72 THE CONNECTICUT AGRICULTUEAL 



Other so-called antiseptics arrest decay, and putrefaction by pai'- 

 ^alyzing or killing the minute living things whose development 

 appears to stand in the closest relation to these changes. 



In the preservation of food we can use only such antiseptics as 

 do not interfere with its proper uses and as are at the same time 

 cheaply and generally obtainable. For common uses, " common 

 salt" is most applicable because of all salts it is the cheapest and 

 has the least injurious effect on the health of man, small quanti- 

 ties of it, as an addition to food, being in fact beneficial to health 

 as well as agreeable to the taste. 



The antiseptic effect of salt is only fully manifested by a nearly 

 saturated solution of it in water, i. e. by a strong brine. When 

 dry salt is sprinkled over meat it shrinks the fiber of the flesh and 

 expels its juice. A strong brine acts in a similar manner and 

 itself becomes thereby diluted. When pork spoils after salting, 

 it is because there is not salt enough where the spoiling occurs, 

 although surplus of salt exists near by. 



Brine in which beef has been corned will taint in warm weather 

 unless it is kept saturated by addition of more salt and frequent 

 stirring. Pure salt and also a brine saturated with salt, will 

 gather moisture rapidly from cool damp air, such as often exists in 

 cellars. 



The effect of this " hygroscopic" quality of salt is to make a 

 brine grow weaker at the top, and consequently pork which is but 

 just covered by brine, may, on long standing, become tainted, 

 although there is plenty of salt in the barrel. Either more salt 

 should occasionally be sprinkled over the meat or the access of 

 moist air should be prevented by a close cover. 



2. Biblical scholars, I believe, explain the passage " Losing its 

 savor," as follows : 



The salt used in the New Testament times was obtained by 

 natural evaporation of salt water, and was a good deal mixed 

 with fine earthy matters, clay, etc. When exposed to rain, the salt 

 was dissolved away and the clay remained, having much of the 

 appearance of the original material, but really containing little 

 or no salt, and having therefore lost its savor or taste. Now 

 that we so universally use a very pure salt, the losing or apparent 

 losing of its savor becomes quite impossible. 



3. "' Do you find anything detrimental to the keeping of but- 

 ter, pork, etc., and if so, what — in the samples of salt sent here- 

 with ?" 



