74 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



culture and occasional grafting of better qualities ; but the process 

 of drying remained essentially' the same until very recently. 



Another fact ; as the drying process must be carried on by expos- 

 ure to the sun and wind, dust was liberall}' added to the generous 

 suppl}' of filth furnished by insects attracted to the sunny exposure 

 and drying fruit. Nor was this all ; decay often occurred in the 

 middle of the fruit, while the sugar was largeh' converted into an 

 acid for consumption — a dirty, woody, acid compound, resembling 

 apple in some respects, but robbed of its most valuable qualities. 

 These facts were sufficient ground for the feeling, then almost 

 universal throughout the State, that orchards were of little value to 

 the farmers as a source of revenue ; for it was literally true. But 

 the more thoughtful and enterprising turned their attention to the 

 cultivation of a better quality of fruit, both b^- grafting and b}' 

 planting better varieties, thus seeking to find an outlet for their 

 industries b}' the sale of fruit in its natural state. 



The enterprise met largely with success, and the commercial value 

 rapidly increased and the products of the orchards became a revenue 

 to the farmers. But only the best fruit was of marketable value, 

 and a large percentage of an inferior qualitj' was left to be dried, 

 manufactured into cider, fed to stock or allowed to decay. This was 

 the state of the industry up to a very recent date. But the method 

 of evaporation is changing the entire process of disposal of the 

 fruit, and bids fair to change the entire commercial value of the fruit 

 crop of the State. B}' this new process all the litter which formerl}' 

 incumbered the farmer's dwelling is removed to places where it cau 

 be easily and cheapl}' cared for. Thus the farmer and his family are 

 left free with their evenings for social, interlectual and moral improve- 

 ment. The place once occupied by apple peelings, corings, baskets 

 and tables can be taken by books, papers and magazines, thus bring- 

 ing the farmer and his family nearer the pulse of the great social 

 world. The change also furnishes a ready sale for fruit with no loss 

 and little trouble. The best of the fruit can be reserved for sale in 

 its natural condition, while the medium and poorer qualities are 

 available to the new process. Again he is saved a great amount of 

 labor for all storing, sorting, and harvesting is condensed into the 

 simple process of gathering the fruit into wagons and drawing it to 

 the factor}'. And the prices paid for the Iruit direct from the orch- 

 ards is largely in advance of the price obtained for that dried in the 

 old method. Prices for the current year range from twenty-five to 



