FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRESERVING. 



285 



Stoning or Pitting Fruit. 



open. The cans are then lowered into a cooking bath, 



which may be water 



only, or some substance 



as lime or salt, to give 



more heat, when tough 



fruits are being 



handled. As in bot- 

 tling, the time allowed 



for cooking varies from 



five to twenty minutes. 



The cans are then 



raised, steam issuing 



from the top. The hole 



is then soldered close, 



and the cans are dipped 



in cold water, to secure 



a vacuum. They are 



then put in a hot test- 

 ing room, and should no change occur they are scoured, 



labelled, and painted, and sent out the handsome tinned 



goods in such general use. Machines are used for stoning 



and pitting fruit in the factories. 



FRUIT DRYING. This process is peculiarly adapted for 



Australian fruits. The requirements are not expensive. 



From 5 to 10 covers the 

 cost of such a dryer as shown 

 in the illustration. It is made 

 of iron or timber. It may be 

 of any < It-si rod size, say from 

 Oft. high by 4ft. in front, and 

 4ft. deep, or any larger size 

 required. The open door shows 

 arrangement of trays on which 

 the fruit is spread. Below is 

 a stove, or tire, which may be 

 arranged on the ground, the 

 smoke passing away in a 

 chimney behind. The fruit is 



either pared (as apples), cut (as apricots, pears, &c.), or dried 



whole. Many other forms of . dryers are in use. In 



A Simple Frnit Dryer. 



