DRYING PEACHES AND PRUNES 



463 



The California Peach Growers' Association owns the patents on 

 a process for what they call "practically peeled" dried peaches, 

 which they are largely using in their packing houses. The peaches 

 are peeled after drying. They are placed upon a traveling conveyor 

 which runs them first through a ttnk of boiling water in which 

 soda is dissolved, which loosens the skins and incidentally removes 

 any dirt on them. Then they go through cold water, which removes 

 the soda, and into the peeler in which rotating brushes force the 

 peaches along wire cylinders. This process scrapes off the skin. 

 Varieties differ in behavior. Muirs peel best. Lovell skins stick 

 much tighter, but a great deal of it is removed and under all circum- 

 stances the fuzz is all taken off, which is a great thing. After peeling 

 the fruit is dried, resulphured and packed. 



Clingstone peaches are successfully handled with curved knives 

 and spoon-shaped pitters in conjunction with ordinary fruit knives. 

 Different styles are carried at the general stores in the fruit dis- 

 tricts, and individuals differ widely in their preferences. 



The weight of dried peaches which can be obtained from a certain 

 weight of fresh fruit, depends upon the variety ; some varieties yield 

 at least a third more than others, and clings yield more than free- 

 stones as a rule. Dry-fleshed peaches, like the Muir, yield one pound 

 dry from four or five pounds fresh, while other more juicy fruits 

 may require six or seven pounds. 



Nectarines. Nectarines are handled like peaches; the produc- 

 tion of translucent amber fruit in the sun depends upon the skillful 

 use of sulphur. Dried nectarines are much like dried apricots, as 

 the skin is naturally smooth. 



Plums and Prunes. Our pitted plums, which are an acid fruit, 

 are meeting with more favor than formerly, and the product though 

 small is increasing. Pitting is done by hand or by the use of foot- 

 power "pitters." More rapid and capacious machines are being 

 brought out by inventors. 



Prunes are our greatest cure tree-fruit. Several varieties of 

 plums which dry sweet with the pit in are used in making prunes, 

 as already stated in Chapter XXIII, but the prevailing variety is 

 the Prune d'Agen, or French prune. 



Prunes are gathered from the ground, which has been previously 

 smoothed by rolling or rubbing. About three gatherings are made 

 as they ripen and fall progressively shaking the trees only at the 

 last gathering. 



Prunes are usually graded before drying, and various home- 

 made contrivances are employed. Some use inclined planes of 

 adjustable slats, the grader being thus available for other fruits than 

 prunes ; the large fruit rolls along into receptacles at the bottom, 

 while the small fruit falls through into other receptacles. Some 

 have a long riddle, say twelve feet long, with three different sizes of 

 wire screen on it. This riddle is hung upon four ropes with an 

 incline ; the prunes are thrown in the higher end, and by shaking it 

 they roll down and fall through the holes into boxes underneath. 

 The first piece of screen should be small, to let only stems and dirt 



