The record-union., 1893-08-25
How TO PRESERVE FRUIT.
Some Valuable Instructions on the
Subject.
Methods of Putting Up Fruit for Ex-.
hibftion Purposes, Like the
Midwinter Fair.

E. w. Maslin, Secretary of the State
Board of Trade, has issued the following
circular about preserving fruits:
| have received so many letters re-
questing information respecting the
proper mode of preserving fruit tor eX-
hibitlon at the coming Alidwinter inter-
national Exposition to be held at San
Francisco that it seems that the mode
adopted at the rooms of the California
State Board of Trade should be made
public.
Professor Hilgard of the University, B.
NJ. Lelong, Secretary Of the State Horti
cultural Society, and myself have fer
several years been perimenting to find
a preServative fluid which should both
preserve the fruit and color. SO far we
have not found any agent which will pre-
serve the color, so we must be content to
use such as will preserve the fruit. Two
are sufficient for our purpose. First,
sulphurous acid gas; second, bi-sulphite
OF soda.
To prepare the first, fill barrel, with
one head out, two-thirds full of water;
upon the surface float pan containing a
handful OF sulphur, light the sulphur and
cover the barrel with sacl1ing to exclude
the air, and allow it to remain for an
hour. Repeat the operation several times
until the water is quite sour. Use about
pound of sulphur 10 twenty gallons of
water; or use a sulphur match such as
wine makers use, which is cotton cloth
eight inches long and two inches wide
dipped in melted sulphur. Fill the bar
rel two-thirds full with water, attach the
match to a wire and insert in through
the bung hole, closing ii up. After the
match has burned out withdraw the
match and agitate the water for several
minutes. Blow in, with bellows, fresh
air, and repeat say ten times the pro-
cess until the water has absorbed enough
gas.
Another mode, equally as efficacious, is
to use bi-sulphite OF soda. Dissolve the
soda first in hot water, and add in the
proportion of l TO II ounces of soda to one
gallon of water, according to the ripeness
OF the fruit. Set aside for day until the
water is clear.
Failure is sometimes due to mineral
matter in the water, which forms chem
ical union with the sulphur or soda. TO
be sure of results, distilled water should
be used. Vegetable matter in solution
can be destroyed by boiling The water. -
The fruit should be under ripe and
gathered so as not to be in the least
bruised. Before putting it in the fluid it
should be thoroughly rinsed in clean
water.
1t is necessary that the density of the
fruit juice snd the preservative fluid
should be the same, otherwise an ex-
change of the fluids takes place and the
skin is broken. Glycerne is the only
substance that can be satisfactorily used
to increase the density Of the fluid. Use
three-quarters of an ounce, by measure,
OF glycerine for each one per cent. OF SOL
liable matter in the fruit juice. Ripe
fruit, according to Professor Hilgard, has
of such matter as follows: Apples and
pears, II per cent; plums, prunes, april
cots and peaches, 10 per cent; cherries,
II per cent; berries, s per cent; grapes
average "A per cent
Put the iruit in the jars and pour the
water on it, crossing the top fruit with
couple of pieces of wood to keep it under
the water, and then put on the stopper.
Wait few days until the fruit has ab-
sorbed the water, and then repIensh the
water. Put a few drops of Kerosene oil
on top of the water, burn little sulphur
i'll the space above. If you use the
museum jars put little glycerine on the
rubber; screw down the top tightly. If
you use jar with stopper, put little
varnish on the stopper and seal with wax
or parat1in.