SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 441 



Of the variety oblongifolia mentioned above, Mr. E. S. Goff, of the New 

 York experiment station, says : 



The plant is a shrub of rather slow growth, but very prolific. The fruit 

 resembles that of the huckleberry in form and color, but is decidedly larger. 

 The flavor is not very marked, though quite delicate and pleasant. The 

 shrub seems to be entirely hardy, and should the fruit prove susceptible of 

 improvement, it may prove valuable for northern latitudes. It ripens in 

 July. 



PRESERVING FRUITS. 



Salicylic Acid. — The Prairie Farmer says that the remarkable antiseptic 

 properties of this substance attracted first the attention of physicians, and 

 it has been largely used by them for arresting putrefaction in wounds. But 

 carbolic acid is now so abundant and cheap and effective that no other sub- 

 stance is needed. Eemembering that there are 7,000 grains in a pound, or 

 437-^ in an ounce, we can judge of its remarkable antiseptic property, when 

 we know that two grains of it in a pint of milk will keep it from souring for 

 a long time ; that one grain of salicylic acid in 700 grains (or one-tenth of a 

 pound) of yeast will stop its fermentation; that a single grain of it in 

 2,000 grains or nearly one-third of a pint of urine will prevent putrefaction; 

 and that one grain in 20,000 grains (1£ quarts) of a substance has a plainly 

 visible effect on preventing the development of bacteria, to the presence of 

 which some claim is due the souring of fruit. 



In putting the above facts together, with many others that we have not 

 space for, it seems reasonable to suppose that this substance (salicylic acid) 

 may possibly soon come into general use for preserving various fruits in a 

 perfectly fresh state, without cooking, or the trouble of sealing or other 

 covering and from mere exclusion of dust. 



Bleaching Fruit.— Prof. E. W. Hilgard of the University of Cali- 

 fornia is thoroughly opposed to the bleaching of fruits by the sulphur pro- 

 cess. Of two specimens of apricots, one dried in the safe old-fashioned way; 

 the other subjected to the modern bleaching treatment, he found that the 

 sulphuric acid naturally contained (as sulphates) in the ash of all fruits was 

 nearly quadrupled by the artificial addition, so as to form almost a quarter , 

 of one per cent of the weight of the air-dried fruit : 



Aside from the chemical analysis, the taster could easily observe the dif- 

 ference in favor of the unsulphured fruit. The latter had plainly and de- 

 cidedly the natural flavor of the apricot, which was at once impressed on the 

 palate when taken in the mouth, without chewing. The sulphured fruit 

 lacked the odor, and the first impression produced on the palate was that of 

 an acid, followed by the natural flavor only after some time, or on chewing. 

 No one tasting in the dark could have mistaken one for the other, or failed 

 to prefer the unsulphured fruit, which nevertheless has a darker tint and 

 would by most persons not have been chosen, by the eye, for its looks. 



Apart from the lighter tint secured for the dried fruit by sulphuring, it is 

 claimed that fruit so treated will remain free from insect pests even if after- 

 ward dried in the sun. If this is so it must be because the outside is ren- 



56 



