THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8183, 14 July 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1906.

How many of us who have used condensed milk, and been extremely glad of it, know where and by whom this article Was invented? An American writer reminds us that his country claims the double honour. Gail Borden was a native of New York, and went to Texas in 1827 as a surveyor. There ho helped to drive out the Mexicans, laid out the oity of Galveston, and then turned his abilities to the production of some|Wholesome food which could be preserved in oompaot and portable form. After failing with hiß meat bisouit, he returned to New York, and concentrated his attention on milk. Friends and scientists laughed at him, and told him he was wasting his money but he was perfectly oonfident. He saw that two things were neoessary, cleanliness and the exclusion of air from the milk during the heating. He obtained his milk from healthy cows, and kept it clean from the oow to the can, and at length perfooted the vaouum method. By this plan, as now used, the milk is placed in an egg-shaped vessel from which ths air ha» Saewa exhausted,

and is heated inside by a steam coil, outside by steam-jacket. Thus it is reduced in volume at a low heat without discolouration or loss of flavour, and without contamination from the air, losing about threefoarths of its bulK by means of the water carried off by the vacuam : and finally retaining in its condensed form its natural taste and charaoter. Then the Patent Office kept him back. It refused to recognise anything novel or useful in his plan and for three years ho lost money and strength in trying to convince it of its error. Finally, after being driven to his wit's end for money for experiments, he collected such a strength of scientific testimony that the office had to back down and give him hie patent. A manufacturer of turbine water wheels tells how, just after he started business with very little capital and part of that borrowed, a man came in one day, said he had invented a method of condensing milk, and asked for a wheel on credit, so as to begin manufacturing in bulk. T>ie stranger confessed that he had a money and that bis friends would not lend him any more. It »vas a serious matter for the constructor of wheelF, but so impressed was he with the honesty of his customer that he gave him what he wanted. But Borden's troubles were not over yet. The product was revolutionary, and few orders came in. His business was ai a dangerously low ecb when the Oivi. vVar broke out, but the recognition by the Federal Government of the merits of the condensed milk saved him. It was used in the war, and since then it has figured in most campaigns, and gone to every country in the world. To-day 500,000,000 pounds of milk are condensed in the United States alone.