536 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the chemical changes which constitute the difference hetween the 

 evaporated and dried fruits, will absorb moisture from the air, will 

 swell or increase in bulk, and be attacked by mould, will absorb addi- 

 tional oxygen, and finally sour and decay. 



The mode of preparing apples for drying in an evaporator is, 

 first, to pare them, then to remove the core, and finally to cut 

 them into slices or rings. It is customary now to submit the 

 pared apple before slicing to the fames of sulphur, which process 

 is called " bleaching," the object being to prevent the discolora- 

 tion of the fruit, which is nearly certain to take place unless the 

 fruit is placed in the heated evaporator directly it is cut. The 

 bleaching process is said to improve the appearance of the fruit, 

 and not to injure its flavour. Paring, coring, and slicing are 

 done very rapidly by ingenious machines which are to be bought 

 at a moderate price. The prepared fruit is then placed on wire 

 trays, made to fit inside the drying-chamber of the evaporator, 

 and there remains until the whole of the moisture has been 

 abstracted. The time occupied in doing this varies from 2J 

 hours to 4 or even 5 hours, according to the kind of apples 

 operated upon. Thus an American apple known as " Eoxbury 

 Russet" requires only 2J hours; "Baldwins," 3^ hours; the 

 kind called " King," 4 hours, and so on. After passing through 

 the evaporator the next thing is to pack the dried fruit in neat 

 boxes which hold 25, 50, or 75 lbs. These boxes are lined with 

 paper : 50-lb. boxes are those mostly used. They are 24 inches 

 long, 12 inches deep, and 12 inches wide ; they are made of 

 J-inch stuff (with ends 1 inch), poplar wood being preferred. 

 The evaporated fruit, before being used for making pies, tarts, 

 compotes, &c, is soaked in water for a sufficient length of time 

 to swell to nearly its normal bulk. 



I shall now describe what an evaporator is like, and shall 

 commence with a kind of which more than twenty thousand 

 have been sold. This is the " Zimmerman," manufactured 

 by the Zimmerman Machine Company at Cincinnati. (See 

 figs. 34 and 35.) The Zimmerman evaporator is an "up- 

 right " apparatus made almost entirely of galvanised iron. Its 

 general form will be seen on reference to figs. 34 and 35 

 in the papers you have in your hands. It is made in several 

 sizes, which are known as No. 1, No. 2, &c. No. 1 (fig. 34) 

 is the smallest size, and costs at the works £5. 5s. It is intended 



