10 Oct., 1917.] Eva poration of Apples. 595 



ct'ilinj;. The storage bin is filled from outside. As apples are used, tliey 

 are drawn through a sliding door directly into a washing tank. If no 

 power equipment is available, one man washes off adhering dirt, throws 

 out over-ripe and rotten apples, runs tlie washed apples through the 

 grader, if it: be desired to separate the fruit into several sizes prior to 

 peelino;, kee])s the peelers supplied with apples, and removes peelings as 

 they aeeumulate. One man can easily do this while attending to tlie 

 fires in tlie kilns, if the arrangement suggested is followed. If power is 

 available, a bolt conveyor which carries the washed apples to a bin on the 

 second floor, from which a system of chutes distribute them to the parers 

 as needed, should be installed. This arrangement, which is fully de- 

 scribed on a later page, enables one man to prepare enough a])ples for a 

 day's run in a little more than an hour, leaving the remainder of the day 

 free for other work. 



The paring table should be constructed as described on page 49. It 

 is lighted by two large windows, and the parers sit beside these windows, 

 with the light falling over their shoulders. The peeled fruit rolls across 

 the table from the peelers to the trimmers, who sit opposite. The 

 trimmers remove bits of parings, bruised spots, and othrt- imperfections, 

 and throw the trimmed fruit on an endless belt conveyor, shown in the 

 centre of the paring table and fully described in a later .section, which 

 carries the fruit into the elevator, and thus to the bleacher. In the 

 absence of a source of jwwer, the trimmed fruit must be dropped into 

 bo.xes which are carried to the bleacher by hand as they become filled. In 

 no case should fruit be allowed to lie any length of time after peeling 

 before placing in the bleacher, or darkening will certainly occur. 



'Several types of bleachers are in use, and the next step in the process 

 will depend upon the particular type employed. The type which is 

 most widely used consists of a long, tight box, 18 inches to 2 feet in width, 

 and with a length of 6 to 10 feet per 100 bushels of daily capacity, or 

 24 to 40 feet for a four-kiln plant. The apples are carried by the con- 

 veyor into one end of the bleaching box, and fall upon an endless slat and 

 chain belt, which extends the lengtJi of the bleacher. By means of a 

 worm gear, this belt is made to move very slowly, so that 30 to 40 minutes 

 are required for fruit to pass through the box and drop at the opposite 

 end into a storage bin, or directly into tlie hopper of the slicer. Sulphur 

 is burned in a heavy iron pot, 'or other suitable vessel, placed just outside 

 and below the apple inlet, and at the opposite end a small pipe conveys 

 the fumes into the flue. Heavy leather or weighted canvas flaps close 

 the inlet and outlet for apples, to prevent the escape of fumes into the 

 room. Such bleachers are sold couiplete by a number of finus, but it is 

 a matter of economy to ])urchase only the metal parts, since an intelligent 

 carpenter can construct the box and set the machine up read.y to run 

 with the aid of the diagram. Fig. III. 



In case the plant does not have a source of power, another ty]3e of 

 bleacher must be employed. One very common type consists simply of 

 a long box, high and wide enough to receive an ordinary apple box, and 

 sufficiently long to accommodate six to ten such boxes placed end to end. 

 Tightly fitting doors are provided at the ends, and a track along which 

 boxes may slide is made by spiking two 2x4 scantlings on edge to the 

 floor of the box. Sulpliur is burned in a pan placed between the tracks 



