Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1879 — Raisin-Making. [ARTICLE]

Raisin-Making.

The United States is the greatest raisin-consuming country in the world, and uses annually more raisins than the whole of Europe. This market is mainly supplied from Spain, the raisins known as “ Malagas ” being considered the best. They come from a comparatively narrow strip of country in the south' of Spain, which has hitherto been regarded as surpassing all other regions for raisins of that character. The annual yield’‘of Malaga grapes averages 2,250,000 boxes of twenty pounas each. It sometimes reaches 2,500,000b0xe5; last season about 2,000,000 boxes s were marketed. Of this enormous yield the United States takes fully one-half, on which it pays a duty —as on all other raisins— of 2J cents per pound. The American raisins are made from a white grape, the “ Muscat of Alexandria,” to the -raising of which the soil and climate of a large portion of California are well adapted. The vine begins to bear ‘somewhat in -the sfceeMi yearr&lthoughithe fall heap-. ing capacity is not developed until it is five years old,.- and continue to bear for about half a oentury, and sometimes for seventydive years. In the cultivation of raisin-grapes American grape-

growers have little to learn from Spain, •out in the curing ami packing of the raisins a lack of experienoe is still felt. The raisins are not cured by any artificial process, however, but in a comparatively ' simple manner. The grapes are laid op gravel-beds, and are exposed to the sun for-ten or twelve days m August or September when they are ready for packing, haring turned from white to brown, and gradually changed to the familiar dark color of the raisins of oommerce. The white sugar which is generally found attached to the raisins sold in the market is entirely a natural product of. .the grape, and comes on with age—first Appearing, as a rule, when the raisins are about two years old. —Scientific American.