— 170 — 



hours, depending on kind and how dry they are. They can be used as 

 follows: Drain them a half hour, then put them on a cutting-board and 

 roll them with a common rolling-pin hard enough to flatten them on both 

 sides, but not hard enough to crack the pits. They can now be readily 

 pitted, making a fruit in some respects better than the cherry pitted 

 before drying. 



Figs. — Figs are allowed to ripen thoroughly on the tree. They are 

 then clipped from the stem. After gathering they are dipped in a solu- 

 tion of salt water, and cured. 



Grapes. — California sends to market both raisins and dried grapes. 

 When other than raisin grapes are dried they are classed as dried grapes. 

 These and wine grapes are sometimes used to produce a low grade of 

 wine, but they are more extensively used as a very cheap article of food. 



Nectarines. — These are prepared in much the same manner as apricots, 

 and are highly esteemed for their peculiar peach flavor. 



Peaches. — Peeled peaches are not popular with the trade, hence the 

 greater part of the product is dried unpeeled. California peaches are 

 of superior quality. The skin is thin, the down or fuzz is all or nearly 

 removed in the process of curing, and consumers prefer the flavor of the 

 unpeeled peach. 



Pears. — Pears are prepared in three different ways. When well 

 ripened they are halved and cured. Some are cured unpeeled in 

 quarters, while others are peeled, sliced, and cured like sliced apples. 



Plums. — The introduction of many kinds of plums and the produc- 

 tion of several choice seedlings have given California a great variety of 

 plums. Whatever the flavor may be when fresh, they all (like the 

 apricot) dry and cook sour. Plums are also largely used as blends, to 

 give flavor to other fruits. They are dried either pitted or unpitted. 



Prunes. — Nine tenths of our prunes are from the old stock introduced 

 here from France as the Petite d'Agen. It has been so long raised 

 here, and in such quantities, that the State Horticultural Society, by 

 resolution, designated it the California Prune. Closely allied to this 

 are the Prune d'Ente, the Pyramidal, the Robe de Sergent, the Wangen- 

 heim, and the St. Catherine. These all differ from the first by being 

 not quite so sweet, or more accurately, by having a little more acid in 

 their composition. Lying in the same direction, yet differing more 

 widely, are the Fallenberg, or German prune, the Tragedy, and the 

 Italian, all being dark prunes; and the Gros d'Agen, or Hungarian 

 prune, which is light red and grows very large, and differs from the 

 others; dries very sour. The Robe de Sergent has attracted much 

 attention; its mild, sub-acid flavor, requiring a little sugar, which 

 enriches the juice very much, makes it a favorite with many to whom 

 the California prune is not piquant enough. There are two light- 

 colored prunes, the Silver and the St. Martin, both of which dry sweet y 

 though the former has a mild, subacid flavor like the Robe de Sergent. 

 The Silver prune is large and meaty, and was in good demand until 

 unscrupulous dealers palmed off the Egg plum, or Egg prune, for it. 

 It is to be hoped that fair dealing may again restore it to its proper place, 

 for as fruit food it stands at the head of the prune family. 



