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 Pl. 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, 
varying 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 days. 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 drying experiments made during three seasons it has been 
found that when the Panariti grapes were picked at 26° Balling 
scale it took practically 34 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 be 
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 : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1920 
