plant allowed to remain should 

 have at least 4 inches each way for development. The 

 plants like a light, rich soil, partial shade and water 

 during the hot season. Although Rampion is a biennial 

 plant it sometimes runs to seed the first year, especially 

 if the seed be sown early. It is, therefore, sometimes 

 advisable to postpone seed - sowing until June. For 

 botanical description, see Campanula. 



