MASSON'S PATENT DRIED AND COMPRESSED VEGETABLES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 120, 23 April 1853, Page 11

MASSON'S PATENT DRIED AND COMPRESSED VEGETABLES.

As this invention obtained one of the gold council medals from the Committee of the Great Exhibition, we propose to lay before our readers such a statement of the facts which have passed under our own observations respecting it as may, perhaps, excite their curiosity to see and judge for themselves.

Struck with the manifest objections to preserving vegetables by the same means as are used for- animal substances, M. Masson, chief gardener to the National Society of Horticulture in France, directed his attention to the discovery of a plan for effecting their preservation without the aid of chemical agents, and without danger of losing any of their original properties, and his researches have resulted in the process under our consideration. By means of a steady application of dry heat, and by afterwards subjecting them to an enormous hydraulic pressure, M. Masson has succeeded in reducing both the weight and volume of all sorts of vegetables, without either depriving them of any of their nutritive qualities or destroying their vascular tissue. Simply by steeping them in hot water for a limited time, these mummy vegetables regain their original bulk, weight, form, flavour, and colour, after having been thus preserved for years; and we ourselves, the other day, on eating a dish of green peas, after two years' preservation, found them as succulent and as palatable as if they had only just come from Covent Garden market.

In order to appreciate the immense value of this invention in fitting out naval or military expeditions, we may simply mention that one cubic yard of these preserved vegetables, weighing about 1000 lbs., will, after immersion for half an hour in water, at a temperature of 60° Farenheit, be found to weigh from 6000 to 7000 lbs., and to be capable of supplying from 16,000 to 18,000 rations.

Of the experiments performed under our own eyes we may render an account in a very few words ; and as vegetables, like men, should be spoken of as we find them, we are bound to award the highest meed of praise to the specimens of M. Masson's vegetables which came under our notice.

The first experiment was made with a pieserved cabbage, which, when laid before us, suggested rather the idea of a thin piece of hard wood than of any edible vegetable. It weighed a quarter of a pound, and was no larger than a common cake of soluble chocolate. After depositing it in a vessel containing a quart or so of boiling water, we waited patiently for half-an-hour, when, on removing the cover, our surprise may be much more easily imagined than described at finding a full-grown cabbage, in all the plenitude of its proportions, full, rounded, perfectly formed, and as succulent as if it had just been cut from its parent stalk. The water emitted a decided cabbagy smell, and nothing remained to be done but that the vegetable should be cooked and eaten in the ordinary way. Other -experiments were then made with a packet of Brussells sprouts, a packet of asparagus ends (pointes Aspereges), and a packet of spinach, all of which were equally satisfactory—the vegetables regaining their original attributes simply by immersion in hot water.

A small tin box, about 3 in. long by lj£ in. broad, was now produced, which, we were informed, contained green peas for six persons. The solder cut through and the peas poured out, they presented the appearance of little shivelled, undersized peas, of about the density and digestibility of small shot; but undismayed by their unpromising appearance, the operator tumbled them into the hot water—in half an hour they had improved in appearance wonderfully, looking of a perfectly natural green, and gradually becoming more and more rounded in shape. They were then put into a saucepan, and boiled for about the same length of time as would be required by fresh peas, and after shaking them about with a little butter, some pepper and salt, they were turned out into a large dish, looking as fresh, as green, and as solid as ever they did before in the course of their vegetable existence. Nor did the taste belie their looks; not only had they become restored to all their pristine plumpness, but their flavour was delicious and fresh. and on eating them we mentally ejaculated, "What a luxury for the Arctic Seas!" Our readers will require very little reflection indeed to convince them of the immense utility of this extraordinary invention. Not only may the inhabitants of towns be supplied with all vegetables at all seasons, but the facility for

victualling expeditions to distant lands, or upon seas where edible vegetables are entirely unknown, is of itself an incalculable advantage In one corner of the captain's cabin, a stock of vegetables maybe stowed away sufficient to last the crew during the entire of a long voyage; without perceptible increase to his kit, the soldier may carry vegetables enough to support him through a long march; and in a corner of his chest the emigrant may bear the vegetables of his native country into lands where such productions are unknown. Preserve them only from the damp, and these vegetables will remain fresh for any length of time; the atmospheric, air harms them not, and as for the sun it rather preserves than injures their sweetness. In this respect they have a great advantage over every other species of preserved provisions. Although the invention is but of recent date, it has already attracted a very large amount of public attention in France. On the 27th of August, 1851, the Minister of Marine appointed a Committee to examine whether it would be advantageous to adopt M. Masson's vegetables for the use of the navy. Five independent examinations of the vegetables were made, and the report in each case was highly satisfactory. The experiments were made with cabbage, potatoes, Jullienne, French beans, haricots, Brussels sprouts, spinach, endive, cauliflower, bulb-rooted celery, apples, chervil, parsley, and tarragon. The Committee were especially enthusiastic about the Jullienne (a mixture of all sorts,' for the purpose of making that vegetable soup which is. so indispensable a necessary to the FrenchsoUlierand sailor), and recommended that several ships of the line,, destined for different parts of the world, should be immediately victualled with these vegetables, which was done.

Nor have they entirely escaped notice in this country, slow though we be to adopt inventions and improvements. In victualling his Arctic expedition Sir Edward Belcher took with him upwards of £1000 worth of these vegetables, after having fully convinced, himself of'their excellence and usefulness.

As to its price, it exceeds that of the fresh vegetable at its market price when in full season only by about 15 per cent.— London Paper.