COLLECTING AND PRESERVING. 187 



It is also well to add a little charcoal or ammonia to the water 

 in which flowers are standing. 



If salt is added to the water in which cut flowers are kept, it 

 will delay wilting and decay. 



3. Preserving Fruits for Exhibition. 



1. Corrosive sublimate which is a violent poison is pre- 

 pared at the rate of half an ounce to a gallon of water. Renew 

 the liquid every year or two. Distilled or other very pure water 

 should be used if it is desired to retain the color of the fruit, 

 and glycerine may be added to prevent the fruit from shrinking. 



2. Sulphur is sometimes used as follows : Put 30 gallons of 

 water in a 40-gallon barrel ; float on top of the water a tin pan, 

 in which put a little sulphur. Set the sulphur on fire and cover 

 the barrel tightly until the fire goes out ; renew the sulphur 

 several times, opening the barrel for renewal of air between the 

 doses. The water absorbs the sulphurous acid, and the fluid is 

 then used as a preservative. 



Better results are generally obtained if the prepared sulphur- 

 ous acid is purchased. It costs about 35 cents per pound in 

 5-pound bottles. Two ounces of the acid is added to a gallon 

 of water. 



3. Place an ounce of salicylic acid in 5 gallons water, and 

 then add a little glycerine. The amount of glycerine will 

 depend upon the juiciness of the fruit. The greater the juici- 

 ness, the more glycerine must be added. From 8 to 15 per cent 

 may be considered an average. 



Another recipe, and one particularly useful for dark-colored 

 grapes, is as follows : Dissolve an ounce of salicylic acid in 

 8 ounces of alcohol, and add this to 2 gallons of water. Allow 

 it to stand for a short time before using. 



4. Boric acid may be used as a preservative by dissolving a 

 half pound in 50 pounds of water. If the liquid is not clear, 

 filter it. Useful for colored fruits. 



5. A solution of zinc chloride, for preserving light-colored and 

 yellow fruits, is made by dissolving 1 pound of the chloride 

 in 50 pounds of water. Filter if the solution is not clear. 



