Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-09-04
Drying Fruit.

A correspondent inquiries for a description
of the best mode of drying fruit. While so
much attention is given to the cultivation of
fruit, there still exists great deficiency IN
good, cheap and expeditions methods Of dry
ing which by converting perishabe prop
erty into condition. for long keeping and
easy transportation, may greatly increase,
both IN extent and profit, the culture OF the
highest favored sorts.
Dried apples and dried peaches already
constitute considerable article Of com
merce. But their quality is immeasurahly
inferior TO that which might be atained.-
The same difference in favor exists between
unpalatahe seedlings and the most highly
improved grated variety. whether they be
fresh or dried. Yet the poorest apples are
usually selected, simply because the dried
fruit is bought by the pound, and not for lis
excellence. Late or inferior peaches are
chosen, because their owners have no other
use for them; when. besides the inferior fla
vor of the late seedlings so largely used, the
coul, damp weather 10 which they are ex-
posed while drying does The work ln very
imperfect manner, and a half decayed flavor
is often mingled with that Of the fruit itself.
II dried at all in the open air, it is Of much
consequence that early sorlr both of apple
anu RcdCu Dc SCiCCtCey t'iO uCuS ~ VI q
hot sun may be secured. Why is il not as
easy to plant and raise early prolific sorts.
that will ripen at time when two days OF
hot sun will dry them. as later sorts, which
will scarcely get dry at all in the open air
A good and faultless mode of using ertifi-
cial heat appears not 10 have been yet prac-
ttced. The great and existing deficiency is
want Of free circulation Of the heated air.
Hence the reason that the use Of fat boards
and shelves is usually attended with greater
or less decay. Light wooden lattice work
is better, bur imperfectly admits free circus
lation, without making the Sits TOO wide to
prevent the dried fruit from falling through.
Cheap netting or light iwine is a still further
Improvement, An easy mode of making II
is thus described by a correspondent OF The
Michigan Farmer :-'Take common carpet
yarn, warp il Two or three yards length, Just
as YOU choose use a FIVE or six quarters
reed; in drawing through the reed, use every
third or fourth space between The teeth oil II
to ensure strength, double your thread occa-
sionally. and in weaving beat two or three
threads loosely together, aud then more
open, alternately; when taken from the
loom, faslen il 10 light frame. aud II IS
ready for use. Frames covered with mil-
u0t W0uiu tbrObdOty Dt well dudpteu
for drying the smaller fruits. "a
Roonis or buildings made for drying by
artificial heat. must admit very free ventll-
alton. We have found that when fruit on
lattice shelves is placed near a fire or under
sIove, where there is no current OF air,
and where heat is impaired solely by radia-
ton, il becomes heated without drying, for
there is no current to sweep off the moisture
about il. But when suspended immediately
over the stove, where the heated air is con-
stnnily ascending. the progress goes on rap
| idly and perfectly. When thus dried. Il is
nearly white in color, and retains It's flavor
unimpaired, and is incomparably better than
great deal that we often see, which is
brown with age, and spoiled with incipient
decay, before the moisture is all expelled by
the tardy process TO which il is subjected.
The following would probably be well
arranged drying room for this purpose. Let
the shelves made of netting, stretched on
frames, occupy the interior or central portion
Of the room, one above another, al free inter-
walls, and leaving sufficient space Tor the per
son in arten,lance to pass freely round on
every side, next to the wall. This would
not only I've more convenient, bot admit a
better circulation Of air, Than il the shelves
were placed against ihs wall. The room
might be heated with small stove, the pipe
OF which shuuld at first pass horizontally as
near the floor as possible, and afterwards as
Gend 10 cause sufficient draugIt. This ar
rangement would heat the room far better
than TO place the pipe overhead, as is 100
often the case the heal will rise through
the whole height OF The room, thus ca,'siog 2
circulation ofair. The room must De Wen
ventilated at each end near the TOP, 70 Ie'
of The vapor constantly arising 70. even
Trash cool air n better ,,,sp 4 hot air charged
with moisture. The ventllatofs may Oe Wv
cred with wire gauze when y may peco'"S
bany CsiLtiv6sor. .,..~
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