PEAR GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 



397 



If fruit is wormy or otherwise injured it may be necessary to remove 

 the core, otherwise it is left. Milk pans are used as receptacles to 

 hold the cut fruit. From these the halves are placed cut side up 

 on the drying trays. These are purchased for about 50 cents each, 

 are made preferably of pine, and the dimensions are as follows: 8 

 feet by 3 feet, or 8 feet by 30 inches. 



FIG. 183. Large pear-drying yard with trays containing cut pears inclined 

 toward the sun to facilitate drying. 



SULPHURING. 



Pears, like all others of our dried fruits, are bleached by means 

 of sulphur fumes. This gives them a clear, more or less transparent 

 appearance, greatly adding to their attractiveness and sale. In addi- 

 tion the sulphur gas acts as a sterilizing agent to prevent decay 

 and as an insecticide or repellant to kill or drive away any insect 

 life which might be present. 



SULPHUR HOUSES AND BALLOONS. 



A type of concrete sulphur house used in Lake County is shown 

 in Fig. 184. This house is roomy and suitable for work on a large 

 scale. The tracks referred to previously may be seen running into 

 this house, and a car upon which are trays of fruit ready to be un- 

 loaded and sulphured may be seen also. Fig. 185 shows the ordinary 

 type of balloon hood that is effectively used by many of the pear 

 dryers. They have the advantage of being cheaper than the concrete 

 houses. These hoods consist of a light wooden framework, covered 

 with ^ two or three-ply roofing paper. The long row of hoods shown 

 in Fig. 185 are raised from and placed over the trays by means of a 

 block and tackle on a suitable running gear above. Thus one tackle 

 may perform the work of many hoods. 



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