198 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



Wednesday, Dec. 4 — 9 a. m. 



Opening prayer by Rev. C. W. Dunn. 



The Secretary read greeting by telegraph from Kansas Horticul- 

 tural society. 



Mr. E. A. Riehl, delegate from the Illinois society, was welcomed 

 as a delegate from the Illinois State society and invited to take part in 

 all our deliberations. 



The report of the Committee on Orchards was called for. 



Mr. Gano — I have no written report to make now, but will try to 

 have a report ready to go into the printed report. 



VINEGAR MAKING. 



BY CHAS. PATTERSON, KIRKSVILLE, MO. 



Genuine cider vinegar has always been the favorite article with the 

 great mass of consumers in this country, and wherever it can be ob- 

 tained. Therefore we find nearly all imitations branded and colored as 

 cider, apple, fruit, or some other name implying a close connection with 

 horticulture, which it would be our duty to expose and repudiate if we 

 had no other interest at stake than the name. 



At some time in the past it seems that whisky formed the basis of 

 most of these imitations. But at the present time it is very rare to find 

 them made of anything but the cheapest acids on the market, namely, 

 sulphuric or muriatic acid. In several weeks' travel to introduce a 

 genuine article, I have not found a single barrel that I had reason to 

 believe was made of either cider or whisky, except an occasional slump 

 of homemade cider vinegar. The fact seems to be that acid vinegar 

 can be made so much cheaper than even free whisky that the latter is 

 completely driven out, as well as cider. Occasionally I find a grocer 

 who honestly aims to get the best grade, and has paid nearly enough 

 price to justify him in believing he has the genuine. But on close in- 

 spection it is generally found too pungent, both in acid and spice flavor, 

 to expect that it would stand a scientific test. After testing one or 

 more samples from any factory, we can form a nearly correct estimate 

 of all their grades by allowing for extra strength, color and flavor, and 

 the highest strength is surely the most poisonous. The factory being 

 located in a famous apple region, and even running steam cider-presses 

 and making immense quantities of cider, seems to be no guarantee 

 at all that we will get genuine cider vinegar there, as I have proved in 



