METHODS OF DRYING FRUITS 455 



several days, and when ready to pack dip in boiling salt water, or, as 

 is the practice of some producers, dip in a thin syrup, boiling hot. In 

 either method a good pliable condition and handsome color are ob- 

 tained. In drying white figs many sulphur the fruit from fifteen 

 minutes to an hour before putting out on the trays. Figs which dry 

 slowly have to be turned several times during the drying, and those 

 which are apt to run juice are placed so that the eye is raised a little 

 until the juice is thickened. The white figs are also put in sweat-boxes 

 and dipped in hot salt water before packing. In packing, the figs are 

 often flattened and drawn out by the hand. Such manipulation gives the 

 fig a lighter and more translucent appearance. The time required in 

 drying figs is usually from five to eight or ten days, according to loca- 

 tion and weather. The fruit does not cure evenly, and those which are 

 finished (as determined by sight and touch to be learned by experi- 

 ence) are picked from the trays, and others given more time. 



Mr. Henry Markarian, of Fresno, a large producer of dried figs, 

 handles the fruit this way : 



He has a cement tank, half filled with salt water and immerses by means of 

 a wire basket a ton of figs at a time for from ten minutes to a half hour. The 

 figs are hoisted and emptied through a feeder into trays, which are stacked in 

 the drying yard till the fruit is of uniform quality. This takes about ten days, 

 and is far superior and cheaper to the quicker sun drying. They are then poured 

 into sweat-boxes like raisins and taken to the packer, culls being removed. The 

 Adriatics are not dipped, but sulphured. 



Culls are mostly splits. There are more some years than others; cool, damp 

 weather being especially bad. Irregular weather, or very hot weather, will also 

 develop culls, and rains will sour a good many, though Adriatics suffer worse 

 than the others. In good years culls amount to only about two per cent. In bad 

 years they will amount to eight and ten per cent. 



Birds will do big damage. One year they destroyed eight tons of fruit. After- 

 wards a few boys with guns were kept busy, and one summer killed 4,000 birds, 

 and there was hardly a bird picked fruit in the lot as a result. 



The orchard on the best soil, and best attended to will give the finest fruit. 

 However, the average Smyrna crop will run about 20 to 25 per cent extra fancy, 

 about the same amount fancy, 45 per cent choice and 5 per cent cooking fruit, sold 

 to bakers and pastry manufacturers. The choice fruit is split and packed in 

 bricks as seen at fruit stands and grocers. The larger, finer figs can be sold 

 whole, packed solid. 



Pears. The dried pear product is increasing, and, as with 

 apples, only a light-colored product is profitable. These are made by 

 sulphuring and sun drying, or by the use of the machine drier. For 

 sun drying the fruit of medium size is halved, the large fruit being 

 quartered. 



Peaches. Peaches are sun dried in much the same way as apri- 

 cots, already described. Take the fruit when it is fully ripe, but not 

 mushy ; cut cleanly all around to extract the pit and put on trays CUP 

 side up; get into the sulphur box as soon as possible after cutting. 

 Peaches are dried both peeled and unpeeled, but drying without peeling 

 is chiefly done. Peling is done with the small paring machines or with 

 a knife. Peeling with lye has been generally abandoned because of 

 discoloration of the fruit after packing, although it can be successfully 

 done by frequently changing the lye and using ample quantities of 

 fresh water for rinsing after dipping. 



