The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-08-07
Utilizing Fruit-The New Process OF
EvaporaiiOn-One Thousand hush'
els Preserved IN Twenty.FOur

TtiliZtUE FrufG-Ine new FEoCers Va
Eyaporaiion-One Thousand Bush.
els Preserved IN Twenty.Four
Hours.
The Wilmington Delaware) Commercial
saws the great increase in frult-groWlng IN
Delaware, which was thought by many
would outreach the demand, seems not
only to result in the opening OF new ave
nues of transportation to new markets, but
in improved methods OF condensation anu
preserving ut home, so that the poorest
family in the land can have fresh fruit the
whole wear round ut less cost than is now
naid for the commonest article OF FOOD.
The new process of preserving frult ana
vegetables by evaporation, though IN us
infancy, has developed sufficiently to show
that great revolution is to be effected IN
housekeeping.
one of The reporters Of the Commercidl
being in Middletown recently, called on the
firm Of jackson, Pyle II Cox, VINO nave
lust nut in operation in that town one OF
those establishments for preserving fruit
nv evaporation. The principal machinery
is q steam.enginc and what Is called an
nyanorator. The latter is made OF wood,
bpjnr about five feet square and fifteen 1eet
high.
endless chains Zone ut each corner), when
mss mn the outside and into the top of the
rvaporator. Upon these chains are loose
bearers, nine inches apart, which, AFTER en-
tering the evaporation, becomes supporters
TO wire hurdles, upon which the fruit has
been placed.
The hurdles are made five feet square,
and being put in the evaporation nine inches
apart, about twenty are required TO Nil IL;
IN the bottom of the evaporation Is col
of 3 900 feet of iron pipe, which Is heated
bv steam from the boiler of the engine, the
temnerature at the bottom being 1SO0. A
fan is SO arranged that the hot air is tenn
nered bv a blast Of cold air. The fruit Is
all put into the eyaporator at the top and
taken out at the bottom, with the WateTy
matter entirely extracted and the sugar and
nutritious elements not only preserved but
increased, when compared with its raw
condition. The hurdles resting upon the
endless chains are lowered by means Of
crank, which regulates the fruit according
to the capacity and temperature OF the
evaporation. -,
After the fruit is taken from the hurdles
it is placed in paper boxes, generally two-
pound boxes, and sent to market.
One bushel of tomatoes makes four
pounds alter having gone through the pro-
cess. These four pounds are said to equal
twelve quart air-tight cans of the same fruit,
costing one-half the price now paid for
canned tomatoes.
or berries the proportion Of pounds to the
buShel is greater and varies according to the
quantity OF liquid in the fruit, which has
all to be cvaporated.
OF peaches the proportion Of preserved
fruit to the hushel is said to be from eight
to ten pounds, sold at half the price for
canned fruit.
We were shown several varieties Of fruit
which had heen put through this new pro-
cess, which were quite palatable without
cooking, from the tact that all the watery
substances had been eXtirpated, and the
sugar, starch, and other nutitious elements
had not only been preserved, but increased
in quantity and quality. tomatoes, peaches,
and apples, are sliced by machinery Tor That
purpose, and after having gone through the
evaporator, appear like waters. These wa
fcrs or slices are placed loosely into cubical
shaped paper boxes, two pound to a
box. The fruit, when taken to be used
for culinary purposes, and soaked in
water, will resume lts original proper
tions, the two pounds (of tomatoe>) making
bushcl Of fruit. Experimenting upon this
new process, MIR. Pyle, one of the firm,
sent to Lippincott's Hotel two pounds of
blackberries, which were made into pies,
and served forty.fy persons for dessert,
not more than half the usual quantity or
sugar being required. Amongst those who
partook of these pies was }. B. Fennimore
and other prominent and reliable clti-
zens otMiddletown, who unhesitatingly pro-
nounccd them the best blackberry pies they
had ever eaten.
1t is believed that the experiment with
peaches will prove equally as satisfactory,
and the firm is now engaged largely in pre-
serving that delicious fruit.
The entire establishment, when under
full operation, will require force Of about
twenty hands, principally young ladies,
and will preserve 500 bushels of peaches
per day, or 1000 bushels if run day and
night. Mr.. jackson informs us that there
is no necessity for more than two idle
months in the year, as by this process not
only fruit, but corn and all kinds Of yege-
tables, as well as fish, meat, oysters, and
CLAIMS, can be preserved.