The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-09-29
Evaporated Fruit.

From BrddStreefs.
Rochester is the recognized center of the
evaporated and dried fruit industry of the
United States, which during recent years
has assumed very large proportion, the
goods being shipped in large quantities to
all of the leading markets Of the world.
No finer fruit is produced on this continent
than is grown in the territory embraced
under the name of New York, comprising
some twelve of the most fertile and richest
counties of the Empire State. The cult
walton of fruit, especially apples, has super
seeded all other agricultural products, and
has proved the most remunerative to the
growers. The orchards of the farming
community are the chief sources of their
wealth, and the industry is prosecuted with
undated vigor, largely aided by the ex-
periencc, skill and resources of the great
nurseries of Rochester, famed throughout
the world Whether due to this proximity,
the favorite climate and the soil, or the
superior and skillful cultivation of the
orchardists, one thing is certain, that the
apples of Western New York are sought
with avidity, and bring relatively higher
prices than those grown in any other por-
ton of the country.
The success and magnitude of the evap-
Grafton industry is due largely to the fine
quality of the fruit, easily and cheaply
procurable in abundant quantities, and ais,
to the enterprise of the producers in adopt
ing new and improved evaporators and
machinery in place of the crude process in
vogue years ago, producing thereby quail
ity of fruit fully as good and palatable to
the sight and taste as though it were in
the fresh OF uninjured state. Thousands
of tons of apples are produced every season
from quality of fruit heretofore wasted
and allowed to rot on the ground, and
which now forms nice income to the
grower. 1t is in the utilization of these
waste products that the desiccation of fruit
becomes a valuable and indispensable adj
junct to every fruit grower, and the bust
ness may be considered as yet in its infancy.
Within radius of forty miles of Roch-
ester there are more than $4,000 evapora-
tors, from the small farm house drier, of a
capacity of twenty-five bushels a day, to
the large steam evaporators, drying 800 to
1000 bushels of apples each twenty-four
hours. These evaporators give employ
ment during the autumn and early winter
months to at least 10000 hands, who ay-
erage from IS to S12 a week, according to
experience and usefulness. New factories
are erected every season, proving that the
business is profitable when properly and
economically conducted. Constant care
and scrupulous cleanliness are the first ell
ements of success in evaporating good fruit.
The production during the past season,
1887, may be well considered the largest
since the inception of the business, some
fifteen years ago. y careful estimate
places the total quantity at about 100000
900 pounds, worth at first cost some 81
100000. To produce this quantity of
apples is required 100000 bushels of
apples, $4,000 tons of anthracite coal, and
the constant attendance, night and day, of
an army of men, women and children,
numbering 25 900 to 10000. The water
eliminated in the process of evaporation
amounted to 225,000 tons, reducing the
bulk of green fruit to about one-eighth of
Its original weight, each 100 pounds yield
ing when properly evaporated II pounds
on an average. The fruit is usually packed
in cases of two cubic feet measurement,
holding 80 pounds net, the product of say
81 bushels of green apples,
The advantages in freight alone will be
apparent from the following comparison,
showing the cost of shipping one case to
Liverpool, England, which at existing
freight rates will cost little less than
thirty cents, while in the green or fresh
state in barrels the same quantity would
cost 1925, and in the canned state almost
500, without considering the deteriora-
tion of green fruit and the dangers of fer
mentation to the canned articles, the APP
pie, in the evaporated state being trans
ported without any danger of deteriora-
ton or decay. The refuse of the apples,
such as the parings and cores, are dried
and form the base of all the cheap jellies
manufactured at present The quantity
produced last season will aggregate some
12,000,000 pounds, so that not a particle
of the fruit is wasted.
The principal consuming countries abroad
are Germany, England, Belgium, Hol-
land aud France, in which the new pro-
duct has entirely displaced the old fash
Toned sun dried fruit. There were shipped
alone to France during 1887 some $4,000
barrels of quantity known as chopped or
sliced apples, which is dried without being
either pared or cored, and used chiefly for
the production of cider, cheap wines, and
distillation when the vineyards of France
suffer from the phylloxera. Some 4,000,-
900 pounds were exported during the
season, of which more than one-half were
shipped from Rochester. New York State
evaporated fruits have secured a very
favorable reputation and strong footho,d
abroad, and can be had in almost any town
or city of Importance on the European
continent The goods are also taken in
considerable and increasing quantities by
the West African and Australian trade
every season, and with the popularity and
growing demand at home the success of
the business is more than assured.