EVAPORATION OF APPLES 
The kiln floor is constructed of strips 
especially designed for the purpose. 
Such floors are generally made of pop- 
lar or basswood strips, seven-eighths of 
an inch thick, one inch wide on the top 
surface and one-half inch wide on the 
under side. In laying the floor, these 
strips are placed one-eighth to one- 
fourth inch apart on the upper surface. 
This makes the space between them wid- 
er on the under side than on the upper, 
thus allowing the small particles of fruit 
which work down between them to drop 
through without clogging the interven- 
ing spaces. Reference to Fig. 2 will 
make plain the method of constructing 
the floor. 
The heating apparatus, parers, slicers, 
bleachers, details of arrangements, etce., 
referred to here are described under 
their respective headings. 
Tower Evaporators 
At one time tower evaporators were 
extensively used in some sections for 
apples, but in recent years this type has 
been largely superseded by the kiln 
evaporator, so that at the present time 
there are comparatively few towers in 
use. 
As the name of this type implies, a 
tower is its characteristic feature of con- 
struction. It may be likened to an im- 
mense chimney, provided with the neces- 
sary appliances for receiving the fruit, 
except that the heat alone is allowed to 
pass through it, a separate flue being 
provided for the smoke. 
There is no more definitely prescribed 
manner in which these towers are con- 
structed and arranged than there is gov- 
erning the construction of kiln evapora- 
tors. They may consist of one tower or 
several. If several, they may be en- 
tirely disconnected from one another. 
They may be built side by side or back 
to back, opening on the opposite sides. 
They may be entirely within the build- 
ing, extending through the several floors 
from basement to roof and projecting 
above, or entirely on the exterior, open- 
ing into the interior after the manner 
of an “outside chimney,” common in 
some sections of the country. They may 
921 
be built either of wood or brick. They 
are usually from 4 to 5 feet square, in- 
side measure, and 30 or 35 feet in 
height, as desired. Heat 1s supplied by a 
furnace at the bottom of the tower. 
There are two principal methods of 
constructing the towers in regard to re- 
ceiving and handling the fruit to be 
dried. The apparatus in one case con- 
sists of two endless sprocket chains oper- 
ating over wheels properly adjusted at 
the top and bottom of the tower. Each 
sprocket chain is provided with swing- 
ing brackets, corresponding with one 
another on each chain, for holding the 
racks on which the fruit is placed for 
drying. In one specific make of appara- 
tus these brackets are arranged in series 
of six each, so that this number of racks 
can be put in, one immediately above 
another. A space of two feet or so in- 
tervenes on the sprocket chains between 
each series of six brackets. This sprock- 
et-wheel-and-chain device for carrying the 
fruit in the tower is turned by means 
of a crank, which works on the outside 
of the tower. 
The racks on which the fruit is dried 
consist of frames 4 feet long and 21% 
inches wide, over which is placed gal- 
vanized wire netting having a ™% inch 
mesh. This size of rack permits the 
apparatus on which the racks are car- 
ried in the tower to work readily, those 
on one side passing upward, while those 
on the other side move downward, with- 
out interfering with one another. 
In this method the point of admitting 
the fruit to the tower is near the base 
on the first floor. When the fruit is dry 
it is removed at the same point. 
In operating the tower, the appara- 
tus is turned every few minutes to bring 
each rack of fruit in its course to the 
base of the tower, where the heat is 
greatest. In this way it is made to dry 
uniformly, and each rack is brought re- 
peatedly into view of the one in charge; 
hence he is always able to know its exact 
condition. 
In one particular evaporator of this 
kind there are three towers, about 30 
fect high, each holding 120 racks. The 
capacity of a single tower is about 100 
