ollers, on the way to the packing rooms in the large
store-house, passed through a long system of sheet-iron conduits, which
were well heated by the concentrated rays of the sun from the mirrors
and sunglasses. So well did the drying rollers do their work, that by
the time the cubes had reached the store-house, and were delivered by
the elevators into the storing-bins in the packing house, they were
reduced to a dry, hard kernel. They had lost three-fourths in bulk, and
about the same proportion in weight.

"The funnel-shaped bottoms to the storing-bins were so arranged as to be
above the long rows of packing tables. A series of graduated spouts,
delivered the cured vegetables to the packers, who, standing or sitting
as they might prefer, could, with but little effort and much speed, fill
the prepared boxes with the little cubes.

"These boxes, of a uniform size and shape, were made from thick layers
of heavy straw-paper, made stiff and firm under high pressure. The farm
in manufacturing them, was able to utilize large quantities of surplus
straw from the grain fields, which could not be used as forage. In the
corners of the boxes, between layers of paper, while they were being
molded into shape, were inserted small, triangular pieces of wood. These
bevel-shaped strips were cut six inches in length, just the depth of the
boxes, in which they served as upright cornerposts. The shallow covers
fitted each box with a telescope joint.

"In the process of box-making, the layers of paper were saturated with a
chemical, germicide solution, which made the boxes insect-proof; yet,
which would not odorize, nor in any way injure the contents. In the
process of packing, each box and cover was lined with thin sheets of
parafine paper, as an additional guard against moisture. When the boxes
were filled and sealed, they were strongly coopered, by adding four thin
laths of strong wood. These laths, one-eighth of an inch thick, two
inches wide, and just the length of the box; two at the bottom, and two
at the top, were securely nailed to the cornerposts; thus completing a
package which was cheap, strong, light, durable, rodent and
insect-proof. With a capacity of a half-bushel, it weighed only five
pounds. Filled with cubes, the gross weight was but thirty-five pounds.
An ideal package, which could be piled high in transportation or
store-house without injury; the upright cornerposts taking all the
pressure.

"The half-bushel or thir