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YEAR| QUANTITY.| VALUE. | Rate | AMOUNT OF |Additional
END-| | | of | DUTY | and
ING | | | Duty. | COLLECTED. | Discrim-
JUNE| | | | | inating
30. | | | | | Duty.
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| Pounds. | Dollars. |Per lb.| Dollars. | Dollars.
1879| 3,369,475| 247,075 06|2½ c. | 84,236 89| --
1880| 6,266,413| 440,507 00|2½ c. | 156,660 34| --
1881| 3,420,427| 379,382 55|2½ c. | 85,510 72| --
1882| 8,874,186| 678,341 87|2½ c. | 221,854 70| --
1883| 5,345,324| 489,108 38|2½ c. | 133,633 09| --
1884| 7,840,634| 504,532 02|2 cts. | 156,812 68| --
1885| 7,774,492| 516,083 63|2 cts. | 155,489 84| 6 50
1886| 6,988,642| 499,985 80|2 cts. | 139,772 84| --
1887| 8,752,898| 488,632 00|2 cts. | 175,057 96| 137 00
1888| 9,965,584| 495,541 50|2 cts. | 199,311 68| --
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_Statement of Consumption of Currants and Raisins per Head of Total
Population in 1884:_
United Kingdom of Great Britain. 4.38 pounds.
United States of North America. 1.70 “
_Prices Ruling in the California Raisin Districts:_
It is not my intention to give here a regular prospective estimate of
the cost of a raisin vineyard and the profits to be derived therefrom.
Such an estimate, applicable to every case, cannot be made out; about it
not two raisin-growers with equal experience would agree. Below I simply
give isolated statistics of costs of the various operations necessary in
the raisin industry. Each one can figure for himself, and my advice is
to add liberally to the calculated expenses, if disappointment would be
avoided.
As to the profits of a raisin vineyard, the reader will by this time
understand how it might vary, how it must depend upon nice little
circumstances, never foreseen and only to be taken advantage of or
counteracted by the experienced grower. The high statements which have
been given in these pages as samples of how much might be gained from an
acre of raisin-vines can never be counted on as regular. From fifty to
several hundred dollars per acre may be obtained as net profit by care,
skill and favorable circumstances, but an average of seventy-five
dollars per acre can be considered a conservative sum, which the owner
of a good irrigated vineyard may calculate on as a safe net profit. Many
do not reach even that. But, even with that profit per acre, how many
horticultural industries can be counted on to produce better results?
Very few, if any. For the benefit of those who desire figures to guide
them, the following statistics are offered. They have been carefully
compiled in company with T. C. White, one of the most prominent
raisin-growers the State has ever had. These statistics refer especially
to the Fresno district, but they will be found to differ but little from
those elsewhere in this State.
Land suitable to raisins can be had at from fifty to two hundred dollars
per acre. No one not thoroughly acquainted with the requirements of
raisin land should attempt to rely on his own judgment alone in making a
selection.
Vines, already rooted, at from ten to twenty dollars per thousand vines.
An average would be fifteen dollars. The cost of _rooting_ vines is from
one dollar to two dollars and fifty cents per thousand, according to
locality and circumstances.
Cuttings, from two to three dollars per thousand, more or less,
according to size and quality.
Planting rooted vines, one cent per vine. Planting cuttings, half a cent
per cutting.
Plowing yearly, one dollar and fifty cents per acre.
Harrowing, fifty cents per acre.
Leveling land for irrigation, according to the quality of the land.
Leveling the land in from one-half to three-quarter acre checks,
including small ditches, etc., can be done for from ten to fifteen
dollars per acre, if the land is fair. Rougher land will cost
twenty-five dollars or thereabouts, and if the land is rolling and
contains hardpan the expense may reach from fifty to one hundred dollars
per acre. The more “naturally” level the land is the better suited it is
to raisin-vines under irrigation.
Irrigation and cultivation, until the vines come into bearing, including
suckering and pruning, all in large tracts of from forty to one hundred
acres, ten dollars per acre. If in smaller tracts the expense will be
larger.
Pruning when the vines are in bearing, from two to three dollars per
acre.
Sulphuring twice, two dollars per acre. Sulphur costs from two to three
cents per pound. It takes about one ton to twenty-five acres and one man
can sulphur from five to six acres a day.
Topping, about fifty cents per acre.
Trays, twenty-four by thirty-six inches, cost ten cents in shooks,
nailing one cent, nails one cent, total about twelve cents per tray.
Sweatboxes, fifty cents apiece when ready.
Packing-boxes: Wholes of twenty pounds, in shooks, six cents, nailing
and nails two cents, total eight cents each. Halves of ten pounds, in
shooks, four cents, nailing and nails one and one-half cents, total five
and one-half cents. Quarter boxes of five pounds, in shooks, three and
one-half cents, nailing and nails one and one-half cents, total five
cents each.
Twenty pounds of layer raisins will contain about one-half pound of
stems.
Cost of curing cannot be calculated. It depends upon the manner in which
it is done.
Picking: One man can pick from twenty-five to fifty trays of twenty
pounds each a day, at a cost of say from two to three cents per tray, or
about a half a ton of grapes a day, equal to a cost per ton of two
dollars and fifty cents. This places the grapes on the trays, but does
not assort them. By assorting the grapes when picking, the cost is
increased, but better raisins and more good raisins are obtained.
Turning: Two men can turn twenty acres of grapes a day.
Packing London Layers: One man can pack “carefully” ten wholes or forty
trays (of five pounds each) per day. Cost about twelve and a half cents
per box.
Packing Dehesas: One man can pack ten quarters of five pounds each a
day. Cost twelve and one-half cents per quarter box. This includes
facing.
Packing Loose: One man can pack one hundred boxes per day.
Facing-plate (T. C. White’s): Large plate, size nine by eighteen inches,
five dollars per plate. Cartoon plate, size five by ten inches, two
dollars and fifty cents per plate.
Manilla paper for sweatboxes, one hundred and fifty pounds per ream at
fifteen dollars per ream, size thirty-six by forty-eight. The sheets to
be cut in two to fit the boxes.
Stemming: Steam stemmers can separate and assort fifty tons a day. Hand
stemmers run by two men can separate about five tons per day.
Papers for boxes cost, according to quality, three cents per box, more
or less.