DEHYDRATION OF PETJITS AND VEGETABLES. 25 



Mr. S\^■EET. A good many of the proceswes we know about blanch 

 by steam, as they call it, to keep them from oxidizing and turning- 

 dark. After they are pared and sliced, they run them into a steam 

 jacket, with steam pressure, and blanch them, and then go ahead 

 with the drying process. Yon can, and they do turn out a product of 

 potatoes, where they cook the potatoes, . then rice them, and then 

 dry the riced potatoes. 



Senator Xoeris. There is a sample of that kind right here. 



Mr. Sweet. You can put that in hot water and in a very few 

 minutes have as fine mashed potatoes as yoxi can from fresh potatoes. 

 With the deliydrated potato, as you would call it, you would have 

 to put' them back into the water and soak them up to their original 

 shape and size and then go ahead and cook them. 



Senator Noeris. "What I wanted to get at was, is there any practi- 

 cal advantage in cooking them before you dry them; is that more 

 practical than to dry them without cooking them? I am moved to 

 ask that question from the fact that I see on the samples of some of 

 the vegetables that they were cooked before they were dried. 



Mr. Sweet. I take it, from a business standpoint, that the English 

 Government, using them so long and using what we call the dehy- 

 drated potato, that they have proven to their satisfaction that that 

 is the best for their needs. 



The CiiAiRaiAx. This experience, then, of using the left-over prod- 

 ucts from the Boes War would indicate that it was almost indefinite ? 



Mr. Saveet. I think so. Senator. I see no reason why it should not 

 keep rather indefinitely. 



The Chairman. Thirty-six years as well as 18 years, and so on. 

 Is there anj other question that any Senator desires to ask Mr. 

 Sweet? If not, we will hear Dr. Fairchild. I want to say, however, 

 that we are very much obliged to Mr. Sweet for his statement. 



STATEMENT OF MR. DAVID FAIRCHILD, DEPARTMENT OF 

 AGRICULTURE. 



The Chairman. Doctoi-, kindly state your name. 



Mr. Fairchild. David Fairchild. 



The Chairman. What is your present address? 



Mr. Fairchild. Department of Agriculture. 



The CuAiKjrAN. What is your official position in the department. 



Doctor? 



Mr. Fairchild. I have charge of the introduction of new food 



plants. 



The Chairman. The committee will be glad to hear you m your 

 own way discuss the subject of dehydrated fruits and vegetables. 



Mr. Fairchild. Last April I was requested by Assistant Secretary 

 Vrooman to study this question from the angle which my own ex- 

 perience in the introduction of new vegetables would enable me to 

 give to it namely, the ]3roblem of whether these dried vegetables 

 would be acceptable to the people. The experience which we have 

 had in the introduction of such of these southern \egetables as the 

 dasheen has given me a chance, perhaps, to throw a little light, from 

 a Government standpoint, on this general problem of the human 

 palate 'xnd its effect on our agriculture. I.bring that matter up here 



