572 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Apricots and Peaches cannot be dried either in England or in 

 Germany at the prices that the American goods realise. 



Apricots are simply cut in two, the stones being taken out and the 

 fruit then dried just like Apples, at from 240° to 250° F. They take from 

 two to three hours to dry. From 100 lb. of the fresh fruit ten to twelve 

 pounds will result. Peaches should first be peeled and then treated 

 similarly to Apricots. The temperature required is 200° to 212° F. 



Berries. — Bilberries are dried largely in Germany and partly for 

 export to France, where possibly they are used in wine-making. The 

 berries, which must not be bruised, are laid thinly on the tray, and put 

 into the apparatus, which is kept at 140° to 160° F. As the berries lose 

 much volume, they often fall through the mesh of the wire trays, and it is 

 therefore desirable for the bottom tray to have a fine mesh. The time 

 taken is about eight hours, and the dried product is about 17-18 per cent, 

 of the fresh. Other berries, such as Cranberries, Raspberries, and 

 Currants, are dried in much the same way, but at a lower temperature 

 (100° F.). 



Vegetables are also dried in the same machine, and are usually cut 

 or shredded first and then placed on the trays. For making winter soups 

 or for flavouring, this method of their preservation is unequalled, and for 

 transport the great reduction in compass and weight is a great satis- 

 faction. 



Both fruit and vegetables can be restored to their normal condition by 

 soaking over-night in cold water or by steaming, but care should be taken 

 to cook them in the same water as they have been scaked or steamed in, 

 since either process extracts some of the goodness from the dried product 

 which would be lost if the same water were not used. 



English Experiences in Fruit Drying. 



Some experiments as to fruit drying were carried out in the autumn 

 of 1901, under the auspices of the Bath and West of England Society, 

 and subsequently samples of French and Californian dried Plums were 

 bought at lOd. and 6d. per lb. respectively, for comparison with home- 

 grown and home-dried Plums, and competent judges agreed that in 

 appearance — 



1 The Monarch ' surpassed the French at lOd. per lb. 



' Prince Engelbert ' „ „ „ „ 6<7. „ 



1 Victoria ' ) 



' White Perdrigon ' [ „ „ Californian „ 6d. „ 

 ' Czar ' j 



and that their quality in order of merit when stewed gently for thirty 

 minutes was : — 



1. White Perdrigon; 2. Victoria; 3. French at lOrZ. per lb.; 4. 

 Californian at 6(7. per lb. ; 5. French at 6c?. per lb. ; G. Pershore. 



The tenderness of the skins before stewing varied in the following 

 order : — 



1. French at lOd. ; 2. Victoria; 3. Tershorc ; 4. White Perdrigon; 

 5. Californian and French at 6<7. 



