59 



NEIV METHOD OF PRESERVING MEAT. 



A Belgian engineer lias invented a machine which in all prob- 

 ability will diminish the importance of the present systems of 

 cold storage in the preservation of large quantities of meat. 

 The new method is described in the Bulletin of the Bureau of 

 Agricultural Intelligence and of Plant Diseases for December, 

 1912. 



In this it is stated that the invention is based on the fact 

 that when the water tliat enters into the composition of meat 

 is caused to evaporate,, the organic liquids are concentrated to 

 a point at which bacteria do not develop except with great 

 difficulty. [Moreover, during the process of evaporation the meat 

 becomes coated with a film of gelatinous matter which protects 

 the meat from further infection. 



The loss of moisture is caused to take place by means of a 

 vacuum apparatus in which, towards the end of the operation, 

 both low pressure and temperature act together to desiccate only 

 the surface of the meat. After a certain quantity of w^ater has 

 evaporated, ozone (a form of oxygen) is admitted as a steriliz- 

 ing agent. 



Treatment for twenty hours causes the meat to lose about 20 

 per cent, of its original weight. The quantity of ammonia pres- 

 ent (which is indicative of putrefaction) is less in the vacuum- 

 treated meat than in ordinary fresh meat. The new process is 

 said not to affect the composition and appearance of the meat 

 within the protective film on the outside, and the taste is be- 

 lieved to be superior to that of frozen meat. 



The chief advantage of the process is that the cost price of 

 meat preserved by the vacuum method is less than that by cold- 

 storage, because it can be treated at the centres of production. 



If it is found that desiccated meat can be shipped as ordinary 

 cargo there would appear to be some possibility of a trade 

 becoming established in this article between South America and 

 the West Indies, or what would be preferable, a deflection to the 

 West Indies of some of the best Canadian beef that at present 

 goes in large quantities to Smithfield. — The Agricnifural N'ezvs. 



MAXIMUM PROFIT FROM PEN MANURE. 



The indifferent and careless management of pen manure means 

 the loss of large quantities of available plant food. Liquid ex- 

 crement is more valuable than solid, pound for pound. Water- 

 tight floors and plenty of absorbents are necessary to prevent 

 its waste. All pen manure is more valuable fresh than after 

 storage. Leaching by rains is one great source of loss. ]\Ianure 

 heaps loosely made and located under the eaves or on hillsides 

 lose half of their value. Large losses of nitrogen occur by 



