Part 7

_Placer County._--At Rocklin J. P. Whitney has two hundred and fifty acres of raisin grapes, and is the largest raisin-maker in the county. There are not over three hundred and fifty acres of Muscats devoted to raisin-making in the county, and the total output this year was about four hundred tons, most of which was shipped directly East. The first carload of Muscat raisins sent East was shipped from the Whitney vineyard about ten years ago. A large area of Muscat and other vineyards will be planted this season, but none for raisin-making.

_Yuba County._--The raisin industry has received but little attention in Yuba county, although it has long been known that raisins of superior quality can be produced here. The area in raisin-vines is about three hundred acres, which will probably be increased by several hundred acres this season. Less than a hundred acres are in bearing. The raisin vineyards planted last season are chiefly at Colmena, midway between Marysville and Wheatland. The Muscatel grape is planted to some extent, but the favorite grape is the Thompson Seedless, a new variety of great promise.

_Sutter County._--The raisin industry of Sutter county dates back to the year 1876, and the venture was first made by the late Dr. S. R. Chandler three miles south of this city. The area now in raisin vineyard is about six hundred acres, three-fourths of which are in bearing. The crops marketed and prices received are about as follows: Three thousand twenty-pound boxes at $1.65 per box; eight hundred sacks of one hundred pounds each, at five cents a pound; five hundred and twenty-five sacks of dried grapes of one hundred pounds each, at three cents a pound. The home consumption is extensive, but is not estimated. The county is well adapted to raisin growing and curing, and received the second prize at the late Oroville State Citrus Exposition. Muscatel and Thompson Seedless are the favorite grapes. The soil of this county is very rich and warm, and no irrigation has been practiced.

_Colusa County._--In the immediate vicinity of Colusa there are about one hundred and fifty acres in bearing, and fully one hundred acres more will be set out the coming season. The crop of raisins in 1888 was very insignificant; but in 1889 the Colusa canneries packed forty tons in boxes. The prices ranged from $1.75 to $2.25 per box, according to quality. These figures refer only to the territory lying within a radius of eight miles of Colusa. Some of the finest raisin grapes in the county are grown near College City, and the entire output was at least eighty tons of raisins. Many of the people around Orland are reported as going into the business on a large scale. The ranchers in and near the foothills are also producing raisins of excellent quality. A single vineyard of fifteen hundred acres is being planted in one place in the foothills.

_Butte County._--While Butte produces a fair quality of raisins, her vineyards are yet young and are just coming into bearing. The older vines are those of General Bidwell, at Chico, covering about one hundred acres, and those of Oroville and Mesilla valley, embracing about the same area. A large number of young vines have been set out during the past two years, and these number 52,200 near Oroville, 77,480 at Palermo, 67,200 at Thermalito, 20,570 at Wyandotte, 25,000 at Central House, 50,500 at Gridley, and something over 50,000 near Chico. These have nearly all been planted within the past two years, but a limited number are three years old. In the foothills are a number of small vineyards, but it is impossible to ascertain the acreage and product, though the total of each is not large. Practically the bearing vines of Butte number between 300 and 400 acres. The one and two year old vineyards embrace about 350 acres, so that a conservative estimate for the total raisin vineyards of the county, young and old, would be 700 acres. The raisins are all boxed and sold directly by the vineyardists, the local demand taking nearly the whole crop. The area to be planted this year will not exceed 250 acres.

_Tehama County._--The area planted to grapes in Tehama county is over ten thousand acres. The greater part of the fruit grown is used for wine, and probably one-third for raisins. All the raisins produced here are packed in boxes, and a large portion is used in home consumption, while the remainder is shipped. Probably about ten thousand boxes in bulk and packed will cover the yield.

_Shasta County._--The raisin industry of Shasta county is only in its infancy. There are 147 acres planted to raisin grapes within a radius of fifteen miles from Redding. The largest acreage of raisin grapes is in Happy valley. There are patches of grapes all through the foothills. Probably not over one thousand boxes of raisins were shipped. The planting of raisin grapes continues every year. Raisins are made by many small growers, and sold here at an average of six cents per pound.

FRESNO AND SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.

_General Remarks._--The San Joaquin valley is well adapted to raisins along its whole length almost, but especially in its central and southern parts. The farther we go south in the valley, the drier is the climate, and the less is the rainfall in the autumn of the year, both conditions favoring the curing of the grapes. The present raisin center is around Fresno City, where over twenty-five thousand acres are planted to raisin grapes, principally Muscatels; but from this locality the industry has been constantly spreading, until at present the other counties in the valley, viz., Merced, Tulare and Kern, can show a good acreage of young vines. Next after Fresno, Tulare county produces the largest quantity of raisin grapes, and produces raisins of the very highest quality. The principal raisin vineyards in that county are situated in the Mussel Slough district, on the rich bottom lands formed by the former delta of Kings river; of late, the planting of raisin grapes has extended to other parts of the county as well. In Kern county few old raisin vineyards exist, the oldest one being situated on the Livermore ranch, being a part of the Haggin and Carr tract. Several hundred new acres have been planted there this spring, especially in the Rosedale, Lerdo and Virginia Colonies, as well as on the plains near Delano. I need here hardly say that the raisins of Fresno, Tulare, Kern and Merced counties should be all classed together, as the climate in these various localities is one and the same, with only a slight and gradual change as to rainfall as we go south in the valley. If there will, in the course of time, be found some difference as regards quality in the raisins of these various localities in the San Joaquin valley, this difference will not be due to any great difference in the climate, but to the variety of soil on which the grapes are grown. The raisins are only grown on the level lands, situated from three to four hundred feet above the sea.

_Extent and Location._--The Fresno district contains about thirty thousand acres, out of which about twelve thousand are in good or full bearing. Merced county has about two thousand acres, nearly all very young vines. Kern county has probably about one thousand acres, also very young vines, and some thirty acres of old vines. Tulare county has about seven thousand acres of Muscats, a large part of which is in full or good bearing. Many vineyards, large and small, are being planted in these counties this year, but enough attention is not paid to proper soil and to locality, and here, as elsewhere in the State, many of these vineyards will not turn out as the owners expect they will. In Fresno county, the old vineyards are planted principally around Fresno City, while in late years other raisin districts or sub-districts are growing into prominence around Malaga, Sanger, Selma, Fowler and Madera. The varieties used are principally the Gordo Blanco Muscatel, much mixed with the Muscat of Alexandria. There are some few acres of Sultanas and White Corinths, and of late many Malagas have been planted.

_Soils and Climate._--There are several different varieties of soils in the district,--the red or chocolate-colored sandy loam principally east of the railroad, the white, ashy soil west of the railroad, and the very sandy soil, generally occurring in elevated ridges. We have also the deep, gray-colored bottom land in the river bottoms or along the rivers and creeks. The best grades of the chocolate and reddish loams, and of the river bottom soil, is considered the best for raisins. The very sandy soil and the alkali soil should not be used for raisin purposes. The climate is warm and dry during the summer, while the winters are not very rainy. From seven to ten inches of rain are an average in Fresno; south to Kern the rainfall decreases, five and a half inches being an average around Delano. Towards the northern end of the valley, the rainfall increases, and in Merced county varies between ten and twenty inches, fifteen inches being a high average. In no portion of the raisin-producing portion of the valley can raisin grapes be grown without irrigation, the natural rainfall being entirely insufficient. The lowest temperature is about eighteen degrees Fahrenheit in Fresno, generally in January, while the highest is one hundred and eighteen degrees Fahrenheit in the shade in July and August. The lowest temperature is reached once in from three to five years, and the highest quoted is similarly scarce. The high average in summer time is one hundred and ten in the shade, and for three months of the year the thermometer every day can be counted on to vary between one hundred and one hundred and ten in the shade. In the winter, twenty degrees Fahrenheit is often reached, and the end of December and January may be counted on as being cold and frosty. These figures all refer to the level plain land, where the most of the vineyards are planted, and not to the foothills or the thermal belt, nor to the high Sierra Nevada, where snow and ice are common, and where glaciers cover many of the highest mountain peaks. The most rainfall occurs from December to February, and the rain continues more or less scattering to April and May. There is only very seldom a shower in the summer, one perhaps in three years. In the mountains, the fall rains commence about the middle of August, on the plains again in October and November, sometimes even later. Dew is rare in summer time, but common from the beginning of October. Fog is rare, sometimes an unwelcome visitor in November, but never known at any other time of the year. Spring frosts are almost unknown, and occur only once in from five to eight years.

_Irrigation._--Irrigation is practiced wherever raisins are grown. The water is taken from the rivers,--from Kings river in the Fresno district, and from the Merced, Kaweah and Kern rivers, etc., in the other districts. Before irrigation was begun in the Fresno districts, there were from fifty to sixty feet of dry soil before the natural water level was reached; but this has been so changed through a few years of constant irrigation, that now in places the land is subirrigated or moist to the surface, while in places even the soil requires to be drained, and no other irrigation is now needed except to allow the water to flow in the main or secondary canals, from which it seeps and keeps the soil filled with water, the moisture rising from below. The irrigation when practiced is done by flooding or by irrigating in furrows. New land must be irrigated until it becomes subirrigated; but, when once this is done, no separate irrigation becomes necessary. Many vineyards planted on subirrigated land which was once dry land have never since been irrigated.

_The Vineyard._--The general distance of the vines is eight by eight or ten by ten feet, varying in different vineyards. Of late, there have been some efforts made to improve upon these distances, and to have them planted closer one way than the other, say five by ten or six by twelve feet. The vines begin to bear the second and third years, and if planted on proper soil should pay the fourth year and give an income the fifth year. Some vines have been known to pay the third year, there being much difference in this respect. Both cuttings and rooted vines are used, rooted vines having been preferred during the last few years. The ground is plowed in various ways in the winter time, according to the ideas of the owner. Cross-plowing is sometimes practiced. The general rule is to first plow one way, and then to cross-cultivate repeatedly until the soil is level and the weeds are destroyed. In wet places, the cultivation is kept up until July, but in proper places the working of the soil is finished in the early part of June.

_Pruning and Other Operations._--The heads of the vines are kept low,--from six to sixteen inches above the ground. The canes are cut to two or three eyes, and the number of canes left vary from five to fifteen or more. The pruning is done between December and February. Summer pruning is practiced by some, but not by all growers, there being considerable difference of opinion as to the value of this operation. Sulphuring is practiced by all growers, some sulphuring only once, but the best vineyards are sulphured three or more times. Oidium or mildew never appears in sulphured vineyards. Some few growers sulphur with great success against the colure or dropping of the grapes. Leaf-hoppers are common, but do no great harm. Grasshoppers and grape caterpillars were troublesome one or two seasons, but have not reappeared of late. Black-knot is common in many places.

_The Crop._--The grapes begin to ripen in the middle of August, or from the middle of August to the first of September, and at the latter date the first boxes of cured and packed raisins are generally heralded through the press. The first grapes dry in from seven to ten days, but the later grapes require three weeks or more. The drying continues through September, and for the second crop through October and even in November, or until the rains set in. The grapes are dried on trays two by three or three by three feet. The sweatboxes are generally two by three feet and from six to eight inches high. A large number of brands are packed, such as Imperial Clusters, Dehesas, Layers, Loose and Seedless. The common price for raisins in sweatboxes is from three and a half to six cents, five and five and a half cents being the average for good layers. Good land for raisin purposes can be had for one hundred dollars per acre, but nearer the town of Fresno is held higher. Bearing raisin vineyards have changed hands at as high as $1,000 per acre. From one hundred to two hundred and fifty boxes of raisins are realized per acre, and the profits vary from seventy-five to two hundred and fifty dollars per acre, according to location, soil, management, etc. From thirty to fifty dollars per acre is spent yearly in many vineyards. Few dipped raisins are produced. Some dipped Sultanas have brought seven cents in the San Francisco market. Last season about four hundred and seventy-five thousand boxes were produced in the Fresno district, and some twenty thousand boxes more in the other parts of the San Joaquin valley.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY AND RIVERSIDE.

_Location and Acreage._--San Bernardino county, California, is entirely an inland county, sheltered by low and high hills from the ocean. Fogs and dew are rare, in places unknown, and the county offers unusual advantages for raisin-growing. The vineyards are widely distributed through the county in different localities or raisin centers, all of which are greatly similar as to climatic conditions, except as regards altitude. The San Bernardino vineyards are the highest elevated above the sea of any in California. Below will be found a list of the raisin centers in the county, with the number of acres and their altitude above the sea. It must be understood that each locality has a large extension as regards altitude, and varies in many instances several hundred feet; this fact being indeed a characteristic of the San Bernardino county vineyards. The raisin centers in San Bernardino county are:

Riverside, 1,500 acres. Altitude above sea, 900 to 1,000 feet. Redlands, 800 “ “ “ “ 1,200 “ 1,600 feet. Highlands, 400 “ “ “ “ 1,500 feet. Ontario, 500 “ “ “ “ 983 “ 2,350 feet. Cucamonga, ---- “ “ “ “ 900 “ 1,500 feet. Etiwanda, 700 “ “ “ “ 1,200 feet.

There are several other localities where raisin vineyards are found in smaller quantities, and it is safe to estimate the number of acres in the county at over five thousand. Nearly all these vineyards are situated on mesa lands, by which is meant the lands situated between the river bottoms and the foothills. As a consequence, the surface water is never near the top, but generally far down, and even continued irrigation would not be liable to raise it much higher, as the water will as rapidly drain off through the substrata, which generally consists of sandy soil and gravel. The land is in fact well drained, and differs in this respect from the plains of the San Joaquin valley. In Riverside, the surface water is from thirty to fifty feet down, and only in one or two vineyards situated deep down in the _arroyo_ is the surface water as shallow as ten feet. These latter vineyards are never irrigated. In Redlands the surface water is at an average of thirty feet on the mesa lands. In Ontario the surface water is even deeper, and found at from seventy to eight hundred feet, and the shallowest water in the district is, according to Mr. W. E. Collins, twenty-five feet below the surface. It is the general belief in the San Bernardino district that deep water is necessary for, or at least beneficial to, raisin grapes, and that shallow surface water is conducive to all kinds of diseases. In this I cannot agree, as contrary to my own experiences and to the experiences of the Spanish growers.

_Climate._--As regards temperature, there is some difference in the various districts. A true comparison between them and other districts is almost impossible, as the signal service thermometers are placed at unequal heights above the ground, and in localities with very different characteristics. It can, however, be said that the winter climate of the district is much milder during the winter than that of the plains of the San Joaquin valley, and very similar to the Orange county and the San Diego districts. In Riverside and Redlands, the thermometer seldom reaches one hundred and nine degrees Fahrenheit in the shade during the summer, and in winter seldom goes below twenty-four degrees Fahrenheit, while twenty-eight or twenty-seven degrees Fahrenheit is no unusual occurrence once every year, but is considered the extreme of the season. It may thus be seen that raisin vineyards and orange orchards may be and actually are grown side by side in every part of San Bernardino county, and this is a distinct characteristic of the district, which, however, it shares with Orange and San Diego counties. The warmest months are August and September, and October is generally fine for drying. So is November, and only twice (in 1885 and 1889) has there been any serious difficulty in drying the grapes. In two other years the crop has suffered slightly, but during the majority of seasons in the months of November there has not been any rain on the mesa lands, and it is this absence of fall rains which makes it possible for the raisin-grower to dry his crop without any other appliances than raisin-trays. Dew and fogs are very rare, and occur only very seldom during the summer months. When they do occur at this time, they are of but short duration, and last perhaps only from five to seven o’clock in the morning. In the fall of the year, in October and November, the desert wind blows warm and dry, and hastens the drying of the raisins. It may blow three or four times during the season, but has also been known to be entirely absent. The rain in the winter season is light, in Riverside twelve inches being an exceptionally wet season. From six to eight inches are the usual rainfall, while again the actual average for Riverside is six and one-fourth inches. In Ontario the rainfall in 1887 was 8.21 inches, and in 1888 9.23 inches.

_Irrigation._--In Riverside grapes cannot be grown without irrigation on the mesa lands, with the exception of one or two localities in the arroyo. In the Ontario district, raisin grapes may be grown without irrigation in the center of the valley, but on the mesas, higher on the sides, they must be irrigated, and even in localities where they could be grown without artificial irrigation the same is always practiced whenever it can be obtained. Less water is, however, needed than in the San Joaquin valley, but more than would suffice in El Cajon. Through the nature of the gravelly subsoil, the raisin land cannot fill up with water. Seepage is only possible to a limited degree; summer irrigation is always required. The vines are irrigated three times a year, in April, June and August. The system of furrows is used, and a ten-inch flow is considered enough to irrigate one acre of grapes during one day and night each time. In Ontario the raisin grapes are irrigated every five weeks, not, however, while they are in bloom, as it is considered best to wait until the berries are well set. In Redlands, one irrigation after the winter rain ceases is considered enough, even on soil with thirty feet to water.

_Soils._--The soil in San Bernardino county varies considerably. In Riverside and Redlands the best soil is a reddish loam, with some sand and gravel. But in Riverside we also find sandy soil of lighter color and strength, which, however, is less suited to grapes. In Ontario the soil varies from a heavy clayey _adobe_ to a lighter but very rich sandy loam of a grayish color. The very sandy soil in some river bottoms, especially around Lugonia, has, through experience, been found to be entirely unsuited to the raisin grapes.