924 
escape of the fumes after they have 
passed through the bleacher. 
Another simple bleacher in which the 
fruit is handled in bulk (not in crates) 
consists essentially of a large square box, 
the interior of which is fitted with a 
series of inclined planes sloping in op- 
posite directions to prevent the fruit from 
dropping to the bottom in a compact 
mass. The fruit is usually admitted at the 
top directly from the paring table. It 
then rolls from one inclined plane to an- 
other to the bottom, where there is the 
necessary opening, with means for closing 
it tightly to prevent the escape of the 
sulphur fumes, for removing the fruit 
when it is bleached. The sulphur is 
burned beneath the lowest inclined plane. 
In the case of the bleacher where trays 
are used the sides of the interior are pro- 
vided with series of cleats for supporting 
the trays in which the fruit is handled. 
The distance between the cleats is slight- 
ly more than the depth of the trays. The 
sides toward the platform consist of series 
of closely fitting doors about six inches 
wide, placed horizontally, through which 
the trays are entered and removed from 
the bleachers. The trays of fruit are put 
into the bleachers and left in the sulphur 
fumes a sufficiently long time for the fruit 
to bleach. The sulphur is burned at 
the bottom of the bleachers, and the tall 
shafts which are to be seen projecting 
from the top are ventilators, which give 
sufficient draft to take the fumes up 
through the fruit and to allow their es- 
cape at a point some distance above the 
workmen. 
While all of these types may do the 
work well, they are so constructed that 
much handling and lifting of the fruit is 
necessary. 
There is an upright style in common 
use in some sections, which reduces the 
lifting of the fruit by hand to a minimum 
and serves not only as a bleacher, but also 
as an elevator. This is especially suited 
to the smaller, two-story evaporators, 
operated without mechanical power, in 
which the slicing is done on the second 
floor and having the kiln floor on the 
same level. By this means the fruit is 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
raised from the first or paring room 
floor to the level of the kiln floor while 
it is being bleached. 
The construction is comparatively sim- 
ple. It consists of an upright box extend- 
ing from the first floor to three or four 
feet or any convenient height above the 
second. The cross dimensions are such 
as to admit the crates or trays in which 
the fruit is handled. The crates are ad- 
mitted to the bleacher at a convenient 
height, 18 inches or two feet from the 
bottom, through a trapdoor or some 
other arrangement which can be tightly 
closed to prevent the escape of the 
sulphur fumes. 
A movable frame, slightly smaller than 
the cross dimensions of the bleacher, rests 
on a solid support just below the point 
where the crates are entered and on 
which the crates are placed when pushed 
inside. This frame is connected with a 
level at the top of the bleachers by means 
of iron rods which are attached to a cross 
arm on the level and extend down the 
sides of the bleacher to the frame. The 
relative length of the long and short arms 
of the level must be such that in the 
sweep of the long arm the frame on which 
the crates rest will be raised a distance 
slightly greater than the depth of the 
crates in which the fruit is handled. 
There are dogs, or catches, on the inside 
of the bleacher, which work automatically 
and permit the crates to be moved up- 
ward, but not downward. When a crate 
is put in place, the lever is pulled down, 
usually by means of a rope which passes 
through the secand floor within convenient 
reach of the helper who handles the 
crates. The crate which was last put into 
the bleacher and all that may have been 
put in previously are raised to the point 
where they are caught by the clutches 
just mentioned and so held in that posi- 
tion. On releasing the lever, it regains 
its former position and the frame drops 
to its place just below the level of the 
doorway through which the crates are 
admitted and is then ready for receiving 
another crate. A small-sized stovepipe or 
other tubing should extend from the top 
of the bleacher to the exterior of the 
building to permit the escape of the sul- 
