THE PATRIOTIC GARDEN 



FOOD FOB THE 



He also Fights w/io 



-SAVE-SUGAIV, 



KITCHEN LXBR 



helps a Fighter Fight 



EAT- NUTS^AND Tgg^^ 



Real Experience in Drying Garden Produce 



WILLIAM LESLIE FRENCH 



The New Idea in Conservation— Actual Figures on the Handling of Fresh Produce — Comparisons of Bulk and Weight 



DEHYDRATION, or the drying of 

 raw or fresh produce by means 

 of artificial heating, is merely a 

 short cut method of producing 

 under control, a result like that which 

 is accomplished by the sun and air out 

 of doors. It is one thing to produce 

 food, it is another to conserve it. The 

 national problem to-day is the conserva- 

 tion of the yield of fruits and vegetables 

 which has been on a scale hitherto un- 

 precedented, largely as a result of the 

 aggressive campaign and teaching of 

 the National War Garden Commission. 

 The problem of the hour is conservation. 

 Methods of canning are now pretty gen- 

 erally understood. Earth and cellar 

 storage are nothing new, but drying 

 the fresh product (driving out surplus water 

 so that the residuum can be kept almost in- 

 definitely and after a process of re-dehydration 

 serve equally as well as the freshly gathered 

 material) is not so generally understood, or, at 

 all events, has been little practised. Drying 

 has particular merits of its own. It reduces 

 bulk, it reduces weight enormously, and the 

 problem of a suitable container is practically 

 non-existent. The dried product can be put 

 in paper bags, cardboard boxes, old tin cans, 

 or a multitude of other second-hand receptacles. 

 As for space economy, a shelf three or four feet 

 long will carry all the vegetables and fruit 



needs for a family 

 over the winter. 

 Dehydration has 

 come to stay. It 

 can be done in the 

 home on a small 

 scale (as was dis- 

 cussed in last 

 month's Garden 

 Magazine) or it 

 can be done on a 

 more comprehen- 

 sive scale under 

 definite conditions 

 of control where a 

 group of people is 

 organized to han- 

 dle a quantity of 

 produce. But spe- 

 cific details are 

 better than any 

 amount of general 

 statements so let 

 us look towhathas 

 actually been done 

 in a demonstration 

 wayin meeting the 

 Administration's 



.„ „ „ _ , appeal for greater 



Mrs. George D. Pratt at work at the r j 

 Dosoris Lane Dehydration Plant 'OOd economy. 



The comparison of fresh vegetables and the dehydrated product showing quantity 

 requisite to produce two ounces dry 



TUT ERE and there dehydration plants have 

 A ■*■ been established at various convenient 

 places throughout the country. One will 

 serve amply as an illustration. Data in 

 this article are obtained from the Dosoris 

 Lane Dehydration Plant established by Mrs. 

 George D. Pratt, Glen Cove, Long Island. 

 Mr. Pratt, himself is Conservation Commis- 

 sioner of New York and his wife has been ener- 

 getic in demonstrating the practical service of 

 a central dehydration plant. This article con- 

 tains exact figures based on careful records 

 kept during the current season. As a war 

 activity the Dosoris Lane Plant is conducted 

 for the direct benefit of the families of our 

 soldiers and sailors. Dried products are be- 

 ing distributed through the Red Cross Home 

 Service. 



TN ALL dehydrating processes there are 

 •*■ a few fundamental principles which must 

 be observed. The vegetable products must be 

 thoroughly washed or scrubbed, decayed parts 

 or imperfections removed and sorted to size. 



Root produce (such as carrots, beets, potatoes, 

 and turnips) are preferably, passed through a 

 rotary sheer, | to \ inch thick and spread on the 

 trays to § inch in thickness. Leaf vegetables 

 (spinach, swiss chard, and herbs) should com- 

 pletely cover the bottom of the trays to get 

 the best results. Peas and beans can be in I- 

 inch layers. Peas when sliced into quarters 

 are better adapted for making soups and purees 

 than when dried whole. Sliced potatoes should 

 be immersed at once in boiling water from 2 to 

 4 minutes. This method applies to the pro- 

 duction of potato flour. But, to secure an 

 exceptionally fine product — white, with a fine 

 quality and flavor, and for storage purposes — 

 I dip them in water at 196 degrees, keeping 

 them there from 10 to 12 minutes. This sets 

 the starch and other ingredients. 



A sufficient amount of water must be removed 

 to prevent deterioration. The average amount 

 79 



of water remaining should be close to 

 10%. In other words the dried material 

 should not approach the state where it 

 falls to pieces if in the leaf or is rigid 

 with others. Likewise, the fuel value, 

 flavor, and aroma must be equal to those 

 of the raw material. 



Air in motion combined with various 

 degrees of heat accelerates the dehy- 

 drating process. Quick drying is desira- 

 ble, because the chemical changes occurr- 

 ing after a product is peeled or sliced are 

 of the character which will break down 

 the tissue, alter color and flavor, destroy 

 the food content, and produce almost 

 instant decay through the action of 

 bacteria, molds, and yeast. 



Too low a temperature, say at 90 , will 

 tend to sour the produce. Too high, 175 or 

 180 , will carry off the moisture rapidly, but 

 the sugars, salts, and flavor dissolve. The cell 

 structure must be maintained or this will 

 result. 



The proper preparation of the wet produce is 

 very important; also the raw products must be 

 fresh and preferably of a high grade or the re- 

 sults in dried quality will be poor. Obviously, 

 high-grade fresh-gathered carrots will turn out 

 better when dehydrated than old and stringy 

 carrots. Only the best quality obtainable was 

 used in the work under notice and all waste 

 from cutting was dried for chicken food. This 

 is cooked in water for about 20 minutes, and 

 then fed to the hens 

 which lay as rapid- 

 ly and freely as if 

 they ha|d been 

 nourished on the 

 regular fresh feed. 



TT IS preferable 

 -*- to use a full load 

 of one product to 

 facilitate drying in 

 a uniform time, or 

 produce of like 

 character or sim- 

 ilar dehydrating 

 period can be run 

 in together. This 

 is a convenience 

 when there is not 

 enough of one 

 kind to fill the 

 machine. The 

 leaf varieties can 

 be dried at the 

 same time. Car- 

 rots, beets, and 

 turnips are ex- 

 cellent drying 

 companions. 



Type of dryer for community instal- 

 lation. Mrs. E. H. Harriman 



