370 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



fruit. I have full faith to believe that the time will come when 

 fruit will be made into a pulp, and freed from skins and cores 

 and seeds by machinery, and the water evaporated by heat, some- 

 what upon the same plan it is now from pulp of rags to make 

 paper. What we want is an invention to facilitate this purpose. 

 That it can be done I know, for it is done in a rude way at the 

 west in an article called "peach leather,'' or, as the Chairman 

 suggests as a better name, we will call it peach marmalade. 

 Peaches are pulped and spread upon plates or tin platters, and 

 dried in the sun or a slow oven. 



A lady suggested that tomatoes may be dried in the same way. 



Yes, that is a fact, and though not quite as good as fresh from 

 the vines, they are excellent food for winter, and it is the cheap- 

 est method of preserving tomatoes. Let me observe that tomatoes 

 make excellent sweatmeats, cooked with sugar like any other 

 fruit. 



Pumpkin Meal is an article made by the Shakers, and sold in 

 this market to a limited extent. The process ought to be better 

 known, and more widely applied. And if so juicy a fruit as 

 pumpkins can be dried and ground into meal, I want to know 

 why apples cannot be treated in the same way. I want the ladies 

 here to try the experiment of preserving a few sugared peaches, 

 just to see what delicious food they can make. Take ripe mel- 

 low peaches and pair and cut in halves or quarters, and lay them 

 upon plates, and sprinkle with powdered sugar, about as much 

 as you would to eat, and diy them in a slow oven or hot sun, 

 taking care not to cook the fruit. If you like you may pulp very 

 mellow peaches, by squeezing in the hands, and spread the pulp 

 upon plates or dishes, and sprinkle with sugar, and dry. It will 

 be found delicious. 



I am glad the ladies take an interest in this fruit question. I 

 thought they would when I proposed it for discussion. I hope 

 it will be continued until there is a spirit aroused among fruit 

 growers not to be fruit wasters. 



A gentleman present said that he had preserved tomatoes very 

 cheaply by pulping them, and spreading the pulp to dry upon 

 oiled paper. 



We hope every one who has any good plan for preserving fruits 

 and vegetables, either in a natural or artificial state, will commu- 

 nicate it to the Club, or make it more extensively known among 

 fruit growers and consumers. 



Secretary Meigs, in behalf of a lady present, Mrs. Barlow, 



