108 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILUNOtS 



if accessible for, they are busy there niakinj^ — developing — knowledge ; but 

 we of America have not yet had the wit to profit fully by an example of 

 one of the greatest successes of the nineteenth century. Our experi- 

 ment stations are overshadowed by the mere business of teaching, and 

 their mark has not yet reached the point where the world can draw upon 

 them for new installments of knowledge in aid of husbandry. It is de- 

 sirable that thorough tests of the value of the earths, and combinations 

 with the earths, as preservative agents, be made. An interest which 

 reaches pecuniarilv into tlie millions calls for such tests, and it is too 

 much to require private shoulders to bear the whole burden of expense. 

 Hearken, Messrs. Agricultural Chemists who receive the bounty of 

 the nation for your salaries, tell us how to keep apples, grapes, pears 

 plums, peaches, yes, strawberries and raspberries ; if you can only tell, 

 us how to keep them one day longer, we will some of us bless you every 

 time we count our cash, while the rest Avill bless you all the same, when- 

 ever we count what we have saved, and how much more we have en- 

 joyed. 



Mr. Periam from the same committee, reported upon 



UTILIZING FRUITS— IN NATURAL STATE, DRYING, AND CANNING. 



In treating this subject, it was agreed that the work should be 

 divided between the Committee, as follows : 



Mr. Dunlap agreed to treat of the liquid products of fruits ; 

 Mr. McAfee, of the chemistry of fruits, and my share of the work was 

 to include the preservation of orchard fruits in their natural state ; pre- 

 servation by drying; and keeping of fruit by canning, etc. My under- 

 standing was that the committee would not go into a detailed account 

 of the various processes by which fruits are utilized, but simply to pre- 

 sent such data as would be of interest to the pomologist : or rather to 

 gather some facts that would elicit discussion, to be followed by addition- 

 al information as the facts could be gathered from season to season. 



I have therefore concluded to divide the portion of work assigned 

 to me under three heads : Preserving fruits in their natural condition, 

 preservation by drying, and conservation in air-tight packages. 



All that is necessary in order to keep fruits perfectly, in fresh or 

 natural state, is to place them in a dry, pure atmosphere, at a tempera- 

 ture of thirty-five to thirty-eight degrees. This has been accomplished 

 by the plan of Prof. Nyce, and also in Schooley's preservatory, the essen- 

 tial features differing in no great degree. 'I'he plan ado[)ted by Mr. Nyce 

 was to keep the temperature of the room at thirty-four degrees, and the 

 atmosphere dry by means of the refuse of salt works, chloride of calci- 

 um, commonly called ''bitterns." It is thus stated by Prof. Nyce: 



" In a room or any confined vessel when filled with fruit in the grad- 

 ual processes of ripening, carbonic acid and water are constantly being 

 generated. Six pounds of carbon and one of hydrogen will take up all 

 the oxygen contained in one hundred and twenty pounds of air. The 

 oxygen, especially if the fruit be ripe and the room warm, will usually 



