60S SCIENCE PROGRESS 



carrots require also much less time for cooking than old ones, 

 and in this way would suffer less deterioration than the old. 

 It will be seen from Table II that vegetables such as carrots 

 and potatoes are not highly anti-scorbutic in value ; never- 

 theless, since they are easily obtained, and in almost constant 

 daily use, they may form a valuable part of the diet as a source 

 of anti-scorbutic, and, in the case of the carrot, also of the 

 fat -soluble vitamine. 



5. Methods of cooking Pulses. — In cooking pulses (peas, 

 beans, and lentils), it is often difficult to ensure the softening 

 of the seeds without a long time of boiling. The addition of 

 bicarbonate of soda to the water in which they are soaked 

 previous to boiling is a common practice with peas and beans 

 in this country, and, no doubt, makes them more digestible. 

 An alternative method, however, is to germinate the seeds. 



Pulses contain no appreciable amount of anti-scorbutic 

 vitamine when dry, but are valuable for their starch and protein 

 content as well as for their considerable anti-neuritic value. 

 It has been proved by experiment that in germination other 

 vitamines develop, especially the anti-scorbutic vitamine.^ 

 At the same time the hard substance of the seed softens. 

 Germinated lentils are well cooked if boiled for 10-15 minutes, 

 germinated peas in about 20 minutes, and germinated beans 

 in not less than 45 minutes, in the absence of any added soda. 

 In order to produce this effect it is only necessary to allow the 

 seeds to soak for about 12 hours in water (e.g. over night), rinse 

 them, and keep in a damp place for another 2 days, with free 

 access to air. This can be accomplished by placing them in a 

 perforated tin box or in a clean flower-pot, covering them with 

 a damp cloth, which should be occasionally moistened with 

 water in dry weather. In two days a short radicle will appear 

 (in the case of peas and lentils), and the seeds are then ready 

 for use. 



6. Methods of cooking Fruit. — In cooking fruit there is 

 little danger of destroying the anti-scorbutic value, especially 

 in the case of those containing acid juices. When it is desired 

 to reduce the acidity before cooking, however, as in the case 

 of rhubarb, or young gooseberries, it is important to take care 

 that a perceptibly acid reaction remains, in order that the anti- 

 scorbutic value of the juice may be retained. (Cp. Table IV.) 



7. Methods of preserving Fruits and Vegetables. — Our know- 

 ledge of the properties of vitamines has also an important 

 bearing on the question of preserving foods. The three prin- 

 cipal methods are drying, canning, bottling, and the making 

 of preserves or jams. 



With regard to the first method, except in dry climates, 

 where the sun can be used for rapid open-air drying, the labour 



