METHODS OF FRUIT PRESERVING. 



565 



quantities were put on the market. The drying of Plums was carried out 

 more commercially in those districts where the Plums were most grown, 

 and consequently larger quantities of the dried product were available 

 and considerable business done in it. Formerly stone fruit was 

 skinned, cut in slices, and placed on trays, or more frequently on sheets 

 of paper, laid in the sun. Later on it was laid on the stove or hearth, or 

 dried in an oven, where it finally became a brown leathery, unappetising 

 article. This system was, however, most disastrous to the quality of the 

 fruit ; the flesh became broken up through the slow-drying process, and 

 the concentration of the sugar of the fruit became acetic acid. 



Some twenty-five years ago fruit drying was introduced to the Germans 

 from America by dried Apples, which showed them the shortcomings of 

 their former methods, and compelled them to seek some new way of 

 drying their home supplies, and they began to conduct this business on 

 the same lines and with the same machine as the Americans did. Formerly 

 they had dried the fruit for a long time at high temperatures, whereby 

 the sugar frequently became somewhat burnt, and thus gave the fruit that 

 dried flavour which set many people against eating such goods. The fruit 

 also obtained a bad appearance, and often became so hard that much time 

 was occupied in boiling in order to render it soft to eat. On the other 

 hand, the fruit dried on the American plan was conspicuous for being 

 bright-coloured, tender, and when cooked of good flavour, which reminded 

 one rather of the fresh than the dried fruit. 



By this newer method only so much water was removed by drying as 

 is absolutely necessary to its keeping, and thus the good flavour is pro- 

 duced, and, moreover, one gained a larger proportion of the dried to the 

 fresh product than was formerly possible. 



Besides the American methods (see p. 584) the Germans have invented 

 another drying apparatus at the Fruit School at Geisenheim, and others 

 have been evolved elsewhere. As, however, it is the opinion of the 

 authorities of the school in question that for large factories the American 

 Ryder machine is best, and that invented in the school is most suitable 

 for smaller businesses and for household use, it will be sufficient to con- 

 fine the descriptions here to the two machines in question. 



Drying Machines. 



The larger of the two machines above referred to was invented by 

 Dr. Ryder, an American, but is now manufactured and largely used in 

 Germany. As will be seen from the illustration, the machine consists of 

 a self-contained stove which heats the air before it passes through the 

 long barrel-like container in which are placed a series of trays, the sides 

 of which are of wood and the bottoms of galvanised wire. As the trays 

 are filled with the prepared fruit, they are inserted in the racks inside the 

 barrel, and the fruit is gradually evaporated as the current of hot air 

 carries off the essential moisture. An improved form of this kind of 

 apparatus is that known as the Rossler, in which a circulating fan is 

 placed in the end of the barrel furthest from the stove, and when the case 

 is closed the action of the fan keeps the air in perpetual motion. 



The second form of drying machine was invented and perfected at the 



