Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-09-19
TELLS HOW TO DRY APPLES.
+. c. Bradford of Agricultural Col
lege Answers Questions.

Oregon Agricultural College, Cor
vallis.-So many letters asking how |
to dry apples have been received by
the Oregon Agricultural College di-
vision of horticulture recently that
F. c.. Bradford of the research labo-
ratories 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
dryers in Oregon. Prune dryers are
! fairly well adapted to this work, and
have the advantage of being avail
able for drying several crops.
The best fruit is peeled, cored and
put on trays. An experienced oper-
ator with a hand machine will pare
so bushels day if the fruit is not
| too small. 1t is usually exposed then
to the fumes of sulphur for few
minutes to bleach it, or keep it from
turning dark 1t is important that
| it be bleached as soon as possible al
ter pairing and slicing. A simple
form of bleacher is tight compart-
ment with cleats to accommodate a
number of trays at time, at the bot
tom of which pan of sulphur is
burned. The fruit should not come
nearer than two feet to the sulphur
Trays with wooden Stats are prefer
able as galvanized wire is affected by
sulphur fumes. If the fruit is han
died in bulk a box with a series of
inclined planes placed one above the
other and sloping in opposite direc-
tions is used. The fruit is thrown
in at the top and slides down these
planes, exposed constantly to the
fumes of sulphur, and collects at the
bottom, whence it is removed from
time to time. Care must be eXer
csed lest too much sulphur be alb
sorbed by the fruit, a condition for
hidden by law. The time required
for sulphuring is variously estimated
at from 20 minutes to an hour and a
half, depending on the amount of sui
phur used. Ten pounds of sulphur
to a ton of fruit is perhaps a good
estimate of the amount required.
Slicing usually follows, but may
precede the bleaching Slices are
cut a Quarter of an inch thick and
whenever possible should be at right
, angles to the hole whence the core
, was removed. The proportion of
, rings governs the grading of the fruit
to a considerable 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 125
degrees. In prune dryers this is nee
essarily reversed, and higher tenn
| perature is frequently maintained
= In kilns the fruit is turned from time
S to time to prevent it from sticking to
e the Stats. When one lot has been re-
D moved, the floor is treated with tai
e low to further prevent sticking.
e good kiln usually drys lot of sliced
;. fruit in 10 to A hours; in prune dry
, ers in Oregon "a hours is the most
f common period for drying.
r The fruit should dry until there
: is little or no visible moisture on the
surface. A test sometimes employed
t is the squeezing of number of slices
e together in the hand Properly dried
K slices will separate at once upon be-
e ing released. After it is taken from
t the drier the fruit should be allowed
f to "sweat" on a clean floor, as
t prunes are shoveled over from time
to time. This makes the fruit more
D uniform as to moisture.
o Most of the dried apples in Oregon
4 are sold in sacks. If one is drying on
o a large scale, however, it will be
found advantageous to pack in an at
tractive manner in 25 and so pound
D boxes, or in one-pound cartons, as
c large operators in other regions do
. Reports from experienced Oregon
apple dryers indicate that bushel oi
e green apples will produce to IL
d pounds of dried fruit, the amount
i varying with the method of drying
n and the variety used. King, Baldwin
a and Northern Spy are generally con
d sidered good apples for drying
e Opinions as to the Ben Davis vary
st Summer apples in general lack the
IS firmness required in a good dryinf
g apple, although the Duchess of Old
1t enburg is considered good. Though
e 1t is reasonable to suppose goot
l. eating apple will make the best dried
r. apple, at present the market does mo-
Is discriminate, and seedlings are fre
s quently employed. The grading II
n usually based upon whtieness, clean
l. liness and general attractiveness
ie and proportion of slices in rings.
l. The drying of apples is discussed
20 in much greater detail in Farmers
,r Bulletin 291( from which much o
" this matter has been taken. 1t cal
Ig be secured by writing members o
m congress or the secretary of agricul
ture, Washington, d. G.