October 25, 1889.] 



SCIENCE. 



277 



taining their hygienic properties, for a length of time. By this 

 process a quantity of vegetables sufficient for a mess of forty thou- 

 sand persons was reduced to the volume of one cubic metre, thus 

 effecting an enormous saving in stowage and in transport. 



very largely used, and were mixed, dried, and compressed under 

 certain rules laid down by an international Anglo-French military 

 and naval medical commission, to which the celebrated Alexis 

 Soyer, who was chief inspector of army cookery to the campaign. 



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FIG. 4. — HEISLER COMPANY'S BUILDINGS AT MARSEILLES, ILL. 



Later on, the invention was patented by Messrs. Chollett & Co. 

 of Paris and London, who introduced improvements, and have 

 ultimately brought the process to its present state of perfection ; 

 so that their successors, Messrs. C. Prevet & Co., prepare enormous 



gave practical assistance. For the mixed vegetables, the following 

 proportions were decided upon, and are still adhered to : potato, 

 40 per cent ; carrot, 30 ; cabbage, 10 ; turnip, 10 ; seasoning herbs 

 (onion, leek, celery, parsley, parsnip, etc.), 10. 



-HEISLER COMPANY'S POLE LINE. 



quantities of dried and compressed vegetables and fruits for the 

 supply of the British army and navy, the Board of Trade making 

 it compulsory that every outgoing vessel is supplied with a certain 

 quantity. 

 At the time of the Crimean war these prepared vegetables were 



The vegetables are gathered in the autumn, when they are in 

 their prime, and carefully sorted, then cleaned, washed, peeled, 

 sliced, and slightly steamed (tixing the saccharine and albuminous 

 parts, preventing to a great extent the volatilization of the essential 

 oils, and thus preserving their hygienic and antiscorbutic proper- 



