530 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



poses, with the added excellence of being somewhat more mature, 

 because it is not required to stand hauling and shipment. It should, 

 however, be carefully handled to escape bruising, because discolora- 

 tions are blemishes. It must be cleanly cut for removal of pit or 

 core, because trimness, neatness and shapeliness are all essential 

 to beauty. Before it reaches exposure to the protecting fumes of 

 sulphur, it must be often saved from darkening by handling in 

 water, when the nature of the fruit is such as to require it. It must 

 be carefully and evenly spread upon the trays, especially if it be a 

 cut fruit, so that no interference can prevent each piece from reach- 

 ing its best estate. Sulphuring must be adequate, and yet not ex- 

 cessive, for sulphuring is a protecting and not a resurrecting pro- 

 cess ; it is not to improve bad fruit, but to keep good fruit from 

 becoming bad. The fruit must be sufficiently dried and yet not 

 over-dried, and during the process must be protected from dust 

 by the situation and character of the ground used, even if such pro- 

 tection costs trouble and outlay. 



Although the sun drying of fruit may be a simple process, so 

 many little arts, methods and appliances are continually being intro- 

 duced to facilitate work or improve the product, that one can learn 

 much by visiting the different fruit regions during the drying sea- 

 son. Such a course is commended to growers who contemplate 

 large drying operations, for suggestions of great economic import- 

 ance can be secured. The notes of practice which can be given in 

 this connection must be brief and general. 



Cross-section of drying trays. 



Trays for Drying. The greater part of the fruit, including 

 raisins, is placed upon trays for exposure to the sun. There is great 

 variation in the size of the trays. The common small tray is made 

 of one-half-inch sugar-pine lumber two feet wide and three feet long, 

 the boards forming it being held together by nailing to a cleat on 

 each end, one by one and a quarter inches, and a lath or narrow 

 piece of half-inch stuff is nailed over the ends of the boards, thus 

 stiffening the tray and aiding to prevent warping. A cross-section 

 of such a tray is shown at A. 



A large tray which is used by some growers is four feet square, 

 and is made of slats three-eighths of an inch thick, and one and a 

 half inches wide, the slats being nailed to three cross slats three- 

 eighths of an inch thick and three inches wide, and the ends nailed 



