946 THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN KEW YORK STATE 



the introduction of another rack over the furnace. By means of 

 this process the racks sent forward on the lower run returned on 

 the one above it, and the operation was continued until the upper 

 runs of the box were reached, where the temperature was much, 

 lower. By this time the fruit was properly dried. 



The steam type of evaporator differs from the box in that the 

 source of heat is centered in coils of steam pipes between every 

 second row of racks, making it necessary to have additional space 

 between the pipes and racks immediately above so as to prevent 

 the fruit from being burned directly over the steam coils. The 

 advantages of steam are: A better quality of fruit product and 

 a saving in cost of fuel, since a cheaper grade of coal may be 

 used. It is disadvantageous in that more labor is required in 

 operation, and, besides the high initial cost of the pipes, renewal 

 is necessary every two years. Four thousand feet of one-inch 

 steam pipe represents capacity for three hundred bushels per day. 



LATER PERIOD TYPES 



First, the hop kiln. The hop kiln requires a building with a 

 fairly steep roof, usually constructed with 16-foot standing, and 

 square or nearly so, the popular sizes being 18x18 and 20 x 20 

 feet. A very large furnace with generous heating capacity is 

 placed' in the center of the building, and at the roof point a good- 

 sized ventilator is located for the purpose of allowing steam and 

 moisture to escape, the openings being fitted with doors that may 

 be regulated by ropes and pulleys in order to control the steam 

 escape according to the direction of the wind. 



In the standard two-kiln type, the kilns are 20 x 20 feet and a 

 two-story workroom is attached the entire length of one side. 

 Paring machines and conveyors are on the first floor from which 

 the apples are elevated to the second floor into the bleacher. From 

 there they pass the slicer and thence by conveyors (in the case of 

 a power plant) into the kilns. 



The kiln floors are constructed of strips of either maple or 

 basswood, one inch wide on top, seven-eights inch thick, and one- 

 half inch wide on the under side, and laid with a quarter-inch 

 opening at the upper edges ; the wider space at the bottom prevents 

 the lodging of small particles of the dried fruit. These floors are 



