St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-07-28
FRESHNESS OF FOOD.
Simple Scotch and English Methods
For Preservation Explained.

For Preservation Explained
Consul Maxwell Blake, writing from
Dunfermline, says of the simple meth
DDS used in Great Britain to keep fruit
and eggs fresh:
"A correspondent in Stirlingshire
writes me that he has recently con-
Quoted some successful experiments in
reference to the packing of fruit for
transit without the aid of refrigera-
ton, his method being simply to pluck
the fruit at height of sun, to avoid all
adhering dampness, and Immediately
pack in prepared cases containing
granulated sugar. Care must be taken
that the sugar utilized for the pur-
pose is also quite devoid of moisture,
and the cases should be so construct
ed as to be as nearly as possible inn
pervious to atmospheric vapors. Both
the sugar and the cases, as may be
inferred, should be designed for and
admit Of constant reuse.
THE great fiuctuation in the price
of fresh eggs in Great Britain, ranging
from Is cents a dozen in summer to
from 60 to rs cents dozen in winter
and produced with difficulty even
then-gives popularity to the econom-
ical practice of artiicially preserving
them during the cheap season, the
most successful method employed by
the householder being as follows:
"Mix together in an earthenware
jar nine parts of boiled water, which
has been thoroughly cooled, and one
part of glass water. Glass water is
obtained by fusing two parts of quartz
sand with one of sodium carbonate.
adding one-tenth part of small coal.
Place the cool cleaned eggs into jar
and cover we'll with the liquid. con-
tinually adding sufficient liquid to keep
the eggs entirely covered as others are
added Water glass can be purchased
in this country from chemists and
generally bears on the labels the exact
proportion to be used, varying from
3 to 10 per cent Eggs preserved in
this way are less brittle in the shell
than those preserved in limewater
and will sometimes boil without crack
ing if a small pin point aperture is
made in them
The proportions used for the lime
preservative in Scotland are twenty
gallons of water, four of lime and one
of salt. Allow to stand for a few
hours, then pour it over the eggs in
the same way as the water glass. A
little lime should be added from time
to time during the period of preserva-
ton; otherwise the solution will lose
its strength. The eggs preserved in
this way become rough and brittle and
must be handled carefully when taken
out for use
"The popular method Of preserving
eggs by cold storage In the United
States is not at all general in this
that more has not been done along
these lines.
when eggs are only required to be
preserved for two or three months
they keep very well packed in dry salt
or bran. The meat of the egg may
shrink and rattle within the shell
when shaken, but its edibility is not
impaired. Coating the egg with vase
line or butter will also keep it for a
short time, or any application which
effectively seals the pores of the shell
and excludes air will prolong the fresh
ness of eggs. If it is even momentari-
ly submerged in boiling water the al
human thereby becomes sufficiently
coagulated to prevent the entrance of
air."