Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-04-29
Fruit and Farm


from municipal funds of drying
plants for fruits and vegetables where
conditions are favorable is referred
to in farmers bulletin GIG, publish
ed 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
authorities. If the plant is not a
municipal plant, 1t is best to place
1t under the guidance of some asso
citation already in existence, such
az a civic improvement club, COM
mercial club, home-school garden
club, or a special community club,
organized for the purpose.
AS an example of club that can
be formed for the purpose, the bull
letin tells of one community that
has drying plant and in which a
special community club. Of approx
mately 60 farmers had been organ
lied primarily to look after the oper-
alton Of the drying plant. The Of
flcers-president, vice-president, sec
retary and reasurer-constitute the
executive committee and are intrust-
ed with power to act A simple form
of constitution and bylaws has been
adopted and meetings of the club are
held monthly or oftener, usually at
the drying plant, which in this in
stance is a room of a church build
ing.
Municipal or government owned
drying plants have been in success
ful operation in European countries
for years. Such plants provide vii
lage communities with a convenient
and simple method of drying all sorts
of produce of the home garden and
orchard, as we'll 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
specifications of a community plant
at Lincoln, Nebr.. and IL others in
that general section, all of which
were operated successfully during
the summer and fall of 1917
The advantage to the busy farm
er's wife in the country community
can not be overestimated, says the
bulletin. 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 consolidated school,
country church, or centrally located
farm home offers a great relief from
heavy kitchen duties.
Fan Method OF Drying Favored
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 be-
ing dried. The humidity of the air
the method of preparation of the
vegetables, and the velocity of the |
air current have much to do with the
rapidity of drying. 1t is a utilization
of the same principle by which wind |
will dry roads after rain or by
which damp clothes hung in 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 fore
ed across the vegetables it is drawn
across them. Laboratory tests indi-
cate that drying is considerably ac-
CELEBRATED when the suction method
is used, although the forse method
will dry satisfactorily and is used
in at least one Nebraska plant. The
bulletin says that such plant should
be operated without expert help and
by power easily available and can
be built complete for $3.50 or less.
Plans and specifications for building
such plant are given in the bulle-
tin.
Fan Most Important
The most important feature to
watch in, the construction of a dry
ing plant of this type is the fan. The
The main point to keep in mind is
to get one that will move a suffi-
cient quantity of air. If the fan will
move air fast enough for the suction
to hold piece of cardboard or other
foot square and weighing