21 



ning. It is true that such fruit is more or less defective from 

 various causes ; but wlien pared and cut into slices, as is done by 

 tiie machines used to prepare it for the evaporator, it is but little 

 work to remove the imperfect parts as it is being spread on the 

 trays. 



To test the value of the method of utilizing this almost waste 

 product by evaporation, three evaporators of small capacity and 

 of different makes were purchased, with the most approved paring 

 apparatus, and put in operation about October 20. The fruit used 

 was a little above the ordinary grade of cider apples, but contain- 

 ing very few apples good enough to put in as No. 2 market 

 apples. 



Two men were employed, and all the evaporators were kept 

 running at once. The fruit was weighed before paring and after 

 drying also. The product of each evaporator was kept separate, and 

 a careful account kept of the cost of production. In the process 

 of manufacture the apples were pared and cored at one operation ; 

 they were then dropped into a slicer, where, by a single stroke, 

 each one was cut into slices from three-sixteenths to one-fourth 

 of an inch thick. These were then dropped into a tub of water to 

 which had been added salt at the rate of one-half pound to about 

 five gallons. They were allowed to stand in this liquid from ten to 

 twenty minutes, when they were placed on the evaporator trays and 

 put into the bleacher. The bleacher is a close box of the size of 

 the trays, with cleats on the inside, and with a little draught at the 

 top to carry off any surplus fumes. A small quantity of sulphur 

 or brimstone is kept burning in this while the fruit is exposed. 

 After remaining in the bleacher from fifteen to twenty minutes, it 

 is transferred to the evaporators. The time that the fruit was 

 kept in the evaporator varied with the amount of fire in the fur- 

 nace ; but in every case an effort was made to keep this up as high 

 as possible without burning the fruit. The liability of burning 

 the product was greatest with the " Stahl," less with the 

 "American" and least with the "Topping." 



The results with each evaporator are as follows : — 



The " Tojjping " consumed 44 bushels of apples. 



producing 272| pounds of dried fruit, 

 yielding 6^- pounds per bushel, 

 costing 4.0 cents per pound. 



The "■American"' consumed 30 bushels of apples. 



producing 194i pounds of dried fruit, 

 yielding G| pounds per bushel, 

 costing .5." cents per pound. 



