Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-07-20

States Department OF AgricultureD
One Of the most prominent features
of the food conservation program of
European countries has been the uni
versal drying of fruits and vegetables.
The surplus vegetables in the city mar
kets we're forced by the governments
into large municipal drying plants.
Community dryers were established
In the trucking regions and even ltin-
Grant drying machines were sent from
farm to farm drying the vegetables
which otherwise would have gone to
waste. In addition, large quantities of
dried vegetables from Canada and this
country were shipped to France dur
ing the last two years, and there Is a
possibility that dried fruits and vege-
tables may continue to be shipped
abroad in considerable quantities to
supplement the concentrated food diet
Of the men in the trenches.
The drying Of vegetables may seem
strange to the present generation, but
to u grandmothers it vas no nov
city. Many housewives even today pre-
fer dried sweet corn to the product
canned by the old method, and say
that dried pumpkin and squash are ex-
cellent for pie making. Snap beans
often are strung on threads and dried
above the stove. Cherries and rasp-
berries still are dried on bits Of bark
for use instead of raisins. In fact,
many of the everyday foodstuffs al
ready are dried at some stage of their
preparation for market. The common
dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins,
figs, dates and apples, are staples In
the worlds markets, while beans and
other legumes, tea, coffee, cocoa, and
various manufactured foods, like
starch, tapioca, macarOni, etc, are
dried either in the sun and wind or In
specially constructed driers.
Even though the drying of fruits and
vegetables as practiced a few decades
ago on many farms has become prac-
tically a lost art" the present food
situation doubtless will cause a marked
stimulation of drying as a means of
conserving the food supply. This coun-
try is producing large quantities of per
ishable foods this year, which should
be saved for storage, canned, or prop
erly dried. Drying is not a panacea
for the entire waste evil, nor should 1t
take the place Of storing or canning
to n considerable extent where prop
err storage facilities are available or tin
cans or glass jars can be obtained
readily and at a low cost.
Advantages Of Drying.
The advantages of drying vegetables
are not so apparent for the farm home
as they are for the town or city house
hold. which has no root cellar or 9th
or place in which to store fresh vege-
tables. For the farmers wife the new
methods of canning probably will be
better than u drying, which require a
somewhat longer time. But shorter
methods of drying are available, and
the dried product holds an advantage
In that usually 1t requires fewer jars
cans. or other containers than dc
canned fruits or vegetables also dried
material can be stored in receptacles
which cannot be used for canning
Then. too, canned fruit and vegetables
freeze and cannot be shipped as con
v~pniently in winter. Dried vegetables
can he compacted and shipped with {
minimum risk.
Special Advantages.
To the housewife in the town thu
drying of vegetables and fruits pre-
sents special advantages. During thu
season wnen the market is oversup
piled locally and prices are low sh,
can lay In a stock, dry 1t, and put |
away for a winters emergency withou
its taking up much of the needed small
storage space in her home. If she /
accustomed to canning her fruit ant
vegetables and finds she cannot sc
cure jars or tin cans, she can easily re
sort to drying.
With simple and inexpensive facili
Ties. all housewives can save quaint
ties of food which are too small cor
~yenientIy 10 can. A few sweet pOta
toes or apples or peas or even a singl
turnip can be dried and saved. Eve
when very small quantities are drie
at a time, a quantity sufficient for
meal will soon be secured. Small lot
of several dried vegetables, such a
cabbage, carrots, turnips, potatoes, an
onions, can be combined to advantag
for soups and stews.
Cleanliness Is Big Factor.
Cleanliness Is as necessary In tn
preparation of vegetables and fruit
for drying as in their preparation Il
canning, perhaps even more so. I
secure a fine quality of dried produce
much depends upon having the veg
tables absolutely fresh, young, tende
and perfectly clean. If steel kniv'
are used in pairing and cutting ha
them clean and bright so as not to al
color the vegetable. The earthly SINE
and flavor will cling to root crops
they are not washed thoroughly befoI
slicing, and one decayed root may fl
vor several kettles Of soup II the slic'
y from 1t are scattered through a who
batch of dried material. High-gra'