R. B. Blowers of Woodland, Yolo county, planted his first vines in 1863,
and produced his first raisins in 1867. From 1870 to 1873 he planted the
principal part of his vineyard. He was the first one in California to do
any really careful packing, and he may justly be said to be the father
of the raisin industry in this State. Mr. Blowers was the first to
irrigate the raisin-vines by means of pumping and flooding, for which
purpose he constructed his afterwards so famous well. The first
successful raisin dryer was invented and built by him at a time when
every one else doubted the propriety and desirability of drying grapes
by artificial heat, and the dryer thus constructed has never yet been
surpassed. One of the characteristics of the Blowers dryer was the
blower or suction fan, by which means the air was changed in the dryer,
the moist air being sucked out, while dry air was allowed to rush in.
Mr. Blowers improved nearly every branch of the raisin industry, and
studied every operation, such as plowing, irrigation, curing and
packing, more thoroughly than any one ever did before or has done after
him. Mr. Blowers’ raisins were the best in the State at their time, and
wherever exhibited received the first premium. At the World’s Fair at
Philadelphia, they received the first premium, and attracted much
attention. I may add that Mr. Blowers is the inventor or at least the
perfector of the “face-down” method of packing, the best method for
packing raisins. Mr. Blowers has published a short essay on raisins,
referred to elsewhere in this book.
ROBERT McPHERSON.
Robert McPherson was for Southern California what G. G. Briggs and R. B.
Blowers were for the Northern part. The McPherson vineyard extended once
over 360 acres of land, and one year he shipped over one hundred
thousand boxes. Many of the practical devices for irrigating, curing and
packing raisins now generally in use in the southern part of the State
were invented by him. The McPherson vineyard was situated in Orange
county in the southern part of this State. Robert McPherson was
certainly the largest and most prominent raisin-grower in Southern
California. He is now no longer in the business.