10 Oct., 1917.] Evaporation of Apples. 591 



produced. To seeure these, one must iliave a building wliich is practically 

 air-tight excp.pt at air inlets and ventilator.-;, and one from which loss of 

 heat by radiation is, as far as possible, prevented. In an old building 

 full of cracks and knotholes, or a rough structure with walla made of a 

 single layer of coi-rugated iron or rough boards, one may easily have a 

 constant loss of 25 per cent, of the heal produced by his fuel through 

 radiation from the walls, while tiie drafis and cro.ss currents of air whicli 

 sweep through such a structure on a windy, rainy day may practically 

 stop the drying process or permit spoiling of fruit to occur. No one 

 can juake money while operating under such conditions. The evapora- 

 tion of fruits, where undertaken at all, should be undertaken as a definite 

 and permanent ipart of the yearly programme. To begin it with ram- 

 shackle buildings and make-shift equipment is to assume the handicap 

 of high interest rates through rapid depreciation of the investment, 

 large repair liills, wliich will increase in amount annually, heavy insur- 

 ance rates, and great risk of fire, a large outlay for fuel which gives low 

 returns in work performed, an increased labour cost, and the occasional 

 loss of a considei-able amount of improperly cured product. Some or all 

 of these factors will almost inevitably wreck what would, with the exer- 

 cise of true and wise economy, have been a successful undertaking. For 

 all these reasons, one must advise that the building housing the kilns be 

 a permanent one as nearly fireproof in construction as possible. The 

 work of prei)aring the fruit for drying can, in case of necessity, be carried 

 on in any building which can be made into a light, comfortable, sanitary 

 workroom, but the added convenience of having everything beneath one 

 roof and in a building especially designed for the purpose will repay the 

 increased cost. 



The materials to be used in building will, of course, depend upon 

 location and local conditions. Building tile makes an ideal building, 

 since the dead air apace within the tile materially reduces loss of heat 

 by radiation, but tllie cost of tile is such as to be prohibitive. Brick will 

 also be too costly in most localities. Where stone is available in the 

 immediate locality, it will be cheaper than any other fireproof material. 

 Concrete or concrete block will cost much less than tile or brick, but 

 perhaps the least expensive method of construction would be to use metal 

 lath and plaster on both inside and outside walls on a wooden frame, 

 with steel girders and metal roof. Old railroad rails, if obtainable, may 

 be used as joists, by the use of wooden strips upon the upper surface to 

 which floors may be nailed. Such a building, if supplied with steel doors, 

 has literally nothing which can bo burned except the kiln floors, and if 

 the doors are kept olosod, fire cannot spread from the kilns to the work- 

 room. 



The cost of construction of a given building will, of course, vary 

 considerably with location, railway facilities, local labour costs, and 

 current prices of materials. 



Messrs. Welch and Scott, of Nortih Rose, New York, are operators of 

 a large number of small two-kiln and four-kiln plants, which are models 

 of their kind. The two-kiln evaporator subsequently described fairly 

 represents their plants, except that power machinery has been introduced. 

 These gentlemen have a number of two-kiln plants, 1^'2 x 36 feet in size 

 and 15^ feet to the eaves, each witih a paring room 12 x 30 feet, a storage 

 bin 6 X 12 feet, and two kilns each IS x 20 feet in size. These buildings 

 are constnicted of 6 x 8 x 10 inch concrete blocks, and arc roofed with 



