FRUIT DRYING 65 
Undoubtedly money can be made in this work. It 
would not be necessary for each individual to go to 
the expense of a machine, but in a plum district the 
growers might co-operate and have one machine for 
the neighbourhood. 
For drying, the plums should be as ripe as possible. 
The stems are removed, and the plums are placed in the 
trays with the ends up from which the stems have been 
drawn. ‘This prevents the loss of juice. “The tempera- 
ture is the same as that given for apples, but they take 
much longer to dry, 12 to 16 hours being none too 
much for them. ‘They, however, give a better return 
in weight than almost any other fruit. One hundred 
pounds of plums will give a return of 30 Ib. of dry fruit. 
Other stone fruits are done in the same manner. When 
putting the trays of stone fruits in the oven a point to 
note is that they should be put in at the top first, and 
not at the bottom as advised for apples. 
Cooking dried Fruits——When required for use the 
fruits are merely put into warm water and soaked from 
four to six hours, when they again take up their 
moisture and become as fresh fruit. After soaking they 
are cooked just like fresh fruit, using the water they 
have been soaked in. 
V egetables.—The following vegetables have been found 
suitable for evaporating :—French beans, peas, cabbages, 
cauliflower, carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, herbs. 
All the foregoing (except herbs) require in addition to 
peeling, slicing or cutting up, to be steamed or cooked 
for five to seven minutes before they are dried. Other- 
wise they lose their colour and become hard. 
Peas 100 |b. will yield Io to 12 Ib. of dried peas. 
Beans is sR LO. £071 2: lib: 
Cabbage - m 7 |b. 
Cauliflower = 4 to 5 |b. 
~ Carrots ae x 8 |b. 
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