1094 
estimated. Its greatest value lies in its 
power to improve the mechanical condi- 
tion of the soil by making it more por- 
ous and increasing its water-holding 
capacity. F. W. GLADWIN, 
Geneva, N. Y. 
HISTORY OF THE PRODUCTION OF 
RAISIN GRAPES IN CALIFORNIA 
The grapevine has long been cultivated 
in California. 'The mission fathers were 
the first to grow successfully the Euro- 
pean grape in that state. They had but 
one variety, which is still largely grown, 
and is known by the name of the Mission 
grape. It was planted at San Diego in 
1769; San Gabriel in 1771; Los Angeles, 
1781, and Santa Barbara in 1786, and was 
largely used for wine making. It was 
nearly 80 years later before the raisin 
grape was introduced into California. 
The First Introduction of the Raisin Vine 
In 1851 Colonel Agostin Haraszth, of 
San Diego, grew some Muscatel vines 
from seeds of Malaga raisins. In March, 
the following year, he imported the Mus- 
eat of Alexandria from Malaga, Spain, 
and ten years later, during a visit to that 
place in September, 1861, he selected cut- 
tings of the Gordo Blanco, which were 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
afterwards grown and propagated in his 
vineyard in San Diego county. He was 
thus the first to introduce the raisin vine 
into California. Another importation of 
the Muscat of Alexandria was made in 
1855 by A. Delmas, and planted at San 
Jose. G. G. Briggs, of Davisville, also 
imported Muscatel grapevines from Spain, 
while R. B. Blowers, of Woodland, Yolo 
county, started one of the first raisin 
vineyards in 1863 from Gordo Blanco 
cuttings received from Colonel Haraszth. 
Early Vineyards in Southern California 
In the more southern parts of the 
state, Riverside entered the field in 1873, 
when Judge John Wesley North, the 
founder of the colony of that name, first 
planted the.Muscat of Alexandria; but 
grape growing in that district did not 
become general until: about three years 
later. In El Cajon valley, San Diego 
county, the same variety of raisin vines 
was planted by R. G. Clark, in 1873, but 
most of the vineyards in that county were 
not planted until 1884-86. In Orange 
county raisin grapes were also planted 
about the year 1875-76 by MacPherson 
Brothers, who, at one time, were the 
largest growers and packers in the state. 
Raisins were also produced in San Ber- 
Moore’s Early. 
Wonder. 
—Maated Photo 
