The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-06-12
From tie ~. Y. Epcning Post.

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From tie ~. Y. Euen;ng Post
"A NEW mETE0D OF PRESERVING FLOUR AND
INDIAN MEAL.
Mr.. Editor: In a recent interview on
the subject Of the preservation of grain,
flour and Indian meal, especially the latter,
you had the goodness to request mo to pre-
pare short article on the best mode to
prevent its deterioration, which renders the
meal unfit for human food. But before
doing so, allow me to say that have read
two interesting articles, in the form of re-
ports, made by order of the Prussian gov
crnment, and published in the Evening
Post of April 10. The reports alluded to
clearly establish the fact that the meal
furnished the rrussian bakers by the gov
crnment, with view Of ascertaiuing it's
value as an article Of human food, as COM
pared with rye flour, was in damaged
state.
The Berlin Police Department use the
following language: "The age of the
maize flour demands the greatest considera-
tion, and in this case if we take only trifle
too much, the bread will taste sour" "The
experiments further show that Indian meal
cannot be kept, and is to be overturned
every day, and therefore cannot be trans
ported to great distance. 1t will be ne
cessary to connect mill with each bakery"
In your review of said reports, you say:
In shipping Indian meal abroad, there
fore, especially for experiment, great care
should be taken to ascertain that it is III
state in which it is not likely to ferment."
"This can be generally prevented by
kin-drying, which deprives the meal of
large part of its watery substance" This is
true, and it is also true, that with the water
goes also large proportion Of the sugar,
or saccharinc matter of the meal; hence
the insipid taste of all thoroughly kiln dried
corn meal. But you proceed to say that,
Without this, or some other like preven-
ton, it is wholly impracticaLle to trans
port meal on a voyage of even few days
continuance, without great danger of its
becoming SO much spoiled as to acquire
sharp and bitter taste" The testimony
contained in the foregoing extracts fully
confirms twenty-five years of experience
and observation, relative to the great i'm
portance of some mode being devised by
the use of which both -four and Indian
meal may be preserved in barrels or in
sacks, in sound condition, for two or three
years.
There are two modes by which grain
may be preserved in sound condition for
a series of years one as old as the history
of the human family, the other of recent
discovery. The former was used by the
ancient Egyptians, the early Romans, and
to some extent, is practised at the present
time by the natious bordering on the north
ern coast o. Africa, along the Mediterra-
mean sea.
This mode consisted in excavating i'm
mense vaults in the earth, often in solid
rock, from fifteen to twenty feet deep; these
were lined with material made impervious
to water or mir. Tie grain, after being
deprived of its inherent moisture by solar
heat, which, in those arid climates, is quite
practicable, was collected together, usually
by order Of the government and deposited
in these underground storehouses, and
when filled were closed up, Theoretically
scaled, by means of which neither air nor
water could enter. In this way tho early
nations of the East were enabled to lay Ly
large stores in years of plenty. to supply
the population: in years of famine. The
latter and more practical mode, especially
in humid climates like our, own and that
Of Europe. istwhat may be termed the
'.Ventiiating or Tabular AaFrangeuent." !"
This modern discovery io,pot only applics-
BILE and effective ia the prsseryalon .oi
grain, butts eqpallyapplicsble and efeetise
for all vegetable sabstaDcss, and especially
can iIbs applied TO- feurl aad Isdhs msel,
Lin abasale :esiia,sacks. Nth 9ssst
/ The tila.iagi ssuhslas tassanes h,
1.-THE. preservation of 'graio. rhaons tadiar