_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.