THE RIPENING AND PRESERVATION OF FRUITS. 215 



these, and preserve fruit iu all its beauty, fresliness, and flavor, 

 the temperature must be uniform, and kept below the degree at 

 which the fermentation or ripening process commences. Mr. 

 Robert Manning, iu a prize essay, said — " The ripening of fruit is 

 the completion of the chemical process by which starch is trans- 

 formed into sugar, and is the first step toward fermentation or 

 deca}' ; therefore, whatever promotes fermentation will hasten the 

 ripening ; whatever retards fermentation will tend to its preserva- 

 tion." 



Late fruits may remain on the trees until severe frosts are 

 feared, but should be gathered with great care. Summer pears 

 should be picked some days before the ripening process com- 

 mences. A summer pear ripened upon the tree is generally' infe- 

 rior. In respect to the latter Mr. Patrick Barry has so aptly 

 expressed m}^ own opinion that I use his language : " The process 

 of ripening on the tree, which is the natural one, seems to act 

 upon the fruit for the benefit of the seed ; as it tends to the forma- 

 tion of woody fibre and farina. AVhen the fruit is removed from 

 the tree at the commencement of ripening, and placed in a still 

 atmosphere, the natural process seems to be counteracted, and 

 sugar and juice are elaborated instead of fibre and farina." Thus 

 pears which become meal}' and rot at the core if left on the tree 

 to ripen, are juicy, melting, and delicious when ripened in the 

 house. 



"With the increase of fruits their preservation in the most perfect 

 condition has become a matter of great importance ; various 

 methods have been adopted, both in this and other countries, for 

 this purpose, many of which have been failures. Nearly half a 

 century ago the first houses of which I have any knowledge were 

 built for the preservation of fruits by the retardation of their 

 ripening. Most of these were controlled by ice ; others by the 

 use of chemicals and apparatus with revolving fans to diff'use the 

 cool air through the various rooms. 



About twenty years ago several patents were secured for the 

 preservation and long-keeping of fruits and other commodities by 

 Messrs. Shaler, Nyce, and Smith. Professor Nyce of Ohio had 

 one of his houses built in Boston, to be controlled by ice, and 

 many constructed upon his plan are still in use in our large cities 

 and towns for the preservation of meats as well as fruits. 



Mr. Nathan Hellings, of Pennsylvania, also informs us of the 



