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less than two and one half tons — four pounds to each vine, one and one 

 fourth pounds of raisins to each vine. The seasons in Malaga are uncer- 

 tain. In 1884 it rained two days in September, and seven days in October. 

 This year it rained one day and two nights. The principal grape they grow 

 for raisins is the Muscatel, the same as our white Muscat of Alexandria, 

 and it has been there from time immemorial. There are other places where 

 raisins are made beside Malaga. There is a province near which makes an 

 inferior raisin. 



CANNED FRUITS. 



The output of the canneries for 1886 was six hundred and fifty-nine thou- 

 sand nine hundred and fifty cases of fruit, twenty-two thousand and five 

 cases of jams and jellies. Allowing forty-five pounds to the case, this equals 

 a total of thirty million pounds of - canned fruits. The three leading fruits 

 continue to be apricots, peaches, and Bartlett pears for canning. The putup 

 for 1886 being two hundred thousand cases, against one hundred and ten 

 thousand for 1885, of apricots; one hundred and thirty thousand cases of 

 peaches in 1886, against seventy thousand for 1885; and of pears one hun- 

 dred and twenty thousand cases, against eighty thousand for 1885. Two 

 hundred and seventy thousand more cases of canned fruit were put up in 

 1886 than in 1885, and are mostly sold, and good prices paid for the fruit. 



CRYSTALLIZING. 



I interviewed Mr. Benedict, of the firm of Bernard & Benedict Fruit 

 Crystallizing Company. He said that all fruits can be crystallized. The 

 best fruits for crystallizing are the orange, apricot, nectarine, cherry, fig, 

 muscat grape, pear, and plum. For marmalades, jams, and jellies all the 

 fruits just mentioned, except the cherry, may be used. The peach may be 

 largely used for marmalades. Mr. Benedict also said that small fruits, such 

 as blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc., may be used in any quan- 

 tity, and yet always find a ready sale at good prices. But of all the fruits 

 grown in California the fig has the greatest future. We should at least 

 supply the demand of the United States. The variety I would advise to 

 grow are the white varieties. There are annually imported from foreign 

 countries vast quantities, which we should produce. Mr. Benedict further 

 says that there is practically no limit to the amount of figs that can be 

 disposed of at good prices when prepared by crystallization or dried in a 

 manner to compare with the imported. The guava, he thinks, will become 

 of great importance when properly cultivated. In the shape of jelly, it has 

 largely been in demand amongst epicures, and in this way and in the shape 

 of crystallization can be sold at good profits. These gentlemen have exper- 

 imented with various fruits, and have succeeded in a way that is beautiful 

 to the eye and delicious to the taste. The fig is prepared by this process, 

 and the demand is wonderful. There was a firm in New York which 

 ordered a sample, and as soon as it was received and tasted they ordered 

 every few days by telegraph. A syndicate was formed, and they were going 

 to order a carload, but of course Messrs. Bernard & Benedict were not pre- 

 pared to fill their order. Their crystallized apricots are perfectly splendid 

 in taste as well as in appearance, also the pear and strawberry. Then the 

 Muscat grapes when crystallized are the best and most palatable of any. 

 I cannot in this allusion to this most important industry do justice to it. 

 Bernard & Benedict have orders for the next season from every house that 

 has already received samples. They have also a new process for drying 

 apples that makes the product so far superior to the best evaporated apples 



