The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-06-24
EVAP0RATING PLANT
PROPOSED FOR ODELL

A great interest has recently been |
taken by the people of Odell in the
of putting in the central
valley district a dehydrating evaporat,
ing plant. Concerning evaporated
fruit A. ID. Lee, of Portland, who was
recently here, has written the follow
ing:
There are thousands of families in
the northwest who have idealized the |
orchard. put years of labor and all the |
capital they could command into that
orchard until now we have an effective
fruit producing machine" that pro-
duces a product so great that the prob
lem of handling, selling and distribut-
ing is of national importance.
We cannot but admit that the grower
in his earnest endeavor to produce,
failed to provide method for dispos-
ing of his product, but we are now fac
ing the prodigious results of his effort.
Some authorities place the possible
yearly apple production of the north
west, from commercial orchards now
set, at over $4,000 cars, and other
fruits, coming in and bearing, of a
more perishable character at 5000 cars.
The producer may have been at fault
in planting certain varieties, but he
must face the problem of disposing OF
that product, or lose all he has in the
world, along with hopes and ambition.
IL is no consolation to the owners OF
30, 900 acres of Elberta peaches to be
told by commercial Gamers that they
are not fit to can and be offered no
other method of disposing of product
that has appealed to the housewives OF
the United States as ideal.
What the producer wants to know is
how to place his product in the hands
of the consumer to the beneht OF both
producer and consumer.
1t would be financial and econom-
ic calamity to the northwest to start an
educational propaganda that would
cause to be destroyed thousands OF
acres of fruit now in bearing, and as
sociations and financial institutions
should do everything possible to pro.
mote means by which this fruit can be
saved and marketed.
There is a great amount of talk and
much printed matter on canning and
shipping fresh fruit, but matters OF
evaporating and preserving receive but
little attention. If the general con-
suming public were made acquainted
with the advantages of properly evap-
Grated fruits and vegetables; shown
how to prepare them, and made to see
the big economy in using evaporated
fruits as compared with fresh and
canned, there would be plenty of mar
kets for all our products.
The retailer frankly tells you he sells
what people ask for, and practically
all shifts in demand are brought about
| by methods of advertising and educa-
tion. One merchant in factory town
in Ohio was frank enough to tell me he
had induced certain poor families to
buy dried fruits, but those who could
afford canned goods he preferred to let
alone, as they bought more and his
profits were greater; but If people
asked for certain articles he always
tried to furnish them. Out of some 5O
retail grocers found none who knew
what kind of dried or evaporated fruit
he was selling except prunes; and IN
the east practically all prunes were
represented as from California, when
an examination of the box showed diff
ferent: but the merchants said Califor'
MIA fruits were better known, ano
MANY customers will call for "big Cal
ifornia prunes," or little sweet
prunes. One department store mar
told me that his wife was serving
dried apple from Oregon that made
better sauce thau any fresh apple hi
ever ate. He stated that if the pro
ducers of evaporated fruits would pu
"named" article of standard quality
on the market, advertise and demon
strate to the customers how to prepare
and show them the advantages in buy
ing evaporated fruits, he would furnisl
a demonstration booth, gladly.
When the people know they can. ge
twice as much for their money in goo
evaporated articles, and more healthfu
! as a diet, it will require but little etfor
| to increase the consumption of fruits
the benefit of the consumer and pre-
ducer.
Evaporation must be systematizet
Fruits classified and packs made uni
form and standard. A class of evapor
ator must be used that will give un
form product in moisture content whe
VI,
and fuel. The heat control must
positive and uniform so that the fru
| may be carried through the stare
/ transformation period, and it must B
] finished at uniform temperature hig
I enough to destroy all bacteria. n
fruit should be permitted to lie arour
3 IN open rooms to 60 through a sWea
\ as the moisture content can be balance
I in one hour, and the fruit packed HI
and free from exposure TO insects.t
bacteria in the air. This means ever.
4 thing to the keeping quality OF Il
s fruit, as we'll as the flavor.
The association that adopts stan
ard method, grades and names eat
s pack, advertises properly and teach
the public how to prepare their pro
I ucts and show the public the ceonon
4 in using their products, need have
4 fear of failure.
The comparative low cost of evapo
y ating plants, loss IN depreciation al
D general expense should make it Il
81 most attractive proposition for the pr
4 ducer in the northwest. Evaporat'
fruit shipped east to some centr
point, manufactured into jellies al
=, Jams would show an economy in Gi
tribution, as well as big outlet +
our products, and properly evaporat
fruits make better jellies and jar
than fresh fruit.
| An ideal evaporat0r will take ca
of profitably, classes of fruits a
| vegetables that are not consider
good assets under present methods
handling.
This feature is worthy of much co
sderation by the producers. Why n
more evaporstors?