FOOD PRESERVATION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2631, 23 May 1889, Page 3

FOOD PRESERVATION.

In our last issue we referred to the remarkable process l-eeently disjovered for preserving meat and all kinds of edibles by means of a fumigating powder. The London correspondent of the Apo thus describes the process At the invitation of Mr C'oidncr I went down yesterday to Queen \ ietoriastreet, where the " works" are. T call them works, bat in reality there is nothing but a box and a plate of powder, so simple is the contrivance. Mr Wheatoii and Mr Bowden with young Mr Hodge, went over everything with me, and I will five you a brief summary of the whole process. In the room was a box of about (I feet by S, which when I saw it was empty. In the top compartment, which is only' partially separated from the lower, are two small zinc tanks, which are tilled with ice or cold water. About on a level with the tanks is a little shelf, in winch the plate of powder is put. The whole of the lower portion of the box is tilled with meat to put through the process. The bo\ is air tight, or nearly so, the plate of powder is ignited with a match, and the door is closed, The fumes of tho vapour rise quickly over the tanks, when they are cooled down to a sulliciently low temperature, and thence descend to the meat, and attach it. In three hours the whole of the meat is rendered incapable of decay. If the process of putrifaction has already set in, it is arrested, the vapor will not allow it to proceed any further. Tho meat may then be taken out, and thrown aside, left anywhere in any temperature, and for any length of time, and it remains good. I viewed at the ollico hams and carcases which were from three weeks to three nii.ntlis old, and they were all fresh and juicy in appearance. Furthermore, the process is applied not only to meat, but to vegetables (as we found at the lunch), to fruit and to flowers. Maidenhair sprays have been preserved after subjection to the vapor for two u'eeks, while, as everyone knows, ordinarily they will wither in a day, T saw oranges three mouths old, which ha J been cut open weeks ago, and were still a.s juicy and sweet as when they were first picked. Fines and grapes were the same. In line, there seems no end to the applications and uses of this extending elixir vilie. 1 lides 1 saw which were eight weeks old, and were as soft as the day when they wcio pulled off the backs of the bullocks. Tn a couple of days, as everyone knows, a hide will kill at 20 yards.