The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-09-05
New Fruit-drYing Process.


Fruit-drying has been carried on to
some extent in Santa Clara and other
counties during the last year, and
promises at no distant day to become
most important industry. In some
places the fruit is dried by means of
artificial heat; in others, by the heat of
the sun. In the neighborhOod of Santa
Clara may be seen an apparatus fitted
up for drying fruit by artificial heat.
On the premises is a steam engine of
fifteen horse power, used for saving
lumber for boxes, for grinding apples to
make vinegar, and for other purposes
connected with fruit-packing. Close to
the engine is q wooden cylinder about
five feet long and three and half feet
in diameter. In the cylinder, placed in
close proximity to one another, are six
hundred brass tubes, into which the air
is forced by fan worked by the steam
engine. The waste steam from the
engine is conveyed by a pipe into the
top of the cylinder, and, after becoming
condensed, runs out at the bottom,
heating, in the meantime, the air in the
brass tubes. The heated air rushes out
at the other end of the cylinder, and
enters the bottom of what looks like a
large chest of drawers, thirty-two feet
long, ten feet high, and seven feet wide.
This is the kiln. This kiln is divided
into eight compartments, into which
are fitted galvanized-iron screens for
holding the fruit. There are in each
compartments forty-two screens, on each
Of which twenty pounds of fruit can be
dried. In the face of the kiln there are
several horizontal doors placed one over
the other, so that in handling the screens
only q small portion of the kiln is eX-
posed to the cold air. The kiln is capa-
ble of drying over three tons of fruit at
once. Some of the fruit, preparatory to
drying, is cut ty hand, but more by ma
chinery. Apples dry in seven hours;
pears, tomatoes and plums, in eight OF
nine hours. Grapes require about
twenty-four hours. The process could
be completed more rapidly, but the re-
suit would not be so satisfactory as
when sufficient time is allowed II
takes about seven pounds of apples,
seven pounds of pears, twenty pounds OF
tomatoes, six pounds Of plums, and five
pounds Of blackberries to make one
pound Of each kind of dried fruit. Dur
ing last year were prepared and sold at
this establishment l., 600 pounds of dried
pears, 5000 pounds of dried apples, 3,OO(
pounds of dried plums, and a large
quantity of grapes, blackberries and
other fruits. Sent East by rail were
| forty-four carloads, each containing
! 1900 pounds of fruit. Some of thi,
was purchased from other fruit-growers
According to fruit-grower who driel
his fruit in the sun, from four to sever
pounds of plums will make one pound
dry. The process of drying lasts from
four to ten days, and the estimated COS
amounts to three cents for each pount
of dried fruit. 1t is sold in San Fran
cisco for twenty-five cents a pound
The grapes dried by this process in diff
ferent parts of the State were exhibite,
last year at the agricultural fairs, an
were, in general estimation, superior +
the imported raisins. The quantity @
lumber required on which to dry tn
fruit is considered the greatest impedi
ment to the success of this process. Ii
some places the grapes are dried on th
vine. This process is carried on in tn
interior valleys, where they have littl
dew or fog, aud where the thermomete
ranges from so to lis degrees. Thougl
no one Of the persons engaged in fruit
drying has had much experience 4
4 guide him, yet the results are highl.
encouraging. - OUerIGad Monthly 70
September.