Daily Republican., 1885-09-09
Delaware Industry.
A FORMER RESIDENT OF THIS
CITY ONE OF THE PROPRlE.
TORS or An EvAPORATOR.
LAUREL A BUSY PLACE.

| tors, and operate IL under the firm
name OF Hitch 81 Boyce. 1t is a large
two story and a-half building, aud
stands on the railroad Immediately in
front Of the staten. When the visitor
entered he witnessed busy scene
girls were actively engaged In pairing
and cutting peaches, putting them Cd
sleeves ready for the evaporator, or
taking them off after the process was
com pleted.
1t was peaches, peaches, everywhere,
nothing but peaches, and 1t seems as II
all the peaches In Sussex County were
undergoing the drying process. The
women and girls are regular peach
butchers, and their experience in the
business has made them 80 proficient,
that the fruit scarcely seems to be
picked up from the basket before 1t is
cut in half, the seed removed, and the
pieces laid flesh side down on the wire
sieves. Others are engaged In pairing
them with patent pearors, and are fully
as proficient az the cutters. There 10
no loafing done, as the work is paid for
at 30 much per basket, COL sequentiy
| those who loaf, or spend their time In
talking, or looking out the windows. do
1t AT loss TO themselves.
, There are two evaporators in the
rear Of the building, and it is the
intention OF the proprietors to put two
more in before next season. The places
that hold the trays Of fruit In the
|eysporators, and on which they are
carried to the top, are similar to the
reel ovens, of which several are in
use by cake bakers in this city. They
are operated by cranks, and when the
reporter entered DIR. Hitch was in his
shirt sleeves, with the prrspiration
streaming down his face, turning one
Of tho crar ks, while an assistant was
removing the trays of finished fruit,
and replacing them with others. The,
doctor did not see his visitor when he
entered, and he stood back OF him
for some time, when he fually said
81 should like to have your photograph
taken just as you are,' TO show
your fIiends in Wilmington.
Upon hearing the voice the Doctor
turned, and seeing who had addressed
him, shook hands cordially, and told
lis visitor to make himself per fectly at
home, eat all the peaches he could, and
as he was busy, the scribe wandered
through the place, carefully inspecting
every part. There is a large store room
ad joining the large room, where the
peaches are received from the farmers
and placed in baskets, ready for the
operators. The sieves on which they
are placed, after being prepared, are
about four feet long by two feet wide,
and each hold about basket of fruit
cut in halves. As the sleeves are filled
they are carried to the bleacher, in
which they remain about five minutes,
when they are removed TO the evapora-
| tor, and exposed TO heat Of about l75
degrees for 8 or 10 hours, according TO
the quality OF the fruit.
| When it comes out 1t Is carefully
sorted, and each kind placed by itself.
The scraps are packed separately, and
sold as low grade goods. Toe other
kinds are taken t. the second floor 4,
where they are laid in boxes, piece by
piece, with fancy papers, until the
boxes are filled, and contain about
twenty five pounds OF fruit each, when
the cover is nailed on, and they are
ready for the market,
Every thing about the place Is nice
and clean, and each OF the operators
seein TO take a pride in doing the wori
the same as though they were TO use Ii
themselves.
The process of evaporation differ
from, aud Is vastly superior to the OLE
time method of drying in the sun, q
the fruit is not only kept free from dus
or dirt, but the natural tas.e and havo
lare preserved, nothing but the water
being taken out, and all that is neces
lsary when the fruit Is wanted for use l
10 replace this water by soaking fror
six to eight hours. The hot air for th
levaporators is furnished by large fur
mace, In which egg coal is used, and O.
1.-The smoke and gas Is carried off througl
large chimneys, leaving nothing bu
the dry, hot air to come in contact wit
1.-The fruit The products Of this evapC
rator are superior to those general
seen, as the proprietors are live, &c
ahead men, who have spared no ex
lpense to have everything about thei
establishment perfect in every respect
The far mers bring the fruit to tt
place in their wagons, and Of oours
there 10 some Of it that Is too soft fo
evaporating This is carefully sorte
out and taken to the second floor, wheI
| it IL halved, and the seeds removed
the pomAce lightly pressed to extrat
the Juice, which is then bottled by
jnew process, which preserves all th
natural flavor Of the fruit. Not sing
ldrop of water IL added, and the ju iC
thus prepared can be kept for an ind'
finite time. and is equal to the naturi
fruit for tiavoring ice cream or otht
PARTICLES.
The pomace, which still contain
considerable juice, Is then remove
= from the press, and with the pairing
] placed in barrels, where small quan
1 tity of water Is added, and it is allowe
to remain until vinous fermentatio
takes place, when the mass is agai
placed In the press and pressed perfec
liz dry. The liquor is carefully strained
and the product is peach wine, nor
lintox icating drink that is very popula
lin California, but which Is now mani
Ifactured in this part of the country ft
the first time, and will, when ono
introduced, meet with large sale.
e Every part of the peach is utiliz
Except the seeds, of which wagon loat
4 are piled up on the outside. The fri
I said they would be pleased II some IL
lyention genius In Wilmington or som
: where else would discover some wa
lby which they could be turned TO AZ
n count, and will willingly give him a
, they have on hand, besides afordin
every assistance In their power.
1l During the berry season tAey put U
large quantities of straw berry, rasl
/ berry and blackberry juices, and ;
they are superior to the majority
goods of that kind, are finding read
sale for all they have. They expect
have not less than 10000 pounds
eYaporated peaches, which represeni
about 4. 900 bushel of fruit, and Ii u
season would have been as good as WI
, at first predicted, they would ha'
turned out over double this ameunt.
will not be put on the market unit