East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-08-26
PRESERVING POWDERS
FOR KEEPING FRUITS
USUALLY DANGEROUS
HOUSEWIVES ARE WARMED
AGAINST USE BY AGRICUL-
TURE DEPARTMENT.
Contain Salicylic Acid Which Is We'll
Known as Poisonous Substance
and Which Frequently Leads 10 De-
rangement Of the DigeStinn-No
Excuse for Running Risks.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-With
The season Of preserving and canning
fruit at hand, many housewives who
''Ne to put up their own fruit are
urged TO use some preserving or can
rms compound The arSument is
That this makes the work mucn eas.
len and insures the keeping quality Of
the food. As it happens, the prinei.
pal Ingredient in many of these DOW
ders is salicylic acid which is well
known as a poisonous substance.
In cases of acute articular rheuma-
tism and certain other diseases sail.
cylic acid is useful as medicine
when properly administered bu; NAV
be a dangerous ingredient in food.
Other powders and preserving com
pounds contain boric acid and are
frequently sold under fanciful names
~ prices much in advance of their
real value. The worst feature about
these powders is that, while they NAV
prevent the decay of the fruit or veg
etable, they also encourage uucleanly
2r careles work. In addition If they
are eaten with food in excessive
Quantities they may very well have a
had effect upon the health The
housewife who takes pride in her
work will realize that heat, sugar an
clean. ness are all that she needs to
PIT up excellent fruits and vegeta
) &c that will keep perfectly. There
tIrc, there is no excuse for running
any risk by using preserving pow
iers, The department OF agricul-
tlr" has issued many bulletins and
pamphlets showing how to PUT up
fruits and vegetables and these it
will be glad to supply without cost
Spray celery Carefully.
In order to get celery in proper
condition to market, ii Is necessary
for the grower at certain times to
spray the plants with Bordeaux mix
ture, to prevent the destruction of the
crop by blight This mixture contains
copper sulphate and If it is used
carelessly in spraying the celery
IAhAA9 NiiN AAAAAAAlt may ulN OI llt
plants or run down between the
stalks and leave copper sulphate on
the stalks used for eating. This de-
post Of copper may be so large asI
TO he injurious to health end the
food and drugs regulations are very
strict about the use of salts of cop
per in foods. 1t. therefore. behooves
growers to spray their celery in such
a way that the mixture will go on as
fine spray or mist rather than in
streams This excessive application
of copper sulphate does not occur
with efficient apparatus working un-
der high pressure-15O pounds or
more. Spraying, even with slch an
paratus. should he stopped however,
as soon as the leaves are thoroughly
covered with the mist or fog. The
leaves Of celery should not he eaten
under any circumstances and de-
posts Of copper on them can be 6is-
regarded. At anv rate. the house,
wife. before serving celery, should
break Nd the lunches and thoroughly
scrub the stalks This will remove
practically all Of the copper that
may be deposited by the Bordeaux
mixture spray and will eliminate dan
ger Of he'd effects to the consumer.
Produce Infertile Eggs.
Farmers are being urged by the
poultry specialists Of the department
of agriculture and also by the vari-
Gus state agricultural colleges TO
produce infertile eggs by removing
roosters from the flocks Of hens as
soon as the eggs for Matching have
been secured. This suggestion also
might well be followed nv amateurs
or others who raise poultry on
smell scale 10 supply their own
household with eggs. It is particu-
larlv useful for owners of small
chicken Yards who follow the prac.
tice of putting down eggs in water
glass for winter consumption
The chief reason for producing in
fertile eggs is the fact that an infer
tile egg keeps good very much longer
than one which has in It a germ fer
tilted by the male bird. 1t is esti
mated that one-third of the loss in
eggs in this country which amounts
annually to millions Of dollars, Is due
to the fact that the eggs have been
ferilized. In the case Of icrtlle