The Delta independent., 1918-05-31
Drying Plants

Establishment by municipalities from
municipal funds of drying pla its for
fruits and vegetables where conai-
tions are favorable is referred to in
Farmers Bulletin 916, A Successful
Community Drying Plant, published
by the United States Department of
Agriculture.
In municipal plants, the bulletin
says, the work should be supervised
by the city council or other town au-
thorities. If the plant is not a muni-
cipal plant. it is best to place it un-
der the guidance of some association
already in existence, such as civic i'm
proyement club. commercial club,
home school garden club, or a special
community club organized for the pur-
pose.
AS an example of a club that can
be formed for the purpose, the bulle-
tin tells of one community that has
drying plant and in which a special
community club of approximately 60
farmers, has been organized primarily
to look after the operation of the dry
ing plant. The officers, president,
vice-president, secretary and treasur-
er, constitute the executive committee
and are intrusted with power to act.
A simple form of constitution and by
laws has been adopted and meetings
of the club are held monthly or often
er. usually at the drying plant which
in this Instance is in a room of a
church building.
Municipal or government owned
drying plants have been in success
/ full operation in European countries
| for years. Such plants provide vii
lage communities with convenient
and simple method of drying all sorts
of produce of the home garden and
orchard. as well as the vegetables and
fruits shipped to the community,
which might be allowed to go to
waste at the stores and market places
| The drying plant described in the
bulletin follows closely the specifica
tions of a community plant at Lin
coin, Nebr.. and IL others in that gen
eral section. all of which were operat
ed successfully during the summer
and fall of 1917.
! The advantage to the busy farmers
wife in the country community can
not be over estimated, says the bull
letin. Her work is heaviest in the
summer when vegetables and fruits
must be saved for winter use. The
establishment of a community drying
plant at considerable school. coun-
try church. or centrally located farm
home would offer a great relief from
/ heavy kitchen duties.
| The drying plant described in the
bulletin uses. an adaptation of the
electric fan process Of drying. A
stream of dry air is caused to flow
continuously over the products being
dried. The humidity of the air, the
method of preparation of the vegeta-
bles. and the velocity of the air cur
rent have much to do with the rapidi-
ty of drying. II is n utilization of
the same principle by which wind will
dry roads after a rain or by which
damp clothes hung in a breeze will
dry much more quickly than those
hung in quiet air Another feature
of the drying plant described is that
instead of the air being forced across
the Vegetable it is drawn across them.
laboratory tests indicate that dry
ing is considerably accelerated when
the suction method is used. although
the force method will dry satisfactory
ly and is used in at least one Nebras-
ka plant. The bulletin says that such a
plant should be operated without ex-
pert help and by power easily avail
able and can be built complete for
less than $3.50. Plans and specifica-
tons for building such plant are
given in the bulletin.
The most important feature to
watch in the construction of dry
ing plant OF this type is the fan. The