Drying Fruit.

Tahiti Invention Promises Great Success.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Peb. 23.

OUR prominent local inventor and en gineer, Mr. Henry Rey, has re cently announced the highly success ful completion of a series of experi ments on a novel method of drying fruit, which he has been working on for some time.

He utilises the heat of the sun to bring the air in an enclosed space to a comparatively high temperature.

This air is continuously circulated by means of a water-driven propeller, through a series of wire nettings upon which the fruit is spread. In an amazingly short time, whole bananas, sliced pineapple, papaya, etc., are dried, with practically no expense, to the consistency of dates.

The samples which we have tried certainly have maintained a remarkably delicious flavour, are perfectly stable for indefinite periods, and have none of the usual toughness of dried fruit.

They are a high grade delicacy, just as they come from the drier.

We wish Mr. Rey the great success which he deserves in this undertaking, all the more so as we well remember the discouraging difficulties which he passed through in the development of his earlier inventions along mechanical lines.

Due to its cheapness of operation and our abundance of fruit, this process should provide us with a new industry, which will be extremely welcome.