384 



GENERAL SCIENCE 



a usual thing, however, some of the desirable flavors are 

 lost in the drying process, and the food is less palatable 

 than fresh food. Modern methods of drying in vacuum 

 pans at lower temperatures have been quite successful in 

 overcoming this objection, and we shall probably see an 

 extension of the use of desiccation as a preservative. 

 Milk furnishes a good example of this. We have had 

 partially dried milk as condensed milk for some time ; 



U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



FIG. 342. Drying Fruits and Vegetables on Homemade Racks by Forcing 

 Air at Room Temperature across Them by Means of an Electric Fan. 



but dried milk is now a reality, and it is quite likely to 

 supersede other prepared milks if its nutritive values are 

 not diminished in the process of drying. 



Before the distribution of fresh meat was so well organ- 

 ized, large quantities of pork were preserved by smok- 

 ing and salting. The hams and shoulders were smoked 

 during the winter months and thus kept for use dur- 

 ing the following summer. The sides of the hog were 

 placed in dense brine and kept in a cool place. Meat 



