542 JOURNAL OF THE ROYA.L HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



evaporated fruit ; and I feel sure that the price this would pro- 

 duce, after passing through an evaporator, would yield a much 

 larger profit than would be obtained under any ordinary circum- 

 stances for the same fruit if marketed in the green state. And 

 then it must be borne in mind that the evaporator could be used 

 for drying vegetables, of which a large quantity are so treated, 

 and find a ready sale in America. This use of the evaporator 

 was tested at the Windsor show, and the result was deemed 

 quite satisfactory. 



The much smaller production of apples, &c, in this country 

 as compared with America suggests the idea that it will not be 

 advisable for every English fruit-grower to set up an evaporator, 

 but that a better plan would be for one man to do all the evapo- 

 rating for his immediate neighbourhood, either buying the fruit 

 outright or evaporating it for his neighbours at a reasonable rate. 



I think what I have said tends to show that the evaporator is 

 an appliance which ought to come into use in this country, or, 

 at all events, that it deserves a fair and full trial ; and I hope 

 some enterprising landowner, in a fruit-growing district, may be 

 induced to buy one of these appliances and have its usefulness 

 tested for the benefit and instruction of his tenants and neigh- 

 bours, as well as his countrymen generally. 



It is right to add, in conclusion, that I have purposely avoided 

 recommending any one evaporator as the best. I should also like 

 to state that I have no pecuniary interest in any of them, and do 

 not personally know either of the many manufacturers. 



Discussion. 



Mr. Cheal said he had long thought something in the way of 

 the fruit- evaporator was much needed in this country, because 

 in years when there was a good crop of fruit the markets were 

 glutted, and the cost of production could not be realised ; con- 

 sequently much fruit was sold at very low prices, and some of it 

 was even spoiled and lost. But this loss would be prevented if 

 fruit-evaporators were adopted, and there was no doubt they 

 would be a great boon both to the producers and consumers. 

 Therefore some means should be found to preserve fruit, instead 

 of allowing it to spoil, but it should be preserved without sugar, 

 as it would then be rendered more valuable for domestic purposes. 



