INDHSTRIKS DEPENDING OX 1'I.ANT PRODUCTS I353 



It is well known that maize oil softens the fat of the pig and thus im- 

 pairs its quahty. On the other hand the fat produced by feeding with 

 maize poor in fatty substance is firmer, and thus possesses more value than 

 just mentioned. 



1018 - A Cheap Process for Extracting the Oil from Oil fruits and Seeds and their 

 Residues (black Olives and Oilcakes) by means of non-inflammable Solvents. — 



See No. 1006 of this Bulletin. 



1019 - The Conversion of Fruits and Vegetables into Dried Products : Experiments at 

 the Royal School of Horticulture and Pomology of Florence, Italy. — valvas- 



soRi v., in Atti della Rcale Accademia economico-agraria del Georgofili di Firenze 

 5th Series, Vol. XIII, Part 2, pp. 56-64, i fig. Florence, April igi6. 

 For the preparation of dried pears and apples the best results have 

 been obtained on the following method. The fruits, having been peeled 

 and cut in halves, are subjected to the action of sulphurous anhydride in 

 a chest fitted with gratings, are then scalded in a steam stove and dried in a 

 Ryder drier at a temperature of 80° to 900C. The length of time found best 

 in the treatment with sulphurous anhydride and with steam, and in drying, 

 were the following respectively : 



Sulphurous 



anhydride Steam Drying 



For the "Coscia" pear 15 minutes 10 minutes 8 hoiu-s 



" " " Gentil bianco" 10 " 5 " 8 " 



" " "William" 15 " 5 " 8 " 



The " Tondona President ", a*non-clingstone peach, peeled, cut into 

 halves, with its stone taken out, sulphured for 15 minutes and kept in a 

 drier at the above temperature for 7 to 8 hours, yielded a fine product. A 

 .similar method was adopted with apricots. 



In the experiments made with plums, the varieties " Friulana ", 

 " Claudia mostruosa " and " Porcina " were used. The first appeared very 

 well adapted for drying, the second less so, and the last not at all. The 

 " Friulane " plums were subjected partly to the treatment with steam for 

 one and a half minutes, partly to .scalding in a boiling solution of 5 % 

 strength potassium carbonate, and afterwards plunged into running water. 

 Both the first and the second were then placed in the drier for 3 days, at 

 first in a closed drier at 50*^0., and then at 60-700C., finally in an open drier 

 at 80-900C. Both groups came out successfully. The fruits did not crack. 

 Those which had been treated with steam dried more quickly than the 

 others. 



" Turca " and " Pistoiese " cherries treated with steam for 5 minutes, 

 then kept in a drier at 80-850C, dried in about 12 hours and yielded a fine 

 product. Those which had not been treated with steam afterwards re- 

 quired a longer time for drying. 



The figs of the " Dottato " variety, peeled or cut open in halves, or 

 whole, treated with sulphurous anhydride for 30 minutes and kept in a drier 

 at 40-500C. for 2 or 3 days, gave a good result in all cases. 



