LETTERS AND TESTIMONIALS. 



LETTER FROM PROF. B. SILLIMAN TO THE PATENTEE. 



New Haven, July 11, 1865. 



Sir: — I have long intended to acknowledge your attention in sending me, 

 in May last, samples of fruit preserved by your Patent Fruit House. The 

 Catawba grapes, and apples, reached me in perfect condition. The stems 

 of the grapes were green and fresh, as in October, and the bloom on the 

 berries perfect. Several friends happening to be with me on a festive occa- 

 sion — and among them excellent judges of pomological matters — your fruit 

 came before a critical jury. The unanimous verdict was one of surprise and 

 satisfaction at the perfect condition in which it was found after more than 

 half a year of time had passed. The flavor of both grapes and apples was as 

 perfectly preserved as their beauty — revealing all the freshness and aroma of 

 autumn. At the time these observations were made, the fruit in question had 

 been two weeks out of your fruit-house, and had made a journey of about 

 500 miles by railroad. 



I cannot see what remains to desire, in the perfectness of your plan. You 

 have demonstrated that by the joint effect of cold and dryness, the decay and 

 ripening of fruit may be retarded to any desired degree, for the smooth-skinned 

 and firm-fleshed fruits, apples, pears, grapes, &c., particularly those fruits 

 which it is most desirable to preserve, and the natural season of which, such 

 as the grape and pear, is far too short for their full enjoyment. 



Every considerable city should have such a fruit-house in its neighborhood, 

 as a means of health and enjoyment to thousands who would thus be provided 

 with delicious and healthful fruit, throughout the entire winter. In this view, 

 I regard your invention as a great public benefit, for the perfecting of which, 

 you cannot fail of an ample reward. 



I am yours respectfully, B. SILLIMAN. 



Benj. M. Nyce, a. M., Cleveland, O. 



FROM R. T. BROWN, PROFESSOR OF THE NATURAL SCIENCES IN THE NORTH-WEST- 

 ERN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY AT INDIANAPOLIS, AND STATE GEOLOGIST OF 

 INDIANA. 



• Indianapolis, Dec. 5, 1865. 

 Prof. B. M. Nyce: 



Dear Sir: — I have watched, with constantly increasing interest, the 

 progress of your experiments in maintaining unimpaired the organic structure 

 and peculiar qualities of fruits and vegetables. The primary ideas involved in 

 the arrangements of your fruit-house embrace all the natural agencies to thia 

 end known, at present, to science. 



The ordinary decay of fruits containing sugar is a true fermentation. 

 This is entirely arrested at temperatures below 40° [*\ But even at this low 

 temperature, if moisture be present, fungi may be developed, and thus the 

 organic structure broken down ; or chemical changes may take place in the 

 vegetable acids of the fruit, thus destroying its flavor. Even in the decom- 



