The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-31
DRYING APRICOTS.
Information of Practical Value to
HOrticuIturiStS.

Correspondence OF THE MORNING CALI.
O:cbardlsts VINO have not sod their
apricOts are just now deep in the work Of
drying and sulphuring. As your correspond
ent just now has actual charge of and is
attending daily to the drying Of The crop
from 400 trees q description Of the work
may be Of service to others who ha We small
apricot orchards.
The trays are Of course scattered in
piles over the field, about twenty In a pile
to block of fifty trees. Boxes are also
ready; baskets and knives. sulphur, a
strong canvas fifteen feet square for sui
phuring. another cloth twenty feet square
cut half down the middle for a shak ng
cloth, dozen old oilcans, and work may
begin.
Having for five years dried all of each
crop, and having received top-notch prices
each season-14h cents last year and Tx
the year betore-,he experience gained is
Of some value
Place the trays on four oil cans, cutting
from the boxes directly on to the trays un-
III pile OF ten or fifteen Is done, hign
enough IT, work at conveniently. Uudpr the
pile ace an old tin with three-Quar;ers of
a pound Of hest French or Italian sulphur.
over the trays place an inverted empty
tIay ana laying on the canvas draw the
earth loosely over the edges and allow it
10 remain one honr.or long enough TO allow
ali OF the sulphur to have teen burned out.
III the trees are not too close, spread BE-
tween the rows TO dry. The French or.
cbardlsts claim that it is a better plan than
to dry in open fields. 1t takes at least a
DAY longer to dry, but the cots are
not affected by the dew, an mpor-
Iant factor, and do not therefore need
10 DE covered at night. as SON.
careful driers advocate. The importan
matter, however is hat the time. saved ia
carrying to stationary sm0keh0use and
diylnR-gr0nnd is equal to one mans labor
for every day in an orchard the size OF the
one IN question. 1t is q convenient plan
TO nave say dozen or moro tr.ys double
SIZE. When the fruit has dried five days
IN such weather as we have been having
we past week, put ten trayfnlls on Que CT
.ne larger ones; stir once every day for
four days more, then place in bulk in an
AIRY, tight room. ii you have one, or pile in
"oxrs; Very many driefs sack the fruit
Immediately, but having tried all ths+e
ways. and rs the fruit needs to be stirred
or changed from one box or sack to an
'othrr before it is shipped, the first method
seems the least work
f"ur workers ran pick, cut and spread
iroSi l2O0 tn 1900 pounds. which will fill
from gu 10 30 trays on the average, of The
~ generally in use here. about bv 4
ite'. III crop would ripan In a gradual
wav. II would be an easy matter 10 de-
serhiine Just how many trays would be
necessary, and just how many men but
me me weather has great deal to do with it.
lbree or four hot DAYS will require or 10
men at work. and perhaps all the bulk OF
me crop will have to be cut ami surrad
WITHIN three or four days. reqniring sew
erai hundred trays. However 800 trays in
ordinary years handle Is tons of fruit.
Inc apricot is such a clean fruit. So
quickly cut and easily freed from the pit.
mat growers do not object to drying it;
nu peaches arr disagreeable to pick and
handle on account If the fuzz. the pit sucks
ana Is sharp. and being juicy the work is
dirty.
No prices are offered yet for peaches