244 THREE ACRES AND LIBERTY 



ends of a box, and smoothed lath which is nailed on to form 

 the bottom. As builders' laths are 4 feet long, these lath 

 trays are most economical of material when made 4 feet in 

 length. 



A cheap and very satisfactory drier for use over the 

 kitchen stove can be made by any handy man of small-mesh 

 galvanized-wire netting and laths or strips of wood about 

 $ inch thick and 2 inches wide. By using two laths nailed 

 together the framework can be stiffened and larger trays 

 made if desirable. This form can be suspended from the 

 ceiling over the kitchen range or over a clear burning oil, 

 gasoline, or gas stove, and it will utilize the hot air which 

 rises during the cooking hour. It can be raised out of the 

 way or swung to one side by a pulley or by a crane made of 

 lath. When the stove is required for cooking, the frame is 

 lowered or swung back to utilize the heat which otherwise 

 would be wasted. Still another home drier is the cookstove 

 oven. Bits of food, left overs, especially sweet corn, can be 

 dried on plates in a very slow oven or on the back of the cook- 

 stove and saved for winter use. 



Where the electric "juice" is not monopolized, an electric 

 fan in drying is economical, especially for those who already 

 have a fan. 



Many sliced fruits placed in long trays 3 by 1 foot and 

 stacked in two tiers, end to end, before an electric fan can 

 be dried within twenty-four hours. Some require much 

 less time. For instance, sliced string beans and shredded 

 sweet potatoes will dry before a fan running at a moderate 

 speed within a few hours. 



The dried fruit or vegetables must be protected from in- 

 sects and rodents, also from the outside moisture, and will 

 keep best in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place. In the more 



