MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 109 



which he had adopted for preserving fruit. He introduced no foreign 

 substance, but preserved the fruit entirely in its own juice, extracted 

 by a chemical process, without sugar or alcohol. He had a few thou- 

 sand bottles, all produced from his own farm. About three years ago 

 he commenced experiments to attain a superior method of preserving. 

 At first they failed, and hundreds of bottles spoiled in color or taste ; 

 but now they had, though not brought to perfection, attained a very 

 superior degree of preservation. It was a principle that two fluids, 

 with a porous substance between them, would unite. So, in preserv- 

 ing fruits in alcohol, the weightier fluid, or juice contained in the fruit, 

 was replaced by the lighter fluid, alcohol ; and we eat alcohol instead 

 of fruit ; while in preserving them in Sacharine juice the flavor went 

 entirely into the syrup, leaving the fruit comparatively tasteless. 

 The plan pursued of preserving the fruit in its own juice, obviated 

 these difficulties, by making the syrup of equal density with the juice 

 within the fruit, thereby preserving both aroma and flavor. Success, 

 Mr. Smith said, depended not so much on skill, as on close attention 

 to every manifestation, and choosing the fruits and vegetables at the 

 moment they were fit for the dessert. The cherry, as generally 

 brought to market, was not wholesome, but when ripe and fresh it 

 was very healthy. From the various specimens produced, tomato, 

 raspberry, quince and peach were remarked as most perfectly pre- 

 served, containing the natural aroma and taste of the fruit. 



PRESERVATION OF EGGS. 



M. CHAMBORTD in the Belgique Industrielle gives the following 

 receipt for the preservation of eggs : 



" By submitting a thin stratum of the white and yolk of eggs about 

 1-12 inch thick upon glass or porcelain plates, to the heat of an oven, 

 a mass will be obtained after 24 hours drying, readily pulverized, and 

 which is not altered by the action of the air after drying ao-ain a day. 



J J O 9 O J 



Each pound of powdered eggs thus prepared, when desired for use 

 requires two pounds of cold water, with which it is to be beaten up, 

 and is equivalent to fifty eggs, and may be used for omeletts, pastries, 

 or other culinary purposes." 



A MUSEUM OF DOLLS. 



M. JULES LECOMTE, in the Courier des Etats Urns, gives the 

 following account of a collection of dolls which is soon to be exhibited 

 in Paris. He says, " At first there seems only a fanciful and useless 

 idea in such a collection. But reflection and examination soon 

 demonstrate how curious, instructive, philosophical, geographical, and 

 historical is this collection which at first seems so puerile. The 

 attempt has been to bring together an incredible variety of types of 

 races, of dresses and customs, which comprehends all countries and 

 several centuries. There are, for example, five dolls of the fifteenth 

 century, which give an exact representation of the fashions of that 



