64 THE BOOK OF FRUIT BOTTLING 
once proves the immense economy that is effected in the 
transport of fruits thus prepared. In addition to weigh- 
ing less they require much less space for storage. 
After-treatment.—When the fruit has been removed 
from the oven it is spread out in a dry building and 
exposed to the air for about a week. It should then be 
packed tightly in wooden boxes, which should be lined 
with clean white paper. “The lids may be nailed on, 
and in this condition the fruit will keep for years. The 
same after-treatment is applied to all fruits prepared in 
this way. 
Pears.—A little more preparation is necessary for 
pears before they are put on the trays. After they have 
been peeled and the seed vessels removed they are 
steamed for eight to ten minutes. This can be done in 
an ordinary steamer on a kitchener. If steaming is 
inconvenient immerse them in boiling water for ten 
minutes, put them on the trays, and proceed as for 
apples, the temperature being the same. It will be found 
that pears take longer than apples to dry. If halved 
they will take five to seven hours; if whole, longer. 
They do not lose quite so much weight as apples. 
One hundred pounds of fresh pears give 12 lb. to 16 lb. 
of dried produce. 
Apricots.— Apricots are very simple to do. ‘They are 
just cut in two and the stones taken out. ‘They require 
a slightly higher temperature, 212° Fahr. being necessary. 
One hundred pounds of apricots give Io lb. to 12 lb. of 
dried fruit. 
Plums.—These are the best of all fruits for drying. 
There is no reason at all why England should not have 
a large trade in prunes. Great quantities are imported 
and used every year, and very often in England great 
quantities of plums go to waste every year, because it is 
not worth while to pick and sell them for the prices 
which can be obtained. Then why not dry them? 
