The Washington times., 1917-01-15

with those turned out by the factoris
IF the Fatherland. I went fortifie
With letters Of introduction to tn
foremost Of those establishments, an
I chose to make my FIRST ca
Ipon the managing director Of th
most noted of the vegetable dryin
Was Well Received.
He received me in q very hant
Iomely appointed office, bearing. a
he hallmarks of commercial success
md courteously asked me to explai
he object of my visit. I did thi
,riefiy. At once. the Herr Direkto
waved his hand deprecatorily and e,
ressed his sincere regret that shoul
,ome 50 far to lay before him any
hing that pertained to the art Q
Trying. Z could have saved you tn
rip, Mr.. Williams, because we knoy
III there Is to know about drying an
is quite impossible h
aid.
Naturally I was not disposed {
niger, neither was inclined to dis
lay my samples, but the alert Her
)irektor had seen that I had some
nd more out OF politeness than any
hing else expressed q desire to Sc
hem. 1t was plain that he was a
nee interested, and before long b
lad six or seven Of his technical as
ociates summoned to the office, ant
hey too were impressed.
Offered to Buy.
'EThe Herr Direktor dismissed them
nd when the room was cleared, turn
d to me. eagerly and said: Mr.. VIII
Jams, name your price. did not be
ieve vegetables could ever be dried t.
ook like your samples AS our pa
ents were then pending in the Ger
nan patent office I was not prepared
o come to terms, but left that es
satisfied that we Yankees
lad forged q long way ahead In {
cry difficult art, and I realized tina
Ve had the solution OF a vexing eco
ionic problem-the utilization ant
he preservation for subsequent con
of millions Of tons o
and fruits that would 9th
rwise go to waste.
How well we have succeeded in re
aiming the natural flavor OF fresf
il evidenced by the testi
honey of a New York housekeeper, /,
riend of mine. Merely to satisfy he
sent her q package Of oui
rted spinach The next time I saw
er she said: Why. Mr.. Williams
hat spinach was actually freshel
han the green stuff; that I buy
my grocer's.' Naturally, because
hat spinach was dried inside Of eigh'
ours from the time II was picked
-lrile the provision store was selling
pinach anywhere. from a week tc
en- days old.
Treated when. Fresh.
I'VE treated the vegetable when 81
vas succulent and fresh and full
The store articles had beer
for days before it wal
ooked.
'sThe Department Of Agriculture Is
ne authority for the statement that
OF less than 80 per cent of the fruits
nd vegetables grown in the United
tates never reach the consumer. OF
purse, q very large part OF the vast.
&c Is in the form of fruit, but from
le standpoint of conservation OF
,odstuffs II seems almost criminal
hen one considers the enormous
of vegetables which arc
early either plowed into the ground
: thrown away or destroyed because
le price does not warrant the farmer
shipping them to the market.
Can BE Preserved.
''why shouldn't these products be
, conserved that they would keep In
efinitely and be welcome upon any
Lble? It is possible by our drying
rocess to preserve these fruits and
egetables in forms that are bound
, be a boon to the housewife and a
,mfort to the family purse. Our dried
roducts, for instance, can be sold
q lower price than the normal re-
i'll market price for green stuffs,
nd we should only find fresh vege-
Lbles formidable competitors when
lere is an overabundance. But then,
owever, would be the time when we
,uld buy and dry most economically,
nd by thus conserving the surplus IL
ould be possible to maintain a gen
al balance in the foodstuff market.
'HThe Government experts declare
lat of the potatoes in domestic use
like 25 per cent OF their
eight is wasted in pairing, and tha.
lere Is q further loss of Is per cent
wing to deterioration and sprouting
eA kIoN
lite 10 per cent of our potatoes are
asted on the farm in the form OF
hat is known as culls-potatoes in.
red in digging or those that do not
lite come up to the market stand
IDS.
Potato Flour Possibilities.
with plants suitably located, a
,ry large share Of these cuIls could
, dried and made into potato flour.
hich is good for bread, soups, pan.
Ikes and a filling in certain tex
les.
"a pound Of our dried, mixed vege-
bles prepared especially for soups
i'll make enough to serve sixty or
ore adults. A barrel of the same
.getables, weighing 100 pounds, will
Irnish soup enough to feed nearly
O00 persons. The raw vegetables
efore drying would fill at least
irty barrels and weigh probably
ore than 1900 pounds.
I'VE are shipping these goods
,road at the present time. Inded, in
me of the places the men otherwise
ould not be able to have fresh vege-
bles. Anyone with half an eye to
onomy will appreciate what this
wing in weight and bulk means.
charges are according
lower. For military expeditions
ID naval operations covering pro-
acted periods nothing could be bet
r or more satisfying to the men,"