Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 167 



collapse, while being without the protection of a skin, they lose by 

 evaporation of the juice and become hard. He had coated them 

 with oily substances, but in vain. 



Mr. Solon Eobiuson. — A coating of paraffine might answer. This 

 cheap paper, dipped in paraffine, makes just as good a cover for fruit 

 jars as rubber, while its cost is so little that it cannot be estimated. 



Prof. Xyce stated that, by packing eggs in chai-coal dust, he had 

 kept them in his house nine months, and it was difficult to tell 

 them from fresh eggs. The only difference was in the yolk having 

 shrunk one-twentieth. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — I have watched this business of preserv- 

 ing fruit from its commencement. At Trenton they have a house 

 where the fruit is keeping well. 



;Mr. Horace Greeley. — How long can you keep grapes? 



Prof. Nyce. — I have kept the Catawba till the next crop, but 

 have not succeeded to this extent with any other variety. We 

 keep pears yery well at Cleveland, but the fruit grown there is not 

 as good for this purpose as that grown in colder climates. Boston 

 pears will keep as well as apples. TVhen fruit is taken out of our 

 houses, the length of time it will keep will vary according to the 

 heat of the weather. When the mercury is at eighty degrees it 

 will rot in a few days. We do not undertake to work mu-acles. 

 All we can do is, as it were, to put the fruit to sleep. 



Mr. N. C. Meeker. — Eggs are not preserved by oats, they are 

 used to pack them for mai"ket. 



speae's fruit solution. 



Mr. Worrall exhibited several cans of fruit preserved by this 

 solution. 



This is a preparation put up in third pint bottles, and is claimed 

 to preserve fruit either with or without sugar. A bountiful supply 

 of peaches, cherries, quinces, and plums was passed around among 

 the members, and the ladies were not slighted. The quality of the 

 peaches and quinces was fine, the latter in particular. The plums 

 were not so good. One of the ingredients used is sulphite of soda. 

 The fruit is first heated to a boiling point, when the preparation is 

 added in the proportion of one ounce to eight pounds of fruit. 



Mr. J. E-. SjqDher. — Three years ago my family tried this pre- 

 paration, and it was much talked about; we varied the quantities, 

 but found it imparted an unpleasant taste to the fruit, while fruit 

 not so treated was satisfactory. 



