568 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



much its original appearance by soaking for some hours in water. It 

 should always be cooked in the same water. 



Had Government or other drying factories been established in England, 

 we should not have had to expend £100,000 a week on dried vegetables in 

 Germany during the recent war in South Africa, and a much larger area 

 of land would have been under fruit and vegetable culture in this 

 country. 



Out of eighteen large firms which contract for the supply of dried 

 vegetables to our Navy only one is English, the others being Canadian, 

 French, Dutch, or German ; and yet the demand is constantly increasing. 



The " Board of Trade Journal," commenting on this fact, says that 

 the principal cause of our failure in this respect is the dampness of our 



Fig. 157. — The " Gnom " Evaporator (Household Pattern). 



climate, there being an excess of moisture in nearly all vegetables grown 

 in this country. The great demand for fresh vegetables and the high rate 

 of wages prevailing here are perhaps some of the reasons why the dried 

 vegetable business fails in England. Nevertheless, the fact remains that, 

 although our Empire depends on our Fleet, our Navy depends on foreign 

 supplies even in time of peace. 



Appended are a few general remarks on the best methods of dealing 

 with certain kinds of fruit. 



APPLES. — The fruit most generally met with in a dried state is un- 

 doubtedly the Apple. For many decades whole-dried Apples and "rings" 

 have been on sale in England for a great number of years now under the 



