The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-09-17


that mercuric chloride possessed
remarkable germicidal power and
much Of the success of modem anti
septic surgery is due to this potent
agent. Its horribly poisonous char
acter has probably deferred expert
mentors from employing it as a pre-
serving fluid. When its use is linn
tied to keeping fruit for exhibition
purposes, this, in careful and COM
petent hands should form no barrier
to it's use. In the pamphlet before
referred to DR.. Hilgard has marked
the following quoted paragraph from
Professor Pichi's report to call my
attention to what he considers the
very important results of this work.
"From all that has been here re-
ported / believe the conclusion to be
justified that grape punches can be
best preserved for collections bv
keeping them immersed in solution
of corrosive sublimate, taking special
care to aoash them thoroughly before
hand. The best strength Of this So
luton appears TO be pro MALE; it
will probably be advantageous to
renew the solution at the end of the
first two years, and perhaps subse-
quently at similar intervals; but we
thus have assured the preservation OF
the grapes, with all their exterior
natural characters, and with but a
trifling expense, for a number of
years"
As grapes have always been con-
sidered among the most difficult
Of fruits to preserve without loss Of
color or shape, the success of this
Italian experimenter is certainly
very encouraging, and, it seems,
probable, that when it is merely de-
sired to preserve the natural appear
ance of fruits for exhibition purposes
that corrosive sublimote if used &C.
cording to his directions will in most
cases leave nothing to be desired. AS
to the method of making and using
this preserving fluid DIR. Hilgard
says:
"The strength above referred to as
the best is equal to half an ounce OF
corrosive sublimate to gallon of
water. Nothing is said by Professor
Pichi regarding the addition of gly.
cerine or anything else to correct the
density Of the solution; and it is pos
sible that the hardening of the grape
skins, caused by the action of the
sublimate, renders such addition un-
necessary. If so, this would certainly
be both the most perfect and the
cheapest method of satisfactory pre-
servation thus far found; the posi-
bility of dangerous mistakes of such
ordinary "put-up'' fruit alone ex,
cepted. Its merits with respect to
other fruits than grapes are now un-
der trial al this station, and will be
fully tested during the coming season
on all available fruits"
"The solution should properly be
made with distilled water; when this
is not available, other water may be
used, preferably that from the larger
streams; but particularly in the case
of we'll water) it should first be
boiled and allowed to clear by set
Ting, before dissolving the sublimate.
Even then whitish or grayish tur-
bidity and sediment will usually
form after a while; this should he
allowed to settle fully before putting
the fluid over the fruit. 1t would be
well to liable all such fruit jars
"POISON," Tor the sake of safety.
No metal must come in contact with
the sublimate solution, as it would be
decomposed."
1t is intended to institute some ex.
periments in the state laboratory with
corrosive sublimate and other solu.
tions upon some Of our Florida fruits.
These experiments will be duly re.
lported.
| NORMAN RoBINsoN~
State Chemist.