944 



THE FRUIT INDUSTRY ix XEW YORK STATE 



mass of racks was raised, at regular intervals, by either a lever or 

 a chain and sprocket arrangement. On arriving at the upper 

 story the apples were dried, and there the racks were taken out. 

 The capacity of each tower was approximately one hundred bushels 

 per day. In 1876, Mason L. Rogers, who owned the first drier, 

 built a tower evaporator on the Rogers homestead now owned by 

 Willis P. Rogers, of Williamson. 



The box drier consisted of a wooden box,, 4 feet wide, 1 feet 

 high, and from 16 to 20 feet long on the inside, which usually 

 stood on the first floor of the evaporating plant with one end over 



FIG. 275. FOUR-KILN PLANT. WORKROOM ATTACHED AT RIGHT ANGLES 



the furnace. Two pipes extended the whole length of the box 

 underneath the racks and at least three feet below them. At the 

 end of the box they turned, were led back, and disappeared into 

 the chimney at the middle of one side. These racks were sup- 

 ported by cleats running the entire length of the box on the inside, 

 in rows which were about six inches apart and which were called 

 "runs." After being spread with the green fruit, these racks, 

 which were made of a wooden frame and quarter-inch wire mesh, 

 were introduced at the lower end of the box directly over the 

 furnace in order to sear the fruit with a strong heat. At regular 

 intervals additional racks were introduced by those in charge, the 

 operator at the farther end from the furnace taking out a rack 

 and inserting it in the run above and thus making room for 



