The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-07-16
FRUIT DRYER AND POTATO
HOUSE COMBINED.

the sun, and by reason of the advan-
tages afforded in cloudy and wet
weather it is far more practical, and
especially as during the fall, winter
and spring months the same building
can be used for storing and preserving
sweet potatoes.
Said house is Preferably constructed
of brick or stone, and should consist of
two walls, an inner wall and an outer
wall, with a space of about six inches
intervening. The walls may each be
1 foot thick, ordinary mortar being
used to make them tight and substan-
tial. The surface of the ground should
first be dug away so as to place the
wallis on clay or other solid foundation.
The size of the house should be varied
to suit the circumstances, but in most
cases s by II feet is considered @ suit
able size. 1t is preferably instructed
2 stories high, the upper one of which
may be of wood. The brick, or stone,
walls should be carried up about feet
high, the outer wall being about 8
inches higher than the inner. A floor
ing of well seasoned 8 inch stuff should
then be placed on toy Of the inner wall,
the ends thereof coming flush with the
outside of said wall, being properly
supported in the middle by a cross
beam.
After the inner and outer walls be
come thoroughly dry the inch inter
vening space should be filed with dry
sand. The sand may be dried by spread
ing on the fl )or, or by any other con,
venient mode.
The wooden story should also consist
of two walls, an ianer and outer, with
an intervening space of about inches
for the rt ception Of dry sand, or, if
more convenient, saw dust may be en-
ployed. The outer wall may be con-
s5ructed with upright boards properly
secured to horizontal supports, placed
on the inside of the boards.
The inner wall may be constructed
with boards placed horizontally, prop
erly secured to upright studs. This
story may be 8 feet in the clear. Great
care must be taken to make the walls
tight. Battens should be used on the
outer wall, and mortar plac3 I'd between
the battens and boards, thus making
all tight when drawn up by the nails.
An occasional bolt may be passed
through the outer and inner walls, thus
preventing the spreading of same from
the weight of the sand,
A floor should be laid above, similar
to the one described, and made tight
by placing some dry sand on top of
same. Then finish with a good and
substantial roof.
| DRYING FRUIT.
We will now go back and complete
the first story, which only will be de-
voted to drying fruit, the upper story
being for other purposes.
A door should be constructed in one
end near one of the corners, sufficient
ly large to readily admit person by
STOPPING little.
A furnac9 about two feet square, and
sufficiently long to admit of using long
wood, should be constructed outside
near one end. A fue, foot square,
should then be constructed of brick
and covered with sheet iron. This fue
should run in a zigzag shape like a
fence through the chamber and pass
out at the further end, where pipe;
extending above the building, should
be employed to give a draft 1t is
nece ssary that the fiue should be
crooked and placed on topof the ground
mot dug ouE in order to produce the
necessary heat. The outer edges of
the flue should be carried little above
the sheet iron, using mortar SO placed
as to make it tight.
A convenient number of shallow
trays, or drawers, feet wide and 81
feet long, should be constructed. The
bottoms of said trays should be made
of narrow Stats, with spaces interven-
ing, to admit of the upward circulation
of the air.
Upright supports for the trays, com
posed of 2x4 inch scanting, should be
placed and properly secured at top and
bottom. Horizontal bars, feet long,
extending from one of the walls to
within 2 feet of the other wall, should
then be secured to the uprights; these
are to support the trays when slid back
} and forth.
Four tiers, or rows of trays, 2 in q
} tier, in all, placed inches apart, is
: considered a suitable number, but, il
desirable, they can be placed nearer