Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1856-10-31
- From tke .Ne1 York Epsnixg Pest!
ANEW METHOD OF PRESERVING FLOUR AND
INDIAN MEAL. z

INDIAN NEAL.
Mr.. Editor: In q recent interview on the sub
ject Of the preservation of grain -four and Indian
meal, especially the latter, you had the goodnes:
70 request me TO prepare q short article on tht
best mode to prevent its deterioration, which rem
ders the meal unfit for human food. But before
doing SO allow me to say that have read TWO ~
teresting articles in the form of reports MADE o
order of the Pfussisn government, AID puoilsned
in the Evening Post Of April 10. Tee reports 81,
uded to clearly established the fact that the meal
FINISHED the Prussiau bskers by the government,
with view of sscertaining its value as sn article
of human food, as compared with rye hour, was IN
g damaged state
The Berlin Police Department use the follow
ing language: "The age OF the maz9 hour de-
manis the greatest consideration: and in this case
if we take only trifs too much, the bread will
taste sour" "The experiments further show that
Indian meal cannot be kept and is to be overturn-
ed every day. and therefore cannot be trausp orted
| TO great distance 1t will be necessary TO con-
meet mill with each bakery" In your review Of
said reports you say: "In shipping Indian meal
abroad therefore, especially for experiment, great
should be taken to ascertain that it is in
in which 1t is not likely to fermeut" This can
be generally prevented by kiln-drying, which de-
prlves the meal OF large part OF its watery sub.
stance. This is true, and it is also true, that
with the water goes also large proportion of the
sugar, or saccharine matter of the mea; hence the
lnslped taste of all throognly kiln-dried meal.
| But you proceed 10 say that, without this, or
some other like prevention, 1t is wholly lmpraeu-
cable to transport meal on O voyage of even few
days continuance, without great danger of its be-
coming 90 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 10 the great
importance of sone mode being devised by the
use OF which -four and Indian meal may be pre-
served in barrels or in sacks in sound condition,
for two or three years.
There are two modes by which grain may be pre-.
served in a nd condition for 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 pracssd at the present time by
the nations bordering on the northern coast of At
RIGA, along the Mediterranean sea.
This mJds consisted in eXcSy ating immense
vaults in the earth, often in solid rock from fifteen
totwenty feet Deep these WEI lined with mate
rial made lmpervlous to water or air. The gram,
sfter being deprived of its inherent moisture by
solar heat, which, in those arid c..mat'7, is I,e
practicable was collected together, u ualty by |
order of the government, and deposited in these |
underground storehouses aud when filled were |
closed up, dramatically sealed, by means of |
which neither air nor water could enter
In this way the early nations Of the East were
enabled to lay by large stores in yea of plenty,
to supply the population in years of famine The
latter and more practical moie especially in humid
climates like our own and that of Europe, is what
may be termed the "Ventilsting or Tubular Ar
rangement This modern discovery is not only
applicable and effective in the preservation of grain
but is equally applicable and effective for all veget
able substances, and especially it be applied to
-four and Indian meal, 10 barrels or in Sacks with
great success. The venlilatingor tubular arrange.
ment for the preservation OF grain, -four, Indian
meal and other vegetable substances, says the cele-
brsttd Andrew IRE, Ii. d. F. r. s., Professor of
Chemistry, Oondon)-"Ths plan of separating
masses of vegetable matter by means of q tubular
arrangement is at once philosophical and effective,
inssmuch as it snnuls the centre, thus afording
ventilation and means OF escape for the moisture
inherent in all vegetable substances, the presence
of which in q confined state soon generates heat in
the centre of the mass the result of which is sour
-four musty meal, ard damaged grain in large
buks." Now, Mr. Editor, owe you and your
numerous readers an apology for occupying 50
much space in your columns, but if you will III.
dulge me with little more | will endeaVor to be
brief and con6ne my remarks to facts imme dately
connected with the subject and object had ia
view when l commenced this communication
Permit Ine to say then, that | have Indian meal in
this tY two years old-hsVing been manufactured
and packed in the tubular barrel in MAY, 1854. 1t
has crossed the Atlantic four times The quality
Of the meal has materially improved by ase. |
have barrel of meal In PlIis, (Frsuce) i. was
put up in May, 1854, and shipped to France in
February, 1856.
In September, So, the French government caus-
ed commission to be constituted - examine min.
ntely the meal well as the barrel containing it;
that commissioner reported to the minister of the
navy department of the empire, recomn ending the
purchase of the patent by the government
In July, 1854 the Hon L. I. Thu1tin, of Louis.
Ville Kentucky caused some Indian meal to be-
ground and packed in the tubular barrels" it
was shipped to New Orleans the LIST August, and
arrived in this city in January, 1850. Ga opening
t was found perfectly sweet and unusually dry
Il was, together with the contents oil another bar
rel of northern meal, distributed in small packages
n this city, among portion of the press, ship.
Ders and merchants,
In September, 1854 barrel of meal was ship
ped to Buenos Ayres, South America it returned
N May, C55) in sound condition, and like the {
neal from Louisville, Kentucky, via New Orleans,
was even dryer than the meal | had stored in this
,ity.
10 June (55) l shipped fifty barrel, of meal to
London and Liverpool. Some Of that meal was
received an Order in October last, from the party
who inside the purchase, for two barrels of white
meal, put up in The same manner.
The meal was shipped by Grinnel Mn.urn &
Co.; but tho meal was destroyed in the hsrbor OF
Liverpool The ship having burned the day after
lis arrival. {
The above are the m'rs outlines of the tests
which have been made; that they have been com.
oletely successful, ample proof is at hand 1t only
remains to be seen whether the old or new mode
Of packing -four and meal Is to prevail. In tie COM
mon barrel not only one Lsli the -four nanulsctur-
ed in the United States will remain sweet more
than six months. The same -four put up 10 the
tubular barrel if sound when packed, will remain
sweet and wholesome for three or four years.
POTATOES-FALL PLANTING
The dry weather Of the present season, as we'll
IS that of 1854, has proved particularly disastrous