414 Tbaxsactioxs of the American Institute. 



Mr. J. B. Lyman. — There is no method by which the more perish- 

 able smull fruits, as strawberries and cherries, are kept more than two 

 or three montlis. But pears of delicate flavor, as the Dutchess, keep 

 in the houses constructed by Professor Nyce, for four or five months. 

 He seeks three conditions : 1. A temperature of thirty-four degrees ; 

 2. Exclusion of air ; 3. An absorbent of moisture. The latter he 

 finds of as much importance as either of the others. The atmosphere 

 must be cold, uniform and dry. The patent of Prof. Nyce does not, 

 of course, prevent any one from constructing a tight ice-house. Ilis 

 patent rests mainly on the substance with which he keeps the air dry. 



Mr. Gernerd may keep fruit a very long time by building his ice- 

 house as follows : On a side-hill, so as to secure perfect drainage ; put 

 the ice in on the upper side ; have the floor of rough cobbles, with drain 

 tile beneath. Make it large, say twenty-five by twenty-five, and in the 

 middle build of brick, laid with hydraulic cement, with arched roof, a 

 chamber ten by ten. Have the floor a little convex, with holes to take 

 away the water on each side, these holes to be guarded on account of 

 rats. The door should be thick, with an inner door of thick felting, 

 stufi'ed with sawdust. For an absorbent, use fine dry charcoal. If the 

 charcoal gets wet, take it out and dry it. Fill the chamber with sets of 

 perforated shelves, and on these lay the fruit, taking care not to bruise 

 it in any way. It is important not to open the door so as to communi- 

 cate with the outer air. -.A quantity of fruit throws out an atmosphere 

 in which carbonic acid gas abounds, and this it is which preserves the 

 fruit. By creating some of this gas and forcing it in, the process 

 would be moi'e effective. The Gamgee meat-preserving process i& 

 essentially little more than this which we have described. 



EVEKGREEN SeEDS. 



George Stoolflre, of Sugargrove, "Warren county, Pennsylvania-; 

 asked. information as to the proper time to gather the seed of tama-- 

 rack and balsam, and when to plant. 



Mr. A. S. Fuller. — The seed should be harvested as soon as it is 

 thoroughly ripened. I prefer to keep it until spring, and then soav 

 it in some shady place. The reason novices fail in their attempts to 

 raise evergreens is, they do not guard the young plant from the sun. 

 Nurserymen use canvas. A screen of lath serves a good purpose. 

 If the plant can be brought through the earlier stages, there is com- 

 paratively little trouble. 



