THE PRUNE. 145 



it generally characterizes a poor prune or a poor evaporator. As a verb, the fall- 

 ing of the drip. 



ExtrdH. — A superior quality of prunes; generally referring to size. 



Frof/H. — Small, poorly developed prunes, having an abnormal shape — not a 

 synonym of bloaters. Supposed to be caused by unripe fruit, poor soil, or any 

 unhealthy conditions of the tree. 



Gradhiff. — Separation of prunes, either before or after curing, into uniform 

 sizes. 



Pricking. — The process of puncturing the cuticle of the fresh prune prepara- 

 tory to putting it in the evaporator. Pricking is done by means of a machine, the 

 essential part of which is a board covered with projecting needles over which the 

 prunes must pass. A substitute for lye dipping. 



Sizei<. — The number of cured prunes it takes to make one pound. Those re- 

 quiring from iO to 50 prunes to weigh a pound are called 40s-50s, those requiring 

 50-60, 50s, 60s, etc. The four sizes are the 60s-70s, 70s-S0s, 80s-90s, and 90s-100s. 

 Commercially, it means equal quantities of these sizes. Sizes and grades are 

 used as synonyms. 



Sugaring. — The formation of globules ctf sugar upon the cuticle of cured 

 prunes, rendering them syrupy and sticky, and destroying the luster of the prune. 



Sulj^haring. — A process cured prunes are put through to give them a lighter 

 color. The prunes are put in a tight room, generally just as they are put on 

 trays before being placed in the evaporator, and subjected to the fumes of burn- 

 ing sulphur for a half-hour. Or they may be sulphured after being taken from 

 the evaporator. 



Sweating. — A process prunes are subjected to, immediately after being 

 taken from the evaporator, in which they are put in piles or bins with the tem- 

 perature at from seventy degrees or eighty degrees, turned several times, and al- 

 lowed to sweat. 



Picking a$i(l Grading. — There are all sorts of prunes put upon the market. 

 The differences are largely attributed to the care and attention given to the de- 

 tails of curing. Simple as it may seem, the picking of the fruit is one of the most 

 important matters in the process of curing prunes. Half the "bad luck" at- 

 tending evaporation, in which frogs, bloaters, sugared fruit and drip are pro- 

 duced, is caused by carelessness in picking. We put the greatest emphasis up®n 

 this, as neglect in picking is one of the commonest faults in prune making, and 

 its betterment must be recognized as a fundamental requisite of success. I have 

 seen men knocking the fruit from the trees with clubs, handling it with shovels, 

 and pouring it roughly from boxes into a wagon-bed. "There is nothing in 

 prunes," was the cry when the product was put on the market. Shortly before 

 the picking season begins the ground under the trees should be cleared of rub- 

 bish and worthless fruit, and the soil mellowed with a steel rake. The Petite 

 prune, and to a large extent the Italian and other varieties, when ripe enough to 

 dry wi^l drop to the ground; at least, no further assistance is given it in falling 

 than a gentle shake of the tree. If the fruit shrivels a little before dropping, all 

 the better. The object in thus letting the fruit get thoroughly ripe is, that not 

 until then is there a maximum amount of solids and saccharine matter so desir- 

 able in a good cured prune, much drip is prevented, since there is less juice, 

 and the essential rich flavor is not present until tke fruit is ripe. . . . 



Dipjnng r,v. Pricking. — Prunes are dipped in boiling lye or pricked by 



needles in a pricking machine, to check and make tender the tough skin, so that 



the moisture can escape easily and drying be thus facilitated. Incidentally the 



fruit is cleansed. Both processes are in vogue, and a discussion of their relative 



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