UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



VI 



% BULLETIN No. 349 { 



1 



jv^'^?L 



Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry 

 WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



March 17, 1916 



THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 1 



By George C. Husmann, Pomologist in Charge of Viticultural Investigations, 

 Office of Horticultural and Pomological Investigations. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Origin and growth of the industry 1 



Some fluctuations in the industry 3 



Raisin-vineyard soil 5 



Preparation of soils 5 



Pruning methods in raisin vineyards 6 



Raisin varieties 8 



Climatic conditions in the raisin belt 11 



Harvesting and preparing the crop 11 



Dipping and scalding raisins 12 



Packing raisins 13 



Classes of raisins 13 



Seeded raisins 14 



ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY. 



With the exception of very limited quantities produced in Ari- 

 zona, Utah, and New Mexico, all the raisins grown in the United 

 States are produced in California. 



The first introduction of raisin varieties into California was by 

 Col. Agostin Haraszthy. In 1851 he grew muscatels from the seed 

 of imported raisins. On March 25, 1851, he imported the Alexandria 

 (Muscat of Alexandria) and in 1861 the Gordo Blanco (muscatel) 

 and Sultana from Spain and the White Corinth and Red Corinth 

 from the Crimea. Another importation of Muscat of Alexandria 

 was made by A. Delmas in 1855 and planted near San Jose, Cal. The 

 first raisins appear to have been produced in the San Bernardino 

 Valley, but the industry soon spread northward. G. G. Briggs, of 

 Davisville, imported muscatel grapes from Spain, while R. G. 

 Blowers, of Woodland, Cal., started a raisin vineyard of Gordo 

 Blanco (muscatel) in 1863 with cuttings received from Col. Har- 

 aszthy. The Briggs and Blowers vineyards were the first in the 



1 This bulletin has been prepared for the purpose of answering questions relative to the 

 raisin industry of the United States. The pruning, training, cultural methods, and varie- 

 ties suitable for raisin purposes, as well as the methods of harvesting and drying the 

 grapes and the curing and processing of the raisins, are described. 



18856°— Bull. 349—16 



