IQQ TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Fifth. Inflorescence. A process which is growth till the object of 

 the flower's life is completed, and from that point deca\', as is proven 

 from the fact that opening blooms exhale no oxygen, and those which 

 have been fertilized do. 



Sixth. Fruitage. The growth of the fruit is all organization ; the 

 laying up of stores of food often, as in the apple, very excessive of any 

 apparent wants of the inclosed seed. 



Seventh. Ripening. This is entirely a process of decay. Observe 

 a very sweet apple ; when of full size and not ripe its macerated pulp 

 yields much starch ; it has indeed a starchy taste ; but when ripe the 

 starch is gone, and glucose or sugar remains ; so the acids when green 

 lack an atom of oxygen as compared with the acids when ripe. 



Here are the seven ages of the plant. Its last, the one which is to 

 be our reward for all our care of it. And now how are we to so prolong 

 this interesting and profitable stage that it shall most contribute to our 

 enjoyment and profit. What is the fruit doing.' Decaying. We must 

 arrest that process if we can, or as we cannot entirely arrest it, we must 

 retard it; to do which it is necessary to surround it with the circum- 

 stances most unfavorable to decay. Its nitrogen must be kept from the 

 union with hydrogen which it desires, by keeping the hydrogen closely 

 united with carbon and oxygen. Its carbon must be kept from the ox- 

 ygen which it desires, by excluding the free oxygen desiring to enter, 

 and by an unfavorable temperature. Its sugar must not be able to be- 

 come alcohol and then acetic acid. 



How is all this to be done ? In many ways. First, by rapid desic- 

 cation. Abstract the water, and both chemical affinities and fungoid 

 influences are overcome. But the drying cannot be too quick, for the 

 high temperature and the access of air necessary, strongly favor chemical 

 changes. Such a process as the Alden, or one better still in which air 

 super-dried chemically will be used, must be far in advance of the old 

 style of drying fruit, so slowly that it was at least partly rotten before 

 dry. 



Second. By sealing we may exclude a large portion of air having to 

 fill spaces caused by the contraction of the contents of the vessel, an at- 

 mosphere which soon becomes excessive in nitrogen and carbonic acid, 

 both of which are unfavorable to decay. 



In such cases it often happens that the fungus mold helps preserve 

 for a time the fruit below, for it takes up all the oxygen presented, and 

 leaves little or none to pass into the fruit. But the changes which may 

 go on in the fruit by interchange of elements already there, simple re- 

 adjustment, are not arrested by the sealing, except the farther circumstan- 

 ces unfavorable to decay, of low temperature and darkness, are present. 

 And even then with every care flavor is lost, some decay goes on still. 



Could we have a substance which by its presence would exclude 

 the possibility of oxydation, and yet be perfectly tasteless and not un- 

 healthful, we could set away our cans with perfect confidence in their 

 subsequent purity and flavor. But alas, there now appears to be no hope 

 for such a boon. 



