The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-09-26
ETAP0RATED FRUIT.
GLIMPSE OF THE DRIED FRUIT IN.
DUsTRY OF WESTERN NEW YORK.

The Orchards of the Farming Community
the Chief Sources OF Their wealth--Ex-
tent Of tho Drying Business--Cost OF
Consumption.
Rochester is the recognized center Of tho
evaporated and dried fruit industry Of the
United States, which during recent years has
assumed very large proportions, the goods
being shipped in large quantities to all Of the
leading markets OF tho world. No finer fruit
is produced on this continent than is grown
in the territory embraced under the name of
Western New York, comprising some twelve
of the most fertile and richest counties Of
the Empire state. The cultivation of fruit,
especially apples, has superseded all other
agricultural products and has proved the
most remunerative to the growers. The or
chards Of the farming community are the
chief sources Of their wealth, and the indus
try isprosecuted with undated vigor, largely
aided by the experience, skill and resources
Of the great nurseries of Rochester, famed
throughout the world.
Thousands Of tons of apples are produced
overy season from q quality Of fruit hereto
fore 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 valuable and indispensable adjunct
to every fruit grower, and the business may
be considered as yet In its infancy.
EXTENT OF THE BUSINESS.
Within radius Of forty miles of Rochester
there are more than 1900 evaporators, from
the small farm house drier, of capacity OF
twenty-five bushels day, to the large steam
evaporators, drying 800 to 1000 bushels OF
apples each twenty-four hours These eva
porators give employment during the autumn
and early winter months to at least 30, 600
hands, who average from ito sle week,
according to experiences and usefulness.
New factories are erected every season, prov
ing that the business Is profitable when pro-
perly and economically conducted. Constant
care and scrupulous cleanliness are the first
elements Of success In evaporating good
fruit
Tho production during the season of 1887
may be well considered the largest since the
inception Of the business, some fifteen years
ago. careful estimate places the total
quantity at about 80 000, 900 pounds, worth at
first cost some g., 100000. To produce this
quantity Of apples 1t required 5000, 900 bush
els of apples, 10, 900 tons anthracite COAL and
tho constant attendance, night and day, Of
an army Of men, women and children, mum
bering $4,000 to $1,000. The water elimi
mated in the process of evaporation amounted
to 225, 900 tons, reducing the bulk of the green
fruit to about one-eighth OF its original
weight, each 100 pounds yielding when prop.
erly evaporated twelve pounds on an aver.
age The fruit is usually packed in cases OF
two cubit feet measurement, holding fifty
he frfo nirs aud N.
half bushels of green apples.
COST OF TRANSPORTATION.
The advantages In freight alone will be
apparent from tho following comparison,
showing the cost of shipping one case to
Liverpool, England. which at existing
freight rates win cost n little less thnn thirty
cents, while in the green or fresh state in
barrels the same quantity would cost &2.25
and in the canned state almost 81. 10, without
considering tho deterioration OF the greer
fruit and the dangers of fermentation to the
canned article, the apple in the evaporatet
| state being transported without any danger
| of deterioration or decay. The refuse Of th'
apples, such as the parings and cores, ar,
| dried and form the base of all the cheap jel
lies manufactured ut present. The guam
tity produced last season win aggregate som'
12, 100000 pounds, so that not particle Of
tho fruit Is wasted.
The principal consuming countries abroad
are Germany, England, Belgium, Holland
and France, in which the new product has
entirely displaced the old fashioned sun dried
fruit There were shipped alone TO France
during 1887 some 5000 barrels of quality
known as chopped or sliced apple, which Il
dried without being either pared or cored
and is used chiefly for tho production Of
cider, cheap wines and distillation when the
vineyards Of France suffer from tho phyllox
era. Some 100000 pounds were exportet
during tho season, OF which moro than one
half were shipped from Rochester. Brad
street's