The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-09-27
FARM AMP AM! ORCHARD
Noes and Instructions from Agricultural and Exnysrt ss.
Of Oregon and Washington Specially to Poetic coo,f os
HOW TO DRY APPLES.

nOW ~ OHY APPLES.
F. G. Bradford. Fruit Expert Staff
Answers Questions.
Oregon Agricultural College, Cor.
vallis-So many letters asking how to
dry apples have been received by the
0. A. c. division of horticulture re.
Gently that F. C. Bradford, of the re-
search laboratories, has prepared the
following information on the subject
Most of the apple drying in Oregon
is done in prune dryers, probably be-
cause these are available. In New
York state, where apple drying is
done extensively, evaporators much
like the hop kilns here are used. In
fact, some apples are dried in hop
driers in Oregon. Prune dryers are
fairly we'll adapted to this work, and
have the advantage of being available
for drying several crops.
The best fruit is peeled, cored and
put on trays. An experienced oper-
ator with hand machine will pare so
bushels a day if the fruit is not too
small. 1t is usually exposed then to
the fumes of sulphur for few min
utes to bleach it, or keep it from turn
ing dark. 1t is important that it be
bleached as soon as possible after par
ing and slicing. A simple form of
bleacher is tight compartment with
cleats to accommodate a number of
trays at time, at the bottom of
which pan Of sulphur is burned. The
fruit should not come nearer than two
feet to the sulphur. Trays with
wooden Stats are preferable, as gal
vanized wire is affected by sulphur
fumes. If the fruit is handled in bulk
box with series of inclined planes
placed one above the other and slop-
ing in opposite directions is used.
The fruit is thrown in at the top and
slides down these planes, exposed con-
stantly to the fumes of sulphur, and
collects at the bottom, whence it is
removed from time to time. Care
must be exercised lest too much sui
phur be absorbed by the fruit, a con-
dition forbidden by law. The time
required for sulphuring is variously
estimated at from 20 minutes to an
hour and half, depending on the
amount of sulphur used. Ten pounds
of sulphur to ton of fruit is perhaps
good estimate of the amount re-
quired.
Slicing usually follows, but may
precede the bleaching. Slices are cut
a quarter of an inch thick, and when
ever possible should be at right angles
to the hole whence the core was re-
moved. The proportion of rings gov
erns the grading Of the fruit to con-
siderable extent.
In kiln evaporators the fruit is
spread some eight inches deep. This
is, of course, impossible when trays
are used. The general practice in
New York evaporators is to start the
fruit at $50 degrees, finishing at 1875.
In prune dryers this is necessarily re-
versed, and a higher temperature is
frequently maintained. In kilns the
fruit is turned from time to time to
prevent it from sticking to the stats.
When one lot has been removed, the
floor is treated with tallow to further
prevent sticking. A good kiln usually
dries a lot of sliced fruit in 10 to IA
hours; in prune dryers in Oregon "a
hours is the most common period.
The fruit should dry until there is
little or no visible moisture on the
surface. A test sometimes employed
is the squeezing of number of slices
together in the hand. Properly dried
slices will separate at once upon being
released. After it is taken from the
drier the fruit should be allowed to
"sweat" on a clean floor, as prunes
are shoveled over from time to time.
This makes the fruit more uniform as
to moisture.
Most of the dried apples in Oregon
are sold in sacks. If one is drying on
large scale, however, it will be
found advantageous to pack in an at
tractive manner in 25 and 50-pound
boxes, or in ne-pound cartons, as
large operators in other regions do.
Reports from experienced Oregon
apple dryers Indicate that bushel of
green apples will produce 8 to IL
pounds Of dried fruit, the amount
varying with the method of drying
and the variety used. King, Baldwin
and Northern Spy are generally con-
sidered good apples for drying. Opin-
| ions as to the Ben Davis vary. Sum-
mer apples in general lack the firmness
required in a good drying apple, al
though the Duchess of Oldenburg is
considered good. Though it is rea-
sonable to suppose good eating apple
will make the best dried apple, at
present the market does not discrim-
mate, and seedlings are frequently
/ employed. The grading is usually
based upon Wilderness, cleanliness and
general attractiveness, and proportion
of slices in rings.
The drying Of apples is discussed in
much greater detail in Farmers Bull
| letin 291, from which much Of this
matter has been taken. 1t can be Sc
cured by writing members of congress
or the secretary Of agriculture, Wash
ington, D. G.