180 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



the planting of orchards and has become an important factor in the 

 utilization of the fruit which is unfit or would prove unprofitable for 

 marketing in the fresh state. In some of the older apple-growing 

 sections, such as western New York, the number of evaporators in 

 use is very large, and for many years, the industry has been well 

 established. Its present state of development, however, has been a 

 matter of gradual evolution. During its course methods have 

 changed more or less, appliances have been perfected, and marked 

 improvement in the construction of the evaporators themselves has 

 been accomplished. 



Many evaporators are located in villages, at railroad stations, 

 and at other central points; a considerable number, however, are 

 erected in close proximity to or in conjunction with apple orchards, 

 being owned and operated by the fruit growers themselves, each 

 plant being intended only for "working up" the fruit not otherwise 

 marketed from a single orchard. The evaporators located in towns 

 or villages are usually operated by men who make a business of 

 evaporating fruit, and the apples handled in them are bought wher- 

 ever they can be obtained to best advantage. These are generally 

 of much larger capacity than the ones at the orchards, and the type 

 of construction and the character and number of conveniences cor- 

 respond. 



The average weight of ripe winter apples of mixed varieties is 

 about 50 pounds to the bushel. In evaporating them about 40 

 pounds of water per bushel, or approximately 5 gallons, passes off in 

 the form of vapor. The evaporating of apples may be said, in brief, 

 to consist of driving off as rapidly as possible, by means of artificial 

 heat, enough of their moisture to prevent deterioration through de- 

 cay or other natural processes which occur in fresh fruit and at the 

 same time to maintain a desirable texture and flavor. 



Buildings formerly used for other purposes are frequently con- 

 verted into evaporators. An old dwelling house, a blacksmith shop, 

 a cheese factory, and a schoolhouse are examples. Others are built 

 substantially of brick or stone, thus reducing the risk from fire, 

 which is an important consideration. 



A large quantity of fruit, in the aggregate, is still dried by prim- 

 itive methods. In rural communities, especially where the "home 

 orchard" represents the extent of fruit growing, one often sees dur- 

 ing the autumn a flat-topped rock, the roof of some low, easily ac- 

 cessible shed, or other flat surface on which have been spread apples, 

 sliced or quartered, for drying in the sun. In some sections "strings" 

 of quartered apples hanging by a doorway to dry, or behind a kitchen 

 stove, are still familiar sights. 



While much of this sun-dried fruit is intended for home use, 

 large quantities of it are marketed, and it is also exported to some 

 extent. This fruit is commonly referred to as "dried apples," in dis- 

 tinction from that handled in evaporators, which is known as "evap- 

 orated apples." 



Types of Evaporators. Many types of evaporators are now in 

 use, though in a general classification they may be grouped, for con- 



