236 Transactions of the American Instttute. 



work. It is illogical to compare a young farmer to a medical 

 student. Books are the doctor's tools. Plows are the farmer's 

 tools. A man may sit by the side of a shoemaker and see him put 

 bristles on waxed ends year after year, but he will not learn to do 

 it till he tries to do it himself. 



Mr. T. W. Hard, Arlington, Vt., inquired whether currants are 

 poisonous if grown on bashes from which the leaves have been 

 eaten by worms. Some supposed cases of the kind were reported 

 in the writer's neighborhood. 



Dr. Isaac P. Trimble. — This is the first I have heard of such a 

 result from such a cause. Still, there is no doubt that fruit grow- 

 ing on diseased branches is not proper food. 



The following reports were next read and accepted: 



spear's preserving solution. 



The committee to whom was referred Spear's fruit preserving 

 solution, respectfully report: 



" That they have examined a number of jars of fruit and vegeta- 

 bles preserved by means of this solution. They must frankly state 

 that the peculiar flavor of the natural product was not in all cases 

 retained. In some samples, however, such as the strawberry, and 

 the tomato, the characteristic taste was more obvious. 



•' As to the preservative power of the solution used by Mr. Spear, 

 there can be no question. Fruit can be kept without undergoing 

 fermentation or the chemical change producing acidity, for a very 

 long time, when immersed in this solution. The inventor claims 

 that it prevents the decomposition of animal as well as vegetable 

 organisms. 



" Sulphurous acid has been found to be a valuable anti-septic and 

 deodorizer. It destroys the offensive character of the emanations 

 of putrefactive products. During the progress of the cattle plague 

 in England, it was found to be efficient in destroying the vitality of 

 the germs which are supposed to be the cause of that disease. It 

 has a powerful deoxydizing action and gradually changes into sul- 

 phuric acid. When neutralized by an alkaline base, forming the 

 salt, its anti-septic power does not seem to be impaired. Accord- 

 ing to Crookes, sulphites of this class, if allowed to remain in the 

 open air, in contact with moist organic matter, are gradually decom- 

 posed with an evolution of sulphuretted hydrogen. This action 

 must be guarded against when such a salt is used in preserving 

 meat, as prepared by Mr. Spear. 



