134 GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



this, I believe that many improvements might be made in their 

 manner of making raisins. Asphaltum, well mixed with sand, 

 being black, would receive a very great amount of heat from the 

 sun. 



The drying-grounds are every evening covered over with 

 boards, one overlaying the^ other, so that no rain or dew may 

 reach the grapes during the process of drying. The grapes are 

 left on the grounds eight, ten, and twelve days, according to the 

 weather and their progress in curing. But, inasmuch as the size 

 and ripeness of the grape comes in for a large part, they do not 

 dry all at once ; and so, when the attendant sees some which are 

 ready, three or four men are put to work at the lower ends, to 

 pick out those which are cured, gradually proceeding upward. 

 They arc seated on a plank resting on the separating bricks, and 

 have on their laps small boxes which hold about eight pounds of 

 raisins. These raisins are afterward taken into the adjoining 

 pack-house, where a person with a pair of scissors cuts out all the 

 rotten or inferior grapes. It is then passed to the Selector^ who 

 selects all the fine large grapes, and puts them in a box beside 

 him, of the same dimensions as the former. The other raisins are 

 left in their own box, and filled up afterward from the second 

 quality of succeeding boxes. The first class is passed, when the 

 box is full, to the weigher, who fills up what is wanting, and takes 

 out what is too much ; each must hold exactly six and a quarter 

 pounds of raisins. It then goes to the pacJicr, who upsets the 

 raisins into a box of the same dimensions lined with paper ; aft- 

 erward he puts them in a transporting box, which contains four 

 such small ones, and weighs twenty-five pounds. Each six and 

 a quarter pounds is separated from the other by the above-named 

 paper. If the paper is taken by the corners, the raisins may be 

 taken out six and a quarter pounds by six and a quarter pounds 

 without disturbing them or their order. In fine large raisins these 

 four layers of paper are absolutely necessary to each twenty -five 

 pounds, as they absorb the must of the grapes, which, to preserve 

 their size, have not been completely dried, as that would shrink 

 them up considerably. The second quality is treated in the same 

 manner in every respect as the first. The only difference between 

 them is their size. 



The berries which were cut out by the scissors are all throM'n 

 into a barrel, and then taken to the press-house ; there they are 

 trodden by men with shoes ; then the pressed juice runs from the 



