The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-04
An Important Industry---SuC-
QeStiOns as 10 DrrinE Fruit.

geStlOns as 10 Drying Fruit
In consequence OF the unusually
large crop OF blackb.rries this yea a
correspondent of the Charlotte OF
S,-r"r thinks Il might to proper Il
drop a few suggestions bv way Of adj
wee - Il country friends and Others
who are Il Of employment gust now.
lie s4,s
There - a demand for all the dried
frult that can BE- prepared for tho
market, and more especially black
berries. Lexington. High Point.
Greensboro. Winston. and many other
places. ship their millions of pounds
every year. thereby realizing money
more than equal in amount 10 all the
taxes paid IN their respective counties.
There Is undoubtedly an abundant crop
IN Necklenburg and the surrounding
counties. every one Of which. II prop
erIv dried, Will sell a. readily g. cotton
or flour.
Now, why not 20 = work and erect
drying houses. They may be gotten
up very cheaply, and by their aid any
ordinary boy or girl a make from 50
cents 10 S1.O0 Der day drying berries.
have known ladies in the country
who have made their $1.O0 per day
when berries sold al : cents per pound,
With the aid of the dry kiln or house.
ms may be made very cheaply can
be built by any mar of common iudg-
ment IN one DAY. But for the benefit
or those who have no idea how 10 con
structa dry house, | give the following
directions Cut poles. say to g inches
III diameter, and 6 and - feet long. or
YOU can make IL larger if YOU like,
Tins will riya -, a hatl-a WA insi3a
Notch them down closely. after which
chink and plaster the cracks, so as to
make the house air tight then cover
with plank, if to be had if not you
may use small poles. laid closely and
covered with dirt. This completes the
house except the door, which is usually
made by cutting out two or three poles.
say 1 feet long and about 3 from the
ground, and hanging the shutter to the
upper side. having put little poles
across for jOists OF which to lay the
trays containing the berries. 4 kiln
of this kind is usually built on the side
of a hill, where you can dig a trench
lengthwlSe the house, and build an
arch over this through the house, of
brick or some kind of rock that will
stand the fire. Make the arch so tight
as to not allow any smoke to escape
inside the house. Let the arch extend
3 feet beyond the end of the house
and build a small stack chimney to
protect your house from the fire. With
a house of these dimensions you al
dry upon an average five bushels per
day, and more if you have clear. sun
nv weather to assist the house in dry
ing.
This dry house is useful in drying
your apples, peaches, cherries, plums
and other fruits. Fruit dried in a
house of this kind is not so liable to be
injured by worms as that dried in the
sun alone. Another advantage is, YOU
can save your fruit in rainy weather
and dry 1t much quicker, thereby
making it brighter. Herein lies the
great secret of the fancy, bright fruits;
they are dried very quickly. The cut
of apples and peaches has much to do
with the value OF the fruit when dried.
Apples should either be cut in medium
sized quarters OF thinly sliced, kept
entirely separate and dried quickly.
Avoid the rain and dew. Never allow
either to fall on the fruit, as it tends to
color dark. Peaches unpeeled should
be cut III halves to bring the best price.
Never mix the halves and quarters;
they will only sell as quarters when
mixed. Peeled peaches should be
sliced thin and uniformly. dried quick
ly and kept out of the dew or rain.
Never allow your fruit to get too ripe.
1t should be ripe, but not mellow, to
make bright fruit.
By observing the above instructions
and then selecting and keeping each
grade separate, parties can save.mOney
that would otherwise be lost by mix
ing; as all goods Of that kind are usu-
ally taken by the worst sample.
The above instructions are the re-
suit of an experience of twenty-five
years dealing in and shipping fruits to
Northern and Western markets.