EXPERIMENT STATIOjST. 71 



SALT AND SALTPETRE FOR PRESERVING FOOD. 



The following questions were propounded by the Wilton Far- 

 mers' Club, through its secretary, D. H. Van Hoosear, Esq. : 



" Our Club has had much discussion upon " Butter Salt" and 

 " Saltpeter." I send you to-day samples of both, which please 

 analyze and report upon. Some complain of butter, pork, &c., 

 not keeping ; others of brine not being salt enough, yet salt in 

 the barrel. 



Could we trouble you to answer the following questions : 



1. What is the saving property of salt? 



2. What is meant by salt "losing its savor?" 



3. Do you find anything detrimental to the keeping of butter, 

 pork, &c., and if so, what, in the samples of salt sent herewith? 



4. Is lime in salt injurious to its keeping qualities_^for butter, 

 pork, &c. ? 



5. Can salt be too fine for salting butter? 



6. Which do you think (according to samples) is the best for 

 butter ? 



Y. Is Turk's Island salt as good as rock salt for preserving 

 pork ? 



(Please give us a standard to go by.) 



8. Has saltpeter preserving qualities, and why do we use salt- 

 peter in preserving pork and hams? What effect does it produce 

 on pork and hams ? 



9. How can we tell an adulterated or impure article of salt or 

 saltpeter ? 



(One man describes some as " soapsuds," when dissolved in 

 water.)" 



Answers. 



" 1. What is the saving property of salt?" 



The putrefaction, or spoiling of meat, and probably also, the ran- 

 cidity of butter, are caused by microscopic organisms, probably 

 vegetable in their nature, w^hich are latterly known in science as 

 hacteria. If the growth and multiplication of these organisms is 

 hindered or prevented, putrefaction and rancidity are correspond- 

 ingly checked or altogether stopped. 



A great variety of substances, such as vinegar, carbolic acid in 

 coal tar, kreosote in wood smoke, camphor, oil of cloves, spirits of 

 turpentine, arsenic, tannin, salicylic acid, sulphurous acid, and- 



