eanliness is essential. A knife blade that is not bright and clean
will discolor the product on which it is used.

Winter apples should be chosen for drying when possible, as sweet
apples and early varieties are not so well adapted to the purpose.
The Northern Spy, the Baldwin and the Ben Davis give a good-flavored
dried product. Most early varieties lack sufficient firmness of
texture for the best results. On the other hand, some comparatively
early kinds, such as Gravenstein and Porter, are considerably prized
in some sections.

To prepare them for drying, apples are peeled, cored, trimmed and
sliced one quarter of an inch thick. Be sure to cut out all worm
holes, decayed spots and other blemishes. Defects are easily cut out
with an ordinary straight-back, sharp-pointed knife having a blade two
and a half to three inches long.

To prevent discoloration, as fast as the fruit is prepared dip it into
a weak salt solution--three level teaspoonfuls of salt to one gallon
of water. After all the apples are prepared, remove surplus moisture
and put on trays, water-bath drier or whatever device you are using.

HOW TO REGULATE THE HEAT

Start with the temperature at 110 degrees Fahrenheit, gradually raise
it to 130 degrees and do the drying at that temperature. It is
important to know the degree of heat in the drier, and this cannot be
determined very accurately except by using a thermometer. Inexpensive
oven thermometers can be bought or an ordinary thermometer can be
suspended in the drier. If a thermometer is not used the greatest care
should be given to the regulation of the heat. The temperature in the
drier rises rather quickly and the product may scorch unless close
attention is given to it.

The reason sun drying is popularly believed to give fruits and
vegetables a sweeter flavor probably is that in the sun they never are
scorched, whereas in the oven or over a stove scorching is likely to
happen unless one is very careful. An oven or dairy thermometer is a
good investment. If you do not have a thermometer test the heat by the
air feeling warm to the hand. The product should never be so hot that
it cannot be grasped in the hand. In order to prevent the fruit from
burning where artificial heat is used and to keep it from sticking to
the drier by remaining in contact with it too long, stir the fruit
occasionally. To insure the most uniform drying in sun drying, the
fruit also should be stirred occasionally.

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