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APPENDIX A. 



CALIFORNIA DRIED FRUITS, AND HOW TO USE THEM. 



By Prof. C. H. Allen, of San Jose\ Secretary of Committee. 



During the past fifteen or twenty years California has, in many 

 localities, and over large areas, become one continuous fruit orchard. 

 The output of the orchards already in bearing is enormous, and in a 

 few years, when the recently planted trees come into full bearing, this 

 State will be ready to furnish fruits for the markets of the world. 



Our great diversity of soil and climate enables us to produce all 

 varieties of sub-tropical fruits, as well as those raised in colder climates. 

 It is unquestionably true that we bring to perfection a greater variety 

 of fruits than any other country in the world ; and while the distribu- 

 tion of fresh fruits may be limited by their perishability and by the 

 means and cost of transportation, no such limitations apply to dried 

 fruits, for these, if properly cared for, will keep for years, and they can 

 be easily and cheaply transported to almost any part of the civilized 

 world. The day cannot be far distant when an intelligent people, recog- 

 nizing the healthfulness of fruit as a diet and its economic value, will 

 eat fruit, fresh and canned, and especially dried fruit, making it an 

 indispensable article of diet. The methods of preparing and cooking 

 herein given are from a practical standpoint, and many of them are so 

 well established that every housewife understands them; nevertheless 

 there are others that are new and will prove of great interest. 



KINDS OF FRUIT, AND PREPARATION FOR MARKET. 



Our fruit for drying, with the exception of pears, is allowed to ripen on 

 the trees. It is gathered at successive pickings as it ripens. 



The principal fruits dried in California for market are apricots, cher- 

 ries, figs, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, and plums. Below is given 

 a brief description of these, with some of their peculiar properties : 



Apricots. — Of these there are many varieties, differing in size and 

 quality, especially when fresh; when properly cured they differ mainly 

 in color, size, and thickness of the meaty portion, their flavor not 

 varying materially. They are of an orange-yellow color, and should be 

 soft and flexible, if not allowed to become too dry. 



Cherries. — Until quite recently California cherries have been either 

 canned or marketed fresh; but the increasing output of the last two or 

 three years has furnished cherries to dry. Some are pitted, but this 

 requires a great amount of labor, adding much to the cost of production. 

 Unpitted cherries retain the cherry flavor much better than pitted. 



Unpitted dried cherries are soaked until fairly soft — from one to five 



