In a properly constructed sun drier, all fruits will dry in from 3 to 12 hours, under normal summer conditions.  Time depends on dryness of atmosphere, sunshine and wind.  Products dried in a sun drier, no matter how crude, are superior to those dried in the open without protection of some kind.  Products dry more rapidly in high altitudes than at sea level.

Racks in oven can be used.  Plates or platters can be used in oven.  A stove drier hung over the stove can be used.  A water-bath or other commercial drier can be used with the stove.

TIME-TABLE FOR DRYING FRUITS

[A] ARTIFICIAL HEAT TIME IN HOURS TEMPERATURE 110 deg.  TO 130 deg.  F.

[B] FAN—­NO HEAT APPROXIMATE TIME IN HOURS

PRODUCT     |           PREPARATION            |  [A]  |  [B]
|                                  |       |
Apples      |  Peel, core, trim and slice 1/4”   |  4-6  | 24-36
| thick.  Drop in salt solution, 3  |       |
|level teaspoonfuls to 1 gallon of |       |
| water to prevent discoloration.  |       |
|                                  |       |
Apricots    |Remove pits, but do not peel.  Cut |  4-6  | 24-36
| into halves and dry, “cup” side  |       |
|               up.                |       |
Berries, All|                                  |       |
Kinds       |       Wash; stem or hull.        |  4-5  | 24-36
|                                  |       |
Cherries    |   Remove stems.  Pit or not, as   |  2-4  | 24-36
|   desired.  If pitted, save and   |       |
|          utilize juice.          |       |
|                                  |       |
Pears       |  Peel, core, trim and slice 1/4”   |  4-6  | 24-36
|  thick.  Or peel, cut in halves   |       |
|   lengthwise; remove stems and   |       |
|              calyx.              |       |
|                                  |       |
Peaches     |Peel, remove stones; cut in halves|  4-6  | 24-36
| or smaller pieces.  If in halves, |       |
|lay pit or “cup” side up to retain|       |
|              juice.              |       |
|                                  |       |
Plums       |Do not peel, but remove pits.  Cut |  4-6  | 24-36
|in halves and dry, “cup” side up. |       |
|                                  |       |
Prunes      |        Wash; do not pit.         |  5-7  | 24-36
|                                  |       |
Quinces     |  Peel, core, trim and slice 1/4”   |  4-6  | 24-36
|              thick.              |       |
|                                  |       |
Rhubarb     | Select young stems.  Wash and cut |  6-8  | 24-36
| into 1/2” pieces, using very sharp |       |
|knife.  Do not remove skins, so the|       |
| rhubarb will retain pink color.  |       |
|                                  |       |
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CHAPTER XIV

HOW TO DRY VEGETABLES