368 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



The chairman — I find it easier to put up in glass than tin. I 

 got my corks cut in sizes to fit my bottles. I put fruit and 

 tomatoes in the bottles and corked and boiled an hour; then drive 

 the corks home and tie, and when it is cool enough seal with 

 sealing-wax; put the wax on very hot. The fruit looks better in 

 glass bottles, and glass is cheaper than tin cans. I bought two 

 quart bottles at three cents each. I mix apples and quinces half 

 and half in the same bottle. I cook tomatoes an hour, but use 

 no salt. 



Mr. Pardee exhibited a specimen of tomato figs. Figs made 

 of tomatoes are really better than those made of true figs. It is 

 easy to preserve fruit by keeping it in a temperature of 40° In 

 France it is kept in a clay house, made with double walls. Make 

 the house any size, with a wall outside, twenty inches from the 

 inside wall. 



Tomato figs are made in the following manner : Pour boiling 

 water over the tomatoes to remove the skins; then weigh them 

 and put into stone jar, with as much sugar as tomatoes; let them 

 stand two days; then pour off the syrup and boil and skim till 

 no scum rises; then pour it over the tomatoes, and let them stand 

 two days as before; then boil and skim again. After a third 

 boiling and skimming, let them stand in their syrup until drying 

 weather; then place them on earthen plates or dishes, and put 

 them in the sun to dry — that takes about a week; then pack them 

 in small wooden boxes, with fine white sugar between every layer. 

 They will keep for years. These figs, made by this recipe, were 

 exhibited at the Massachusetts Agricultural Show, and pro- 

 nounced superior to two-thirds of the figs imported. It is a mat- 

 ter worth the attention of all farmers. 



DRIED FRUITS. 



Solon Robinson — In my opinion the most valuable invention 

 to preserve fruit for winter use will be one that improves and 

 renders more easy the preservation by drying. In fact there is 

 no other plan that is suited for universal use among those who 

 grow the fruit. Let us take a retrospect of the rude appliances 

 in use in this country for that purpose. What New-Englander 

 does not remember the apple-pearings of youth, where the apples 

 were quartered and strung upon twine, and hung upon nails on 

 the sunny side of the house, or else spread upon sheets to be car- 

 ried out and in every morning and evening; or at every shower 

 what a scrambling to save the dried apples. It is no wonder 



