134 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the additional advantage that upon arrival at destination it will not 

 under the influence of moist air become covered with condensed 

 moisture, as inevitably happens when it has during- transportation 

 been maintained at a low temperature bj' refrigeration with ice. 

 That such bedewing of the fruit is highly injurious to its keeping 

 quality is well known. The Perkins process apparently obviates 

 this difficulty and leaves the fruit to arrive and remain perfectly 

 dr3^ It is but reasonable to suppose that its life will thus be ma- 

 terially lengthened while in the hands of the dealer and consumer — 

 an advantage which it is difficult to overestimate, especially if, as is 

 claimed, fruit to be thus treated may be more fully matured at the 

 time of shipment. 



As regards the second point, viz: the maintenance of the air cur- 

 rent at the uniform temperature of say 55° to 60° without the aid of 

 ice, even in the hot desert air, there is no question that it can be ac- 

 complished by the means claimed, viz: the compression of air by 

 means of a pump; then, after giving it time to cool down to the 

 outside temperature— say 120° at most — allowing it to expand under 

 proper conditions, reducing its temperature and, therefore, that of 

 the air current to 55° or less. The proposition is theoretically 

 sound, and it seems possible to make it practically feasible with 

 perhaps only a slight addition to the weight of an ordinary car in 

 the way of reservoirs and minor appliances, the exact arrangement, 

 size and form of which must be determined by experience. As re- 

 gards the maintenance of the same temperature in winter, there can 

 be no difficulty about making the same appliances answer the pur- 

 pose of heating by the addition of a steam coil or otherwise. 



We are, therefore, of the opinion that this invention deserves the 

 most earnest consideration on the part of the fruit growers, trans- 

 portation companies, and all interested in the fruit industry, since 

 it appears to offer a simple and (as compared with the ice-refriger- 

 ating process) inexpensive solution of the problems both of cheaper 

 transportation and of better conservation of fresh fruit. 



THE ALICE GRAPE. 



(From report of a coinmitteeof the Southern Tlster. N. Y., Horticultural Society.) 



" Of the fruiting vines there are about a dozen, including the orig- 

 inal seedling. Their bearing capacity was not exaggerated by the 

 specimen branch exhibited at the fair, all the vines showing a pro- 

 lific crop. Its growth is remarkably strong, many branches of 

 this season's growth being a dozen feet long or more, the wood 

 ripening up uniformly. The foliage is exceptionally healthy, the 

 large, thick leaves plainly distinguish it from all other varieties 

 and enable it to resist mildew and rot, which appear to have had 

 little if any effect upon it, although the season has been remarkable 

 for the prevalance of those maladies, which the vines of otlier 

 varieties immediately adjoining plainly show. The berry is of good 

 size, nearly as large as Concord, has a tough skin, without astring- 

 ence; pulp meaty and tender; flavor fine and quality high; seeds 

 few and small, ranging from 1 to 3, averaging about 2. It adheres 



