Gathering the Grapes—Sorting.

In gathering the crop the vines are gone over carefully, and only such bunches as are perfectly ripe are picked. They pick into round, flat baskets, only one tier high, and never upon each other. They are also careful not to touch the bunch in gathering. They carry them to the platform upon their heads. They are laid quite thickly upon the ground, with their best side down. Every grape-grower knows that one side of a bunch of grapes looks better than the other; the side which shows the most stem should be placed uppermost. The reason for this is that the best grapes being upon the ground do not receive the direct rays of the sun until almost cured, which makes them handsomer and preserves their bloom. After eight or ten days they are looked over, and all that are cured are cut out and the rest are laid again upon the ground, just as they were before, and not turned, as is supposed to be necessary by some. The process of curing lasts usually fifteen days. An experienced workman now takes them up, rejecting those that are not cured, and places them carefully upon a tray. They make two qualities, according to the color, which is quite unnecessary, as they assume the same color after being packed a short time.