66 THE SMYRNA FIG AT HOME AND ABROAD 



brick. The boxes of figs, as they come to the drying shed, are piled up until several 

 tons have been gathered, when the work of dipping and spreading out on the trays 

 proceeds without interruption. The water in the cauldron, in which about three 

 ounces of salt to the gallon has been dissolved, is heated up to the boiling point. A 

 large perforated bucket is used for dipping the figs. This is attached by a rope and 

 pulleys to a short wooden arm, hung on a pivot to the upper part of the building, 

 one end of which hangs directly over the cauldron, about seven feet above it. The 

 bucket containing the figs is submerged in this hot brine for about a minute, it being 

 raised and lowered several times during this interval to allow the water to drain 

 off and also to remove any grit or sand adhering to the figs. The figs are dipped in 

 salt water to hasten the drying and to soften the skins; the beneficial effect of this 

 treatment is especially noticeable in figs which have become somewhat over-dried 

 on the trees before falling off. As soon as the figs are dipped, the beam is swung 

 over to one side, the bucket is tilted, and the figs are dumped on wooden trays, 

 which have been previously placed on a truck running on an iron track. These 

 trays are 2 by 3 feet, and have a three-quarter cleat nailed all around them 

 to prevent the figs from falling off. Three of these trays are filled at a time, being 

 placed close together on the truck. The figs are spread out on them in a single 

 layer, no care being taken as to the position in which they are placed, or whether 

 they touch each other or not. As soon as one tier of trays is filled, another set is 

 placed above them and also filled, this continuing until the trays are piled ten to twelve 

 deep. The truck is now run out on the track to the drying ground, and the trays 

 are spread out on both sides of the same. The drying ground should be firm and 

 hard, the harder the soil the better. In the early part of the season, the figs distrib- 

 uted are not allowed to remain on the trays in the sun for much over two days. 

 The second day the figs are turned, a very simple matter. An empty tray is placed 

 over a full one. Two men standing at each end of the trays, by a dexterous move- 

 ment of their hands, transfer the figs from the filled to the empty one. If the figs 

 pile up when turned, they can easily be spread out again by merely shuffling them 

 around with the hands. The trays, after two days' exposure, are piled up so the 

 air will pass freely through them. This stacking is not actually necessary, but it 

 benefits the figs, first in preventing them from drying out too rapidly, causing the 

 skins to become tough and hard, and, secondly, they dry more evenly. One great 

 mistake made in handling figs is that in many cases they are over-dried, which more 

 than anything else is the cause of tough skins. The proper degree of dryness is de- 

 termined by examining the figs in the early morning hours, before they become 

 warm. If, when worked between the fingers, they have a slightly leathery feeling, 

 they are sufficiently dried. 



The work of sorting now commences. Many of the larger plump and meaty figs 

 will on examination be found not to be dried sufficiently; these are sorted out placed 

 on trays, and exposed to the sun once more until they become dry enough. The other 

 figs are thrown into a pile in the sweat room. The piles of figs are turned over in 

 this room every few days; meanwhile the sweating process continues, the skins of 

 the figs become moist and pliable, and, although the figs are apparently wet, it is in 

 reality nothing more than the sweating and curing process they are passing through. 

 After remaining in the pile for ten days, the figs are now in condition to be packed. 



During the process of drying and handling, more or less dirt adheres to the figs, 

 so they are given another washing before hauling to the packing house. A trough, 

 made of two-inch lumber, two feet wide, one foot deep, and from ten to twelve feet 

 long, is half filled with cold water, in which four ounces of stock salt to the gallon has 

 been dissolved. From 100 to 150 pounds of figs are dumped into this trough at a time. 

 All figs which float to the top are removed first. These are over-dried, and are called 

 "floaters." The figs which sink to the bottom are given a thorough washing between 



