78 Bush-Fruits 



have as much air passing through the house as possible, 

 hence the door and ventilators are left open. By using 

 screen doors and protecting the ventilators with netting, 

 most of the flies might be excluded. 



Drying with Evaporators 



For a business of any considerable extent, drying with 

 an evaporator is by far the best method. The results are 

 more rapid and certain and the product better. More 

 pounds of fruit can be obtained from a given quantity of 

 green fruit, too, than when dried in the sun. The higher 

 heat of the evaporator more quickly dries the surface, while 

 retaining the juices within, so that the fruit can go to the 

 curing-room while much greener than it otherwise could. 

 Sun-dried fruit becomes dry and hard, much as it is some- 

 times found on wild raspberry bushes late in the season. 

 When properly cured the evaporated product remains 

 more soft and spongy. It then soaks out more quickly and 

 assumes more of its natural condition. 



Many types and makes of evaporators are in use. Most 

 of them depend upon hot-air furnaces of various kinds 

 to do the work. In some large establishments the heat 

 is supplied through coils of steam pipes. This method 

 is especially adapted to situations where a power plant 

 is in use for other purposes, so that the exhaust steam can 

 be used for heating the evaporator. One advantage of 

 steam lies in the fact that there is no danger of scorching 

 the fruit. This is not a matter of great importance, for 

 with reasonable care there is little need of this in any good 

 hot-air machine. 



