PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 283 



most tender fruits, if put in ininiodiately when made, keep better tljan the 

 more hardy sorts, if not put in till full ripe. One bushel of apples if fully 

 ripe, throws off more hydrogen and forms more water than three bushels, 

 if put in in the proper season. 



i\Ir. AVm. S. Carpenter wished to know what success Mr. Nyce has had 

 with strawberries and peaches. 



Prof. Nyce. — No fruit can be preserved by any process to an indefinite 

 period. Its decay can only be retarded. The law of change is inexorable, 

 I have kept strawberries sound seven weeks. Peaches I cannot preserve. 

 Up to the period that delicate pears remain perfectly sound, peaches were 

 wholly decayed. 1 can keep any fruit that has a good smooth skin. The 

 more perfect the better. Any fruit with a downy skin cannot be preser\*ecl 

 for any considerable length of time. Neither can sweet potatoes, pump- 

 kins, melons, peas, nor green corn, unless previouslj' prepared as for can- 

 ning. Then there seems to be no period beyond which any substance can 

 be kept. No person can live a minute in the fruit room when it is in its 

 best condition as a preservatory. Hence it is necessary to have three or 

 more apartments to open at different periods, and after the friiit is emptied 

 it may be refilled ; for instance, the grape-room emptied in April or May, 

 can be filled with oranges, lemons, pineapples, bananas, &c. 



Prof. Tillman said many similar houses have been built, one in Brooklyn, 

 but were not successful. Mr. Nyce appears to prevent all action by 

 oxygen, yet in some fruit skins, the peach for instance, the osmose action 

 cannot be arrested, ; He has accomplished an important step. 



Mr. Nyce stated that the burning of charcoal in a close room does not 

 make an atmosphere so destructive to life as it is in his friiit room after 

 being'closed two days, for a lamp is instantly extin-guished. Yet the car- 

 bonic acid gas in which the fruit is immersed has no effect upon its flavor. 



Dr. Percy said that he had tried several experiments successfully in pre- 

 serving fruit in nitrogin gas, and the gas in Prof. Nyce's room can be 

 easily changed to that by putting phosphorus in the room. 



Mr. Nyce answered the question of cost, that a house to lnjld 1,000 

 bushels would cost $2,500, but one of a large size from 50 cents to $1 per 

 bushel of capacity. The one at Cincinnati, built of highest cost materials 

 for S9,000, has a capacity of 10,000 bushels. The company stored last fall 

 2,000 barrels of apples, at S3. 50 each, for which they have been offered $1, 

 but expect to realize $10. Tiiis is only part of tlie profits of a single sea- 

 son, and however profitable such a house may be to the company, it is far 

 more profitable to the community. I have tried to keep meat, but not with 

 good success. 



On motion of Mr. W, S. Carpenter, a vote of thanks was given to Prof, 

 Nyce for his interesting exposition of this new method of prolonging the 

 season of various fruits. 



Yeast and Bread Making. 



Mrs. C, C. Barrett, Brewer, Maine, sa^'s : " Pare and grate eight good 

 sized potatoes, make two quarts hop tea, using a small handful of hops and 

 boiling a few moments, strain on the grated potatoes, sot it over the fire, 

 and one cup fine salt, one cup brown sugar and sis large spoonsful flour, 



