Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-12-28

STOPSDECAY
CITRUSFRUIT
California Man Has
Formula Using IN
expensive Bicarbon-
ate OF Soda in Wash

Treatment of citrus fruit with BIZ
carbonate Of soda will effectualiy pre-
vent decay, is the recent discovery or
A. II. Morgan Of RiaIto, Calf, who
has turned his formula over u the
citrus interests Of that state.
b. Il. Frazier. formerly "a resident
Of San Benito, who now resides in
Bell, Calf. ~ q letter u The Browns
Vile Herald. suggests that Valley
fruit growers experiment with the
new process.
Relative 10 the process Mr. Frazier
says: "Mv understanding AS That
washing Of fruit is done n z 8 per
cent solution OF ~bicarbonste Of SODA,
or just plain cooking soda as sold IA
grocery stores, the water being heated
70 between 95 and 80 degrees Fahren-
heit, the fruit standing I'm this solu-
ton from two 70 ten minutes, depend
ing ou the ripeEcss IA the fruit. The
ripper the fruit the longer il should
be left in the solution.
After being removed from the
wash il should be run through driers
operated BIZ fans, and should not bc
touched az wrapped until absolutely
dry. Usually white spots will remain
on the skin of the fruit, which a.
nothing more than dried soda, and
should be left undisturbed. This, ID
seems, is all there j. to the process,
but i is pronounced most effective.
M. Morgan says the why Of this
Treatment Ia that there j. small hac-
terra which cAuses decay and which
lives ia minute cells on the skin sur
face. and when it opens this cell the
soda kills it, even though u be some
time after drying OF the soda on the
fruit. No decay starts until these
cells are open, and not even then 1T
these bacteria are killed. No other
means 81 killing this bacteria -
known which is not sufficiently
strong to injure the fruit itself.
II would suggest that the Valley
packing houses write Mr.. A. II. Nor
gan at Rialto. Calf, for more de-
tailed information, and II there Is
anything / can DO In the mater here !
Will be very glad TO do 80. Il advised. ~
The ~discoverer or the new process
stated to Mr.. FTaZier's son who dis
cussed with him the efficiency Of the
soda formula, that il the past the
fruit packers have been washing their
fruit in a solution Of boraN TO prevent
decay. This process was patented and
a royalty Of s cents per box was
charged by the Of the patent
rights. Therefore Il was found neces-
sary "a devise another process equally
"a good.
Refused Million Dollars
Mr.. Borgan was offered and refused
a million dollars for the patent rights
on HIS process. the Los Angeles Even
ing Herald recently stated in an cdi-
tofial. Commenting upon the process
and its utilization hy the citrus fruit
industry the paper says:
Among those who have dedicated
the fruit ~ their researches to the
good Of mankind. write the name Of
A. II. Morgan Of Rialtos Calf. This
! man. the d%iscoyerer ~ a process
which will arrest decay in citrus
fruits. has refused the offer Of ST.
| O00. 900 FOR the formula, and has given
" freely Ia the citrus industry. for
the utilization Of ali who desire il.
"As a result Of this generosity. 4
number or California packing houses
have availcd themselves of the dis.
/ covery. and others will do so in the
future. The further result viii w ~
benefit both 40 tho grower and the
I consumer Of citrus fruits. IN that tie
product viii keep much longer In per
feet condition than ii could without
4 the preserving process.
che treatment ~ the fruit with bi.
carbonate OF soda has been tested out
thoroughly hy the United States DE-
partmcnt Of agriculture. a. well as II
Y California fruit growers laboratories
i and is declared to have met ever re-
ouircment. Fruit has been shipped
~ Europe. handled hundreds NJ times
and returned after the lapse Of foui
months Ina as good condition a. when
Fly started on ity iournr."