16 BULLETIN 856, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Since the date mentioned above, the methods of drying, curing, and 

 marketing currants in Greece have apparently become more modern 

 and sanitary. 



DRYING AS PRACTICED AT FRESNO. 



In the drying experiments with currant grapes made in the Fresno 

 Experiment Vineyard by Mr. Elmer Snyder, scientific assistant, 

 wire-screen trays and the ordinary wooden trays were used. The 

 wire-screen trays allow slightly more uniform drying, but this is 

 not important enough to justify the difference in the cost of the 

 trays. (See PL VII, fig. 2.) A first-class entirely satisfactory prod- 

 uct (in every way superior to imported currants) was obtained 

 by using wooden trays. (See PI. VII, fig. 1.) Because these grapes 

 ripen so very early (Tables III and IV) there is practically no 

 danger from rain at Fresno. The sun is very hot there at that time, 

 and as the berries are very small, thin skinned, and high in sugar 

 content little time is required to complete the drying process. The 

 grapes should not be picked until they are fully ripe or, in the case 

 of the Panariti variety, until they test from 28° to 32° Balling scale, 

 varjdng with the season. The fruit as picked was placed on the 

 trays, and it was found that it needed no turning, as it was exposed 

 to the sun only a day or never longer than two clays. The trays of 

 drying grapes were then stacked one on top of another, with wooden 

 strips between them to separate the trays, so that there was free 

 circulation of air through them. Empty trays or some other cov- 

 ering were put on the top of the stack. An average of 15 days was 

 required for the drying grapes to remain stacked before they were 

 sufficiently cured to be transferred to the sweat boxes. 



In drjdng experiments made during three seasons it has been 

 found that when the Panariti grapes were picked at 26° Balling 

 scale it took practically 3^ pounds of fresh fruit to make 1 pound of 

 the dried product, while when picked at 30° to 32° Balling scale 

 it required scarcely 3 pounds of fresh fruit to make 1 pound. 



DRYING PRACTICE IN DRY-WINE SECTIONS. 



In the dry-wine sections of California, where the Panariti variety 

 will, in the average seasons, ripen sufficiently early to be dried out of 

 doors without any interference from rain, the drying will need to bo 

 somewhat modified, because the sun usually is not so hot. The grapes 

 when placed on the trays need to be exposed a greater number of days 

 and the trays should be covered during the- night to protect them from 

 dew. After the partially dried grapes are stacked, the further pro- 

 cedure with them is like that previously described. 



For fuller particulars as to raisin curing, consult United States 

 Department of Agriculture Bulletin 349, " The Raisin Industry." 

 Copies of this can be had by sending 10 cents, the price of the 

 bulletin, to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing 

 Office, Washington, D. C. 



WASHINGTON : COVEKNMKNT I'KINTINO OFFICE : 1920 



