DRYING BANANAS 147 



Such an economical consumption of steam is only possible 

 by drying under vacuum. 



A vacuum- drying plant faces p. 146 (Fig. 12). The size 

 recommended for drying bananas is known as No. 12 ; 

 there are twenty shelves in its chamber, 43,^ in. wide, 

 39| in. long, and 1 in. high, with a space between the 

 shelves of 2^V in. The approximate total heating surface 

 is 496 sq. ft. The chamber is made of cast iron ; it is 

 8 ft. 8 in. high, including the stand, 5 ft. wide, and 5 ft. 3 in. 

 deep. The approximate weight of the plant is 5 tons 6 cwt. 

 With one chamber, as shown, the price is 500 ; but two 

 chambers, forming a unit, are recommended instead of 

 one, price 900. Seven or eight hundredweight of bananas 

 can be dried in the day. 



Although this drier appears to be excellent for making 

 banana chips, it is not so certain that it is well suited for 

 the preparation of banana figs. 



