The Canadian Horticulturist. 



3i9 



EVAPORATING OUR APPLES. 



HEN properly applied, evaporation pro- 

 duces but little change in the fruit 

 beyond the removal of a large portion 

 of the water originally present, and, of 

 course, a corresponding reduction in 

 weight and bulk. It follows, therefore, 

 that if the proper quantity of water be 

 added to the evaporated fruit it is 

 practically fresh fruit. Why, then, is it 

 that evaporation is not more extensively 

 employed ? The reason is not far to 

 seek. On account of the amount of 

 water removed in evaporating fruit, con- 

 siderable time and care are required to 

 prepare the evaporated fruits and vege- 

 tables for the table; whereas, in the case 

 of can goods the cooking is done in the 

 factory on a large scale, and the goods 

 come into the consumers' hands quite 

 ready for the table, or at best merely requiring to be warmed. This it is that 

 prevents the wider application of our process of fruit preservation. The 

 question of fruit evaporation is thus practically limited to apples, and in this 

 connection the industry has assumed somewhat large proportions, and is yet 

 capable of considerable development. 



The apples sent to the evaporating factory are such as are not suited for 

 shipping ; that is, such as are not possessed of keeping qualities, windfalls and 

 the culls of winter fruit. At the factory the apples received are divided into 

 two grades ; first, those of good flavor, size and shape, and so suited for peeling 

 by machinery ; and second, all inferior, badly bruised, mis-shapen and small 

 fruit. The first grade is peeled, cored and sliced by machinery, often in one 

 operation. The sliced fruit is at once exposed for a few minutes to the gas 

 produced by burning sulphur. This prevents discoloration, and in no way 

 injures the fruit ; at most only a mere trace is left after evaporation is completed. 

 After being " sulphured," the slices are spread on trays of galvanized iron 

 netting, or of cloth, and heated air passed over them, the result being, as 

 already mentioned, that a large portion of the water is withdrawn, and at the 

 same time certain chemical changes, akin to increased ripening, are produced 

 in the fruit, resulting in an increased percentage of sugar, and diminished 

 acidity. The length of time the apples are exposed to the heated air depends 



