Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1884-06-12
EVAP0RATED FRUIT.
AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF
THE DRIED FRUIT TRADE.
What States are Engaged in the Traffic
and Few Words About the
Process.
S,erial Correspoudscce of the Sentinel.

Special Correspondence Of the Sentinel.
PHILADELPHIA, June 5.-Knowing
that Winston is great centre for the
prod uction and shipment of evaporat-
ed fruit, 1 paid call few days ago
to friend of mine who is a commits
sion merchant, and who does an ex-
tensive wholesale business in dried
fruit. We got into a conversation on
this subject, part of which L will
give to the readers of the SENTINEL.
"You have noticed in grocers' show
windows, to attract attention" the
c,mmission merchant said, while in
dustriously whacking the head of a
barrel into place, "boxes of shrivelled
peaches nicely arranged in lows with
the pink sockets where the peach pits
once were. For the preparation of
green fruits and vegetables for the
housekeepsr's use in winter millions
of dollars have been invested in this
country in the past few years, and the
trade all sprung from dried apples
GLOW so
The Yankees couldn't live through
the winter without dried-apple pies
and pumpkin pies. In the fall they
pared the apples, cut them into quar-
ters, strung them on long, stout striRgs
with the aid of a darning needle, and
decorated the kitchen ceiling with fes-
toons of the fruit. In winter, when
the housekeeper wanted to make a
batch of pies, she cut off q yard or two
of this drapery. Some smart Yankee
several years ago invented machine
to dry any fruit or vegetable by
wholesale. They were named evapor-
ators, and were first used in New Y 1ork
and New Jersey, and their principal
use is now in those States. Southern
and Western farmers, however, are
beginning to understand the advan
tages of using them. There are prob
ably scores of evaporators manufact-
ured. Some may be put into any out
house that is two stories high, while
others require separate building for
the purpose Individual farmers u.s.
ually find room in some shed or lean
to- to avoid expenditure in building
tor the purpose. The space required
is only II or Is feet square of flooring
or even less than that
"The various kinds of evaporators, y
the dealer continued, care alike In
this. At the bottom is a furnace for
coal or tor wood, and over the furnace
is high, narrow enclosed superstruct-
ure, which looks like fat wooden
chimney sticking out through the roof.
Inside of this chimney the evaporation
is carried on by very different pro-
cesses in different machines. Some OF
the machines may be taken down and
put up again witheease. These were
made to be rented to farmers at few
dollars day. Most Of the evapora-
tors are tall enough to run up through
the roof of the building. A popular
machine has at the top of the struct-
ure and inside of it a wheel, and at
the bottom another wheel. Around
these wheels pass endless chains, car
rying at intervals of a few inches
broad trays or racks, on which the
green fruit is placed. AS the tray
revolve, they remain horizontal. Th'
operator stands at an opening on th
side of the evaporation, on the hrs
floor above the heater, and as he take
out a tray of evaporated fruit whicl
comes down to him in the revolution
of the endless chain of racks, he in
serts in its place a tray containing
fresh fruit, then gives the apparatus I
pull downward, bringing the mex
tray above, when the operation is re
peated. Trays with the fresh frui
descend, pass around into the opposit
side of the evaporation, up to the toE
over to the operators side again, an
downward to his hand. If the machin
is handled skillfully the fruit will b
ready to be. taken out after maxim
one revolution. Failure is liable t
result from drying the fruit SO that
is chippy and tasteless on the OIL
hand, or go moist as to become quicl
" heated and mildewed on the oths
hand. To prevent this, and to enab
the operator to know the exact cond
> tion of the fruit at any stage of tt
process, glass windows are set in tt
sides of the evaporator, and the ra
of speed may be regulated at Wi
Through the centre of the trunk is
partition dividing the space into tv
fiues, and damper enables the ope
aIOI W tI1OW uCdb 1AtO ~4thVA Va ~
eft these sections.
each of the evaporators is built
carry out q different theory of pl
serving fruit. The object aimed at
to produce an article which may
transported to foreign shores and
kept for years, while it retains
much as possible its original chars
teristic favor and sugar taste. I
inventor of the machine just describ
asserts that the green fruit should
heated Immediately to as great a {
gree of heat as it will bear witho
perceptibly changing its color. 3
air viii not penetrate and scald t
fruit he says, as moist air can.
the fruit rises gradually through
hottest hue the heated air and var
passes off at the top. While risin
the heat on the outside of the fruit
difnsed through it, and while descer
ing the other fue to the operator
receives its last heating, and is
moved. Another inventor argued Il
fruit should be first subjected to
mid atmosphere to soften it, and th
gradually dried by increasing
heat. In this inventors machine
fruit is put iu at the top. on trays. q