When sufficient boxes are packed, they are loaded in cars and made up into trains exclusively loaded with raisins. The various packing-houses combine to do this. Generally during the packing season two such train-loads are sent away every week, each one consisting of from ten to fifteen cars of raisins, each car containing one thousand boxes. Five hundred and thirty such cars were shipped from Fresno last year (1889). Some of the packers packed one hundred thousand boxes each.
RAISIN GROWERS AND THEIR VINEYARDS.
The following sketches are intended to convey to those not living in the raisin districts of our State an idea of the men who have made a specialty of the raisin industry,—men through whose experiences and intelligent work others are now profiting.
While the raisin growers and packers can now be counted by the hundred, and while all of them have in some way contributed to the development of the industry, and as such deserve to be mentioned in the annals of this industry, it has only been practicable to here refer to a few of the most prominent. Where exactly to draw the line was not easy to decide, and my intention has been not to slight or neglect any one, and should any one find himself omitted he should account for it through my ignorance of real facts. I should especially have wished to add to these short notes more extensive accounts of the work and vineyards of R. B. Blowers of Woodland, of the late G. G. Briggs of Davisville, and of Robert McPherson of McPherson, but I have not been able to procure the necessary data. These three gentlemen have all greatly contributed to the development of the high standing of the raisin industry in this State.
G. G. BRIGGS.
Mr. Briggs was the first large raisin-grower in the State, and owned vineyards in both Solano and Yolo counties aggregating seven hundred acres or more. Subirrigation by means of perforated pipes, in which the water was made to circulate under pressure, was first tried extensively in Mr. Briggs’ vineyard at Davisville, by which means the grape crop was almost doubled. Later on Mr. Briggs planted extensively in the Washington Colony at Fresno, but he died before his vineyard there came into bearing. He is said to have imported raisin grapes direct from Spain, and a grape now growing in the vineyard of G. E. Freeman at Fresno is said to be of that variety. It resembles the Muscat of Alexandria in growth, but the berries are those of the Gordo Blanco. Mr. Briggs advised to give the raisin-vines more room, and following his ideas several vineyards as well as his own were planted with the vines ten by sixteen feet.
R. B. BLOWERS.
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.