preserving, and packing Fruits. 41 



communicated to grapes by the fumigation of sulphur is much 

 more delicate, and is no doubt produced on the same principle 

 as in Mr. Gauen's application of magnesia, viz. by the deposition 

 of the fine particles of the sulphur on the surface of the fruit. It 

 is generally known that filberts, and sometimes almonds, wal- 

 nuts, and other nuts are fumigated with sulphur, by which their 

 uniformity of colour and glossiness is much improved. In the 

 performance of these operations, the same mode is followed as in 

 bleaching peeled willows, straw plait, bristles, &c. : viz. paper 

 or rags are dipped in melted brimstone (it melts at 220°); these 

 rags or papers are then burned in an oven or close vessel till it is 

 filled with smoke ; the burning materials are then withdrawn, 

 and the articles to be bleached introduced, the vessel or oven 

 closed on them, and left till the smoke is condensed ; or, in 

 other words, till all the particles of sulphur floating in it are 

 deposited on whatever comes in their way. If one operation have 

 not the desired effect, the process is repeated at short intervals. 

 In gardening, the smoke might be generated and introduced 

 into any close vessel, by the common fumigating bellows, Read's 

 syringe, or the bellows described by our correspondent C. P. 

 (p. 30.), sulphur paper being introduced in the place of to- 

 bacco leaves. The whitening effect of the sulphureous vapour 

 is a mere mechanical result, and not a chemical combination, 

 as in the case of bleaching with muriatic acid or alkali. In 

 the latter case the colouring matter is neutralised, and after- 

 wards washed out ; in the former it is merely covered with a 

 layer of very fine yellowish white particles, which, being inso- 

 luble in water, are not easily removed or altered by atmo- 

 spherical changes. 



It is very likely that there are still a number of mysteries in 

 the management of fruits for commercial or competitory dis- 

 play with which we are unacquainted : whoever can supply us 

 with any information on this subject is earnestly requested to 

 do so ; because, according to the theory which we entertain of 

 knowledge, the gardening world ought to know every thing 

 that is done, or can be done, with gardening productions. 

 Storch, in his Description of St. Petersburgh (Lond. 8vo.), men- 

 tions some of the tricks that are performed on culinary vege- 

 tables and fruits in that city, but they are in general too gross, 

 and involve too much manipulation, for being practised in 

 Britain. For example, after asparagus has been used at the 

 tables of the great, the returned ends of the shoots are sold by 

 the cook to itinerating green-grocers, who carve a new ter- 

 minating bud, colour it, and add a bloom, in imitation of na- 

 ture, make up the ends so prepared in bundles, with a few 

 fresh stalks outside, and sell the whole as genuine asparagus. 



