The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-08-01

will take place which Will result Ill
the deterioration of the vinegar. So
it must be remembered that during the
two lamentations above mentioned
the air must be admitted and for this
reason the casks should not be entire
ly full. But after the vinegar has been
made the casks should be full and the
air kept out if we wish to preserve
it's strength.
The writer has no experience in
drying prunes on a small or large
scale. 1 submitted this question to
P. J. Flint, who has large prune or
chard and large evaporator. One OF
the essentials in drying prunes is that
they should be dipped in solution oil
I've and water before they are put into
the dryer. This is done in order to
check or crack the skin so that the
moisture may escape when the neat
is applied. The strength of this So
luton can not be definitely laid down
on account of the difference In the
strength of lyes. So man must test
his I've. Take good concentrated I've
and use one part of I've to ten parts
of water. Dip the prunes into this So
luton for minute or so and If the
skin is checked it is about right but
if this is not done the solution is too
weak. Test the matter in this way
\
After the dipping put the prunes
into your dryer. This must be so ar
ranged as to have heat at the bottom
and ventilation at the top. The hot
air must pass through the prunes and
out. Without this ventilation you will.
cook your prunes but not evaporate
them. The thing to be done is to take
the moisture out of the prunes and out
into the atmosphere above. You can
make a cheap evaporation out of lum-
Der, but you must arrange for the heat
at the bottom which must pass
through or over the prunes and out.
X
T have nv doubts whether it is best
to try to evaporate prunes on small
scale for the market. Ii there is an
evaporation near by that will handle
your prunes at reasonable rates bet
ter have it done there. There are so
many things that should be known in
order that the prunes be put up IN
first class condition that it is better to
have this done by an expert than TO
try to do it yourself, unless you have
given the matter much attention and
have gained some experience.
I have been asked if I am in favor
of the formation of fruit growers
unions. Most assuredly I am. Any
81
ter by uniting it's forces than by each
individual working separately. IN
union there is strength" applies in
this case as we'll as in all others.
Such unions as exist at Hood River
and in the Puyallup Valley are GER
tainly beneficial and tend to the Sc
curing of better prices. One OF the
good things that are obtained in well
managed unions is that uniform
pack is secured. Many people do not
know how to properly pack fruit.
was in a grocery in Seattle the other
day and noticed box of Yellow
Transparent apples that had been
badly packed. Some of the apples
were big enough to pack fourier and
some were so small that they would
with difficulty pack six-tier. 1t so
happened that the large sizes were Oh
the top when the box was opened and
the smaller sizes were in the middle
of the box I called the groceryman's
attention to this style OF packing,
saying at the same time that we would
not allow that kind of packing on our
ranch. His reply was: eve never get
apples from the section where these
came from packed any better and we
never buy any from that section If we
can get others" See what lesson
there is in that remark. The people
who pack in that way are running their
trade and merchants will not buy