CHAP. VII, 
FRUIT. 
297 
before ripening. It would even seem, from the fruits of 
Diospyros, the Sorb, and the Medlar, that the more austere a 
fruit is, the more it is capable of bletting regularly. 
" It has been found that a Jargonelle Pear, in passing to 
this state, loses a great deal of water (8*88 reduced to 
62*73), pretty much sugar (11*52 reduced to 8*77), and a 
little lignine (2*19 reduced to 1*85) ; but acquires rather 
more malic acid, gum, and animal matter. Lignine, in par- 
ticular, seems in this kind of alteration to undergo a change 
analogous to that of wood in decay." 
The foregoing experiments have led to the discovery that 
fruits, which do not require to remain on the tree, may be pre- 
served for some time, and thus the pleasure they afford us 
prolonged. The most simple process consists in placing, at 
the bottom of a bottle, a paste formed of lime, sulphate of 
iron, and water, and afterwards introducing the fruit, it 
having been pulled a few days before it would have been ripe. 
Such fruits are to be kept from the bottom of the bottle, and, 
as much as possible from each other; and the bottle to be 
closed by a cork and cement. The fruits are thus placed in 
an atmosphere free from oxygen, and may be preserved for a 
longer or shorter time, according to their nature : peaches, 
prunes, and apricots, from twenty days to a month; pears 
and apples for three months. If they are withdrawn after 
this time, and exposed to the air, they ripen extremely well ; 
but, if the times mentioned are much exceeded, they undergo 
a particular alteration, and will not ripen at all. 
