THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 



11 



produce the 35,356,000 pounds, or $1,20(5,000 worth, of currants 

 it has for 10 years been annually importing. 



CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN THE RAISIN BELT. 



So ideal are the climatic conditions for the raisin industry, and 

 they have such an important influence in drying raisins and other 

 fruits, that the temperature and rainfall records of Fresno and 

 vicinity, furnished by the Weather Bureau, are herewith given. 

 Table IV shows the seasonal rainfall (in inches) for 15 years. 



Table IV. — Rainfall at Fresno, Cal., from June to November, 1900 to WUi. 



Year. 



June. 



July. 



Aug. 



Sept. 



Oct. 



Nov. 



1900 



Trace. 

 Trace. 

 Trace. 

 Trace. 

 

 

 Trace. 



.24 

 



.80 

 Trace. 

 Trace. 

 Trace. 



.10 



.23 



Trace. 

 Trace. 

















 Trace. 





 .01 





 Trace. 

 Trace. 

 Trace. 

 .33 

 Trace. 







Trace. 



Trace. 

 

 

 

 



Trace. 

 

 

 

 

 



Trace. 



Trace. 



0.16 

 .59 





 



1.78 



Trace. 



Trace. 



Trace. 



.15 







1 



.01 



.10 



Trace. 



.22 



0.33 

 .56 

 .42 







3.21 











1.08 

 .02 

 .72 

 .45 

 .09 

 .01 

 Trace. 

 .26 



4.61 



1901 



.86 



1902 



2.25 



1903 



.68 



1904 



.08 



1905 



.96 



1906 



.73 



1907 







1908 



.66 



1909 



2.79 



1910 



.24 



1911 



1912 



.17 

 .85 



1913 



1.86 



1914 



.11 







As to temperature it is noted that in the hottest time of the sum- 

 mer the mercury has risen as high as 115° F. in the shade. The 

 average of the highest daily temperatures is about 100° during July 

 and about 98° in August, while the average of the day and night 

 temperatures for the same months is about 82°. The nights are always 

 much cooler than the days. The coldest weather in winter is 17° F. 

 (above zero). The summers are rainless, and the nights are so free 

 from dew or moisture that a piece of tissue paper, after lying out all 

 night, is crisp and stiff the next morning, without a particle of mois- 

 ture showing. 



The rainfall averages 10 inches a year. The principal rains occur 

 in January and February, with some showers in October. Fre- 

 quently it rains enough in November to cause considerable damage to 

 partly dried raisins or grapes. 



HARVESTING AND PREPARING THE CROP. 



Drying is the most ancient and primitive of fruit-preserving 

 methods, the dried fruit containing much more nutritive value in pro- 

 portion to its bulk than fresh fruit. In the raisin districts of this 

 country grapes are ripe by the middle of August, the season often 

 lasting into November. The average time necessary for drying and 

 curing a tray of raisins is about three weeks, depending on the 



