394 I AsSRMBLY 



Mr. Borden said that Masson had also taken a medal for his 

 vegetable process. 



The Secretary read the following translations, made by him 

 from the works recently received by the Institute from Paris. 



[From the Annales d« la Soctete Centrale dHorti«altare, ParU, 1851 .J 



Report upon the processes of Drying, Reduction, and Preserva- 

 tion of Alimentary Vegetables of M. E Masson, by a Commit- 

 tee consisting of Messrs. Payen, Debonnaire de Gif, Bouissere, 

 Forest, and Bailly de Merlieux, the latter being Chairman 



[extracts.] 



When in 1846, this Society gave Mr. Masson its Luxembourg 

 medal for his essays iu preparing vegetables for long voyages, 

 few persons saw in this discovery the germ of great operations, 

 important not only for seamen, but for farmers. Now he has 

 perfected his processes and patented them in most of the states 

 of Europe. A large factory is established at No. 5 Marbeuf-st., 

 under the direction of Messrs, Chollet & Co., and is in full ac- 

 tivity preparing a great variety of vegetables for the marine and 

 for commerce. On his (Masson's) request, a committee was ap- 

 pointed to visit and fully examine the processes. He met there 

 with the committees from the Academy of Sciences and of the 

 Central Society of Agriculture. There is a large space for wash- 

 iu'' and clearing the vegetables of the bad parts. There is a vast 

 stove, with many stories in it, and hurdles on which the articles 

 are put, where they are shaken and handled during the drying 

 as often as is necessary. The temperature is maintained at 87 

 degrees Fahrenheit to 93 deg. There are chimneys to carry off 

 humid air, and means to regulate at will this as well as the ac- 

 cess of the hot air to various parts of the stove. The processes 

 are not yet as good as they can easily be made — the mode of ad- 

 mitting air to the various parts of the stove, letting off the moist- 

 ure, and regulating the heat. 



Masson has dried successfully cabbage, spinach, parsley, cher- 

 vil, endive, sorrel, carrot, turnip, parsnip, celery, salsifie, scor- 

 sonera, cauliflower, Brussels cabbage, asparagus, green beans, po- 

 tatoes, pe.as, truffles, mushrooms, onions, leeks, apples and pears. 



