APPLE DRYING IN AMERICA. 283 



thrown over them at night. In drying, the apples 

 shrink greatly, and occupy a comparatively small space. 

 They are heaped together in the corner of a room, and 

 will keep good for two years. Apple-drying, on a smaller 

 scale, is managed by stringing the pieces of apple on 

 stout threads, and hanging them up in the kitchens, 

 where large wood-fires are kept. During the months of 

 October, November, and December, the ceilings may be 

 seen decorated with strings of apples, intersecting each 

 other in every possible direction. These are not quite 

 so delicate in their flavour as sun-dried apples, but 

 answer the pupose for common domestic use. In the 

 following spring and summer, when apples in their 

 natural state are scarcely to be had, these dried apples 

 ai*e found a valuable substitute, especially in pies 

 and puddings, for which purpose they are well washed 

 and soaked, and thus recover some of their original 

 freshness. 



At the season when apple-drying is carried on thus 

 extensively, the paring of the apples is a tedious but 

 indispensable duty ; and in order to hasten operations, 

 and at the same time to promote neighbourly feeling, 

 the Americans assemble their neighbours together on 

 the occasion for what they call an "after-supper frolic ;" 

 but which is really a long evening's work. In that 

 country, supper usually takes place at five or six o'clock 

 in the afternoon, and about seven, the " pavers," having 

 been duly invited, repair to the place where the apple- 

 paring is to be held. An eye-witness thus describes the 

 operations : " Without farther ceremony they form 

 themselves into small parties, each party surrounding a 

 large basket for the reception of the cuttings, while the 

 owner of the establishment takes care to supply his 

 assistant labourers with plenty of the raw material. 

 While fingers and knives are busily employed, the even- 

 ing is occasionally enlivened with songs and cider, and 

 not unfrequently with something of a more potent and 

 exciting character. Although these are aftei'-supper 



