Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-09-14
VALLEY FARMER.


We are glad to see that year
by year tho old practice Of maxi
ing large quantities Of preserves
in every family, Is declining, and
sweetmeats are giving place to a
more simple, healthful and deli
cious article, namely, fresh fruit
preserved in its natural state, by
perfectly excluding the air.
We viii briefly describe the
method Of putting up fruits in
this manner, as given by manu-
lacturers:
First, select good fresh fruits
or vegetables. Stale and fermen-
ted articles can never be preserv-
ed. Vegetables decomposing We
~ quick, such rs green corn, peas,
and asparagus, should be preserv-
ed within six hours after being
picked, particularly in hot wealth
err. Berries always within twen-
sy-four hours. Peaches, ounces,
pears, apples, should be peeled,
and the seeds removed before pre-
serving.
Vegetables should be partially
cooked first. Such as corn, pens
aud tomatoes, should be boiled a
half hour; asparagus, q quarter
hour. To the vegetables, add
half pint Of the water they are
cooked in, to the quart
Fill the can with ripe fruit, adj
ding, II desired, n little sugar.
simply enough to render the fruit
palatabIe--and set IL in a vessel
Of water, warm or coid.) Lot the
water boil, aud continue boiling
until the fruit Is we'll heated thro'
Say for half an hour. Direc-
ton has been given to simply let
the water boil, but such direction
Is defective, az at this time the
G,;t n ths eentre If the vessel
will bs scarcely warmed. should
the vessel be then sealed, iermen-
tat;on will then take place. The
heat must thoroughly penetrate
the contents Of the vessel. As
soon as the fruit Is sufficiently
heated. seal thu can. and tina work
is done.
Another wav ;sto mako n syrup
Of two pounds Of sugar for every
six mounds Of fruit. using half a
mint of ater Cor every Mound Of
surar. skim the syrup as soon
ne Il hollis and then mt in vour
fruit and let il boil ten minutes.
Fill the cans. and seal no hot
some make svuu of half n
Mound AZ SMEAR to every mound
Of fruit--apl some use only a
quarter Of a Mound Of sugar to a
pound Of frnit--while some use
M snoar M All.
To keen neaohes. pare and cut
them M If thrown into cold
wafer thew will retain their firm
ness and color, Heat them in the
cans "a above--or ho;l them ten
minutes in a syrup. In this way.
Strawberries. rasuberr;es. cherries.
plums. peaches. &c. Sc. may be
kent Cor anv length Of time. in the
same cond;t;on that thew were
sealed m. and with their flavor
unchanced. For small fruit. il is
best 10 make n svrup without wat
ar. and bo;l the iru;t in i for only
A few minutes.
How 10 know that the Can is
Hermaficallv SEALED. and that
the contents will keen. The con.
tents ne soon as tbev cool. will
sIirbtlv shrink. leaving n vacuum.
a 49,. A.. ..akattu r Az
can will become q concave, from
the pressure of the external air.
This shows that the sealing is per-
feet. Set the can in a warm
place. and II. after fouror five days.
the concaye condition Of the top
and bottom. remain, all is right.
But il they swell out, fermenta-
ton has commenced. As soon
as this Is perceived, open, and
heat the contents as at first.
These directions apply to every
kind OF can, the only difference
=. - A. n.