fruit Drying. 423 
ing the sugar which covers the fruit to crystallize. The fruit is now 
ready for boxing and shipping. Fruit thus prepared will keep in any 
climate and stand transportation. 
Thus far the crystallized fruit produced in California has 
sold well. There is a considerable importation of French fruit 
to the United States, which may be displaced by the California 
product, and the business commends itself to those who have 
ingenuity, patience, and capital enough to enable them to ex- 
periment and wait for future success. The California producer 
has the advantage of an abundance of very fine fruit at a low 
price. According to the consular reports, the fruits best for 
crystallizing are not cheap in France. 
FRUIT DRYING. 
To describe minutely the methods and appliances employed 
for the drying of fruit in California would require a volume, and 
is beyond the scope of this treatise. A very small fraction of 
the California dried iruit product is made by artificial heat. 
Since it was first ascertained that, by the use of sulphur before 
exposing the fruit to the sun, it can be cured without darkening 
its color, sun drying has largely taken the place of machine dry- 
ing. The capacity of any machine is infinitesimal as compared 
with the acreage of sunshine. Owing to the beautiful light color 
of the fruit and the great care in boxing and adorning it, Cali- 
fornia sun-dried fruit sells as evaporated fruit—than which a 
higher commercial tribute can not be paid to its excellence. 
Though this is true, there is probably still a great field for 
machine driers, especially in the upper coast region, and they 
are also used on a large scale by firms and associations as a sup- 
plement to sun drving. ‘Their capacity and economical use of 
heat are continually being improved, and theig product, when 
well manipulated, approaches perfection as a preserved product. 
Although the sun drying of fruit may be a simple process, 
so many little arts, methods, and appliances are continually be- 
ing introduced to facilitate work or improve the product, that 
one can learn much by visiting the different fruit regions during 
the drying season. Such a’course is commended to growers 
who contemplate large drying operations, for suggestions of 
great economic importance can be secured. The notes of prac- 
tise which can be given in this connection must be brief and 
general. 
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 
