FRUIT DRYING 63 
into the water, where they are left till put into the 
machine. (2) Sliced. For this they are peeled and 
cored and cut into quarters. (2) Inrings. It is in this 
form that we know them best. The fruit is peeled, 
cored, and cut into rings. The trays belonging to the 
machine (Invicta, Gnom or Excelsior) are all ready to 
hand, and on these the apples are placed. If whole 
apples are being done they should be stood on the trays 
quite close together, if rings they may be laid on, just 
over-lapping each other like slates on the roof of a 
house. As soon as a tray is full it should be placed in 
the machine at the bottom. [This applies to an upright 
machine like the Gnom or Excelsior.] Most of the 
machines are so constructed that the trays fit one above 
the other on little ledges. ‘This makes it quite easy to 
push the trays in and out. The temperature of the 
drier for apples should register 180 to 210° Fahr.; this 
should be carefully ascertained by a thermometer before 
the fruit is put in. Meanwhile other trays are being 
filled, and as each in succession is put in, its predecessor 
is moved up, until the whole drier is full of trays. The 
heating should be carried on continuously. The trays 
must be examined from time to time, the driest ones being 
placed higher up or removed when finished, and the 
least dry being placed at the bottom where the heat is 
greatest. 
Time required.— The time varies according to the kind 
of apple used and also according to the condition of the 
fruit. [he form in which the apples are prepared also 
has a good deal of influence. Rings dry much more 
quickly than quarters, whilst whole apples take longer 
again. However, by leaving a margin, any time between 
two and four hours will dry a bushel of apples prepared 
in any way. Apples lose nearly one-tenth of their 
weight during evaporation. “Thus one bushel of raw 
apples when dried weighs about 6 lb. to 64 lb. This at 
