The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-07-26
ADVISES ON HOW
 TO DRY AND TEST YOUR VEGETABLES
Fruits and Other Preserves
 Should Be Placed in Para fin Paper Bxoes

Should Be Placed in Para
 fin Paper Bxoes
 For those who lack the proper
 storage places, the drying of fruits and vegeta bles offers practical form of economy. When the market IS
 over supplied with fruits and vege- tables and the>prices are low, or when the products of the garden or orchard are going to waste. this is a simple and inexpensive method of conserv- ing the food supply.
 There are at least three distinct methods of drying applicable in the home;9 sun drying. drying by artificial heat. and, drying by air blown from an. electric fan. One of these, or combination may be used.
 Sun Drying-This has been a meth 'od much employed in the past and is still used in those parts Of the world where the climatic conditions favor it. The equipment for sun dry ing is inexpensive but this process takes time and patience, particularly when the weather Is unsettled. The most satisfactory equipment consists of two large trays made of wire win dow screening each set in narrow wooden frame of lath or Of lumber
 3-4 in thick and two inches wide The two wire trays, when hooked togeth- ed. leave a two-inch space between the wires, where the fruits and vege- tables will dry and be safe from flies and insects. Rain, dew, insects and dust have to be guarded against For this reason bright, hot days are best and the product should be covered at 1x,fo hA n roof makes a very satisfactory place for such work. The fruit or vege- tables should be stirred once or twice each day. Large trays make the work easier and more successful. As ven tilation is important care should be taken to give space around, above, and especially under the product while it is drying.
 Drying by Artificial Heat-Stove drying is still done by thrifty people who have used this means of keeping food through the winter. There are
 many varieties of drying outfits for this method.
 Hot Water Drier-One very com mon drier consists of large shallow tin, or galvanized iron pan, in which are two or three inches of water. Fit ting rather snugly into the top of this is another shallow tin upon which are placed the fruits or vegetables to be dried. There should be at least one inch space between the water and the tin holding the product. The water when heated to the boiling point and kept there furnishes an even heat which dries the food very uniformly. The fruits and vegetables may be laid on a towel on this heated upper pan, or the surface may be greased a lit ix1- ,<s1 1I,i, 1; A tin smith for 8 few dollars will make such a drier; 27 inches long. 15 inches wide, and 3 1-2 inches high. with an upper tin an inch in depth having the same width and length to fit into the lower receptacle. Roast ing this may be adapted for this work. This drier may be used on a part of the stove while other work Is being done. One of the objections to this device, however. is that the sur
 face for drying is relatively. small.
 though a considerable quantity of material can, be dried for a small family This method Is particularly
 suitable for drying corn. Such an
 outfit dries in from one to five hours
 according to the amount of water in
 the fruits and vegetables, the thick
 ness of the slices and the nature of
 the tissues.
 Hot Air Driers-There are several
 differs on the market made of wire
 racks in a. closed metal cabinet with
 an opening at the top for ventilation, though they resemble portable ovens
 with many wire shelves. An oven cannot very we'll be used as a substi- ute unless an opening Is cut in the top. These differs are hung over a stove or set directly on one with low heat. The position of the trays con- taining drying food must be frequent ly interchanged.
 F An improvised dryer can be made of laths and wire netting hung over a kitchen stove during drying time. It will take four to five hours to finish the work in these hot differs.
 Fan Drier-The electric fan fur
 nishes a simple equipment for drying
 where electricity is available. Make a number of trays of window screen ing two feet square, having sides of
 wood one and one-half inches high and arrange them in straight line l directly in front of the fan. Twelve feet is about the limit of distance
 away from the fan that will be reach ed by the air current. Two or more
 tiers of these trays may be used and the number of trays increased to twelve or eighteen, thus making more
 space for drying materials when large quantities are desired. The fruit and vegetables should be cut in slices and placed in a thin layer on the trays. When they have shown evidence of partial drying they should be moved farther away from the fan, and other trays put in the first places. After a time the partially dried and shrunken products on several trays may be put on one tray to make room for fresh material. It takes at least twenty four hours to dry satisfactorily with I the fan. Peaches need even longer I than this. But the drying is very ef-
 fectfve and is particularly adapted to ] drying large quantities of peas, beans, I and apples. Electric fans cost from I eight to twenty dollars according to 1 their diameter. The small fans dry | as effectively as the larger except that the trays cannot be placed so far from the fan. The cost of electricity
 varies from tone-quarter cent per
 hour according to the size of the fan and the local rate.
 The time required for drying diff. ferent products varies and the ability
 to judge when it Is dry enough tc l.