Vegetables and fruits can be dried in an oven, in trays or racks over the kitchen stove, or in a specially constructed drier. There are small driers on the market which give satisfactory results. The small cookstove driers or evaporators are small oven-like structures, usually made of galvanized sheet iron, or of wood and galvanized iron. They are of such a size that they can be placed on the top of an ordinary wood or coal range, or a kerosene stove. These driers hold a series of small trays on which fruit or vegetables are placed after being prepared for drying. Portable outdoor evaporators are especially convenient when it is desirable to dry as much as ten bushels of fruit or vegetables a day. They are usually constructed of wood except the parts in direct contact with the heater. The homemade dry kiln used in some sections of the country can be cheaply and easily made of brick and stone.
Fig. 24.—Cookstove drier or evaporator.
A drier that can be used on a wood or coal range or a kerosene stove can be easily and cheaply made. Dimensions: Base, 24 by 16 inches; height, 36 inches (including the height of the base). The drier can be made smaller if desired. A base six inches high is made of galvanized sheet iron. This base flares slightly toward the bottom and has two small openings for ventilation in each of the four sides. On the base rests a box-like frame made of 1 or 11⁄2 inch strips of wood. The two sides are braced with 11⁄4-inch strips which serve as cleats on which the trays in the drier rest. These are placed at intervals of 3 inches. The frame is covered with tin or galvanized sheet iron, which is tacked to the wooden strips of the frame. Thin strips of wood may be used instead of tin or sheet iron. The door is fitted on small hinges and fastened with a thumb latch. It opens wide so that the trays can be easily removed. The bottom in the drier is made of a piece of perforated galvanized sheet iron. Two inches above the bottom is placed a solid sheet of galvanized iron, three inches less in length and width than the bottom. This sheet rests on two wires fastened to the sides of the drier. This prevents the direct heat from coming in contact with the product and serves as a radiator to spread the heat more evenly.
The first tray is placed three inches above the radiator. The trays rest on cleats three inches apart. A drier of the given dimensions will hold eight trays. The frame of the tray is made of 1-inch strips on which is tacked galvanized screen wire, which forms the bottom of the tray. The tray is 21 by 15 inches, making it three inches less in depth than the drier. The lowest tray when placed in the drier is pushed to the back, leaving the 3-inch space in front. The next tray is placed even with the front, leaving a 3-inch space in the back. The other trays alternate in the same way. A ventilator opening is left in the top of the drier through which the moist air may pass away.
The principle of construction is that currents of heated air pass over the product as well as up through it, gathering the moisture and passing away. The current of air produces a more rapid and uniform drying. The upper trays can be shifted to the lower part of the drier and the lower trays to the upper part as the drying proceeds, so as to dry products uniformly throughout.
PLAN No. 828. THE CLEANING CLOSET
Entrance of dust and dirt into a house is unavoidable, and the housekeeper is compelled to spend some of her time and energy in the daily cleaning. Through the use of better equipment and more systematic planning she is able to do the cleaning more easily and quickly. It is well to have a special place where cleaning utensils may be kept in the best condition and ready for instant use. Much time and energy is spent in collecting the utensils needed for cleaning.
A closet, cupboard, or wardrobe, in the kitchen is the best place for keeping the cleaning utensils. A back-stair closet is also a good place. One end of a back porch may be inclosed and used for such a purpose. The closet should have plenty of hooks and racks for utensils and a shelf for cleaning materials.
The housekeeper should choose utensils according to her own needs and according to the requirements of her house. Those suggested below are inexpensive and will help to lighten the work of cleaning: