September, 1908 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



197 



Preserving Fruits for Exhibition 



J. W. Crow, B.S.A., Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph 



cclrrugated 



MiETAL 



OF late years considerable attention has 

 been paid to the preservation of fruits 

 in their natural condition for use at 

 shows and exhibitions out of season. 

 Exhibits of the kind have become a com- 

 aendable feature of horticultural exhibitions 

 |ln Canada, and Canadian fruits preserved 

 [in this manner have been seen at many im- 

 portant expositions in other countries. 

 Specimens selected for preservation should 

 I be as perfect as possible. They should be 

 [»put down when at their very best and should 

 Vof course, be handled throughout with the 

 lutmost care. Different styles of glass jars 

 lay be used,, but for general use, tall, round, 

 ^ plain ones with either ground glass or 

 [screw-clamp tops are preferable. Fancy jars 

 !may be used for particularly fine fruits or 

 ?for the sake of relieving the monotony of 

 ; a large exliibit. 



From the results of experiments conducted 

 ^several years ago at the Central Experi- 

 t mental Farm, Ottawa, the following for- 

 ' mulae are quoted as having been used 

 r.successf ullv : 



from the fruit, it should be poured off and 

 replaced by fresh fluid." 



This formula is recommended for plums, 

 grapes, cherries and gooseberries; Formalin, 

 3 to 5 parts; saturated solution common 

 table salt, 10 parts; water boiled and cooled 

 to make 100 parts. When made up, the so- 

 lution will keep indefinitely. 



For raspberries, the following has been 

 reconnnended :— Formalin, 1 part ; glycerine, 

 10 parts ; water to make 100 parts. 



Strawberries are best preserved in : — For- 

 malin, 1 ounce; alum, 1 drachm; glycerine, 

 5 ounces, water, 3 pints. 



Red currants keep best in a solution of: — 

 corrosive sublimate, 1 part; glycerine, 10 

 parts; water 90 parts. The corrosive subli- 

 mate should be dissolved in hot water and 

 the solution and fruit preserved in it should 

 be labelled "Poison" as it is very deadly if 

 swallowed. 



"The glass stoppers of bottles may be 

 remedied perfectly tight by smearing the 

 ground surface with a small amount of light 

 colored vaseline. This will also prevent in 



I 



Proper Sizes of Jars for Different Fruits 



No. 1 a quarts)— Suitable for apples and pears, medium to large in size. No. 2 (.1 quartsl—Sanie uses a,i No. I. 

 Grapes may be preserved in this or in shorler.iars of same diameter. \os. ;t, 4 and 5 (2 quarts)— Suitable for small 

 pears and apples, peaches, largo plums and cherries or other branches as in No. 4. No. 6— C:ontains a branch of 

 currant but the leaves and clusters of fruit are too crowded. Suitable for small size fruits such as gooseberries. 

 Nos. 7. 8. iland 10 (1 quart)— Suitable for strawberries (fastened to supports) as in No. 7 ; raspberry sprays as in 

 No. 9; gooseberry sprays as in No. 10. No. U— Suitable for small size fruits such as gooseberries. 



"Kerosene oil was found to be the most 

 satisfactory fluid for preserving strawberries, 

 having just about the right density to allow 

 them to settle to the bottom of the jars. 



"For red and black cherries, black 

 currants, red and black raspberries, 

 and other red and very dark color- 

 ed fruits, including the red and dark 

 grapes and red apples, a one and one-half 

 to two per cent, solution of boric acid in 

 fwater. For the yellow varieties of rasp- 

 [bcrries, white and yellow cherries, peaches, 

 [gooseberries, wliite currants and other light 

 [colored fruits, including yellow and green 

 [apples, a two per cent, solution of zinc 

 [■chloride. Sulphurous acid was found very 

 ! useful in brightening up and bleaching all 

 I discolored specimens of white and yellow 

 ''- fruits and gave them a very attractive ap- 

 ^ pearance. The acid was used of the or- 

 ' dinary strength in tlie proportion of four 

 [ounces to the gallon of fluid. It was found 

 ' that the use of 15 per cent, commercial 

 alcohol was sufficient to prevent injury from 

 freezing during tran.sportation in winter. 



The following notes are taken from a 

 publication by the Colorado Agricultural 

 College bearing on the subject: 



.\fter filling, tlie jars sliould be "kept in a 

 cool, dark place until the time for exhi- 

 bition. Frequent examination should be 

 made to determine how well the fruit is 

 keeping. If the liquid becomes colored 



great measure the sticking of the stoppers 

 when it is desired to remove them." 



Mr. D. W. Buchanan, of St. Charles, Man., 

 who has experimented considerably with 

 different materials sends the following notes : 



"Plums may be preserved in corrosive 

 sublimate, one ounce to the gallon of dis- 

 tilled water. Ten per cent, of glycerine 

 may be added to prevent shrinkage of pulpy 

 specimens. More may be used to advantage 

 if expense is not a consideration. Salicylic 

 acid, one ounce to five of water, with gly- 

 cerine, has not given good results -with 

 plums. We have used coal oil for straw- 

 berries, blackberries and black cherries, but 

 this sliould not be used only in perfectly 

 tight bottles. Cork stoppers, even when 

 seale<l with wax, are not suitable for use 

 with coal oil. Allow for expansion of the 

 oil in warm weatlier. Formalin, two to 

 three per cent, and alcohol 10 per cent, is 

 useful for strawberries, and also for soft 

 colored specimens. 



"Zinc chloride, two per cent., is good for 

 white and red currants. Ten per cent, of 

 alcohol may be added. Boric acid, one 

 ounce to four gallons of water, for black 

 currants, with ten per cent, of alcohol added. 

 For gooseberries, copper sulphate one per 

 cent, and alcohol as above is excellent. 



"Sulphurous acid, one part, alcoliol. one 

 part, water eight parts, is the best thing 

 we have found for white and light colored 





"SHOULD LAST FIFTY YEARS" 



says Mr. R. Nagle, ot Mount Brydges, Ont. 

 about our Corrugated Slieet Rooling. He 

 adds: "1 think it is as near perfection as 

 anything 1 ever saw." 



Our "Acorn Ouality" Corrugated 

 Sheet Roofing and Siding makes an, 

 absolutely lightning-proof barn con' 

 struction, besides being quickly put 

 on. Our Galvanized Sheets show 

 no signs of wear, even on our earli- 

 est work years ago. Such Roofing 

 prevents all moistureor dampness. 



THE METAL SHtNGLE & SIDING CO., Umitad 

 Preston, Ont. 



ROOFERS to the FARMERS OF CANADA 



FRUIT PACKERS 



YOU WANT 



Your fruit to present (he 

 very liest appearance when 

 ottered for sale or opened 

 by the consumer. To 

 ensure this condition you 

 must see that it is free 

 from llaltened ends orstein 

 punctures. This ensures a 

 demand and consequently 

 better prices for " YOUR " 

 fruit. Tliiscan be obtained 

 by the use of 



Corrugated Caps 



PULP CAPS 



WHITE CAPS 



Y^ou will also need E.xccl- 

 sior Barrel Cushions, Ex- 

 celsior Box Cushions, 

 Parchment and Wax Caps 

 Manilla and White Tissue 

 Wrappers, Lace Ciroles 

 and Box Lace, Curved Elm 

 liiners 



WE WANT 



You to know that we are 

 Headquarters for these 

 goods 



See Our Exhibit at tht 

 National Exhibition 



THOS. GAIN & SON 



124 Ricliinond St. West, Toronto 



Agents in Cauda for G. P. READ, New York 



