3 I 2 AGRICULTURAL BACTERIOLOGY. 



greater amount of moisture in the air, or to the fact that there 

 is a larger number of bacteria in the air around civilized com- 

 munities, cannot be stated. But it is certain that such a sim- 

 ple method of drying flesh cannot be adopted upon farms in 

 general. This method of preserving is, however, still used in 

 hot climates, commonly with the addition of salting, and pro- 

 duces a form of food known as pcinuiican, cliarquc and tassajo. 

 The flesh thus prepared loses considerable of its flavor, but 

 methods of using artificial heat have been devised which, in a 

 measure, remedy this defect. After it is once dried, flesh may 

 be preserved in this form almost indefinitely. The drying of 

 flesh is a process which hardly concerns agriculture in civilized, 

 temperate countries. 



The same end is very commonly reached, even on the farm, 

 by artificial drying accompanied by smoking. In the prepara- 

 tion of smoked hams, or other flesh, the subsequent bacterial 

 growth is prevented, partly by the drying it receives and partly 

 by the actual germicidal action of the smoke. When the 

 smoke is produced from certain woods beech wood is es- 

 pecially favorable various volatile products arise, such as 

 pJunol and crcasotc, and these act as germicides. The bacteria 

 on the surface of the meat are destroyed, and the surface dried 

 and affected by the volatile products in such a way that bacteria 

 will not readily start to grow upon the flesh. Smoked meats 

 are thus preserved in part by the drying and in part by the 

 action of the smoke. 



Fruit. The method of preserving various fruits by drying 

 needs hardly be mentioned. The drying of apples, squashes, 

 pumpkins is a common process of farm life. In warmer re- 

 gions of the earth the sun's rays are sufficient to dry many 

 fruits for preservation. Raisins and figs are thus prepared. 

 In colder regions artificial heat must be employed. By the 

 use of artificial heat it has been found possible to preserve by 

 drying a large number of fruits. Pears, prunes, plums, rasp- 



