Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-07-12
THE
A0O93N3l3231a

jars, inverted into tin pans and closed with
cement, concludes his article as follows.
His directions for preserving will ofcourse
apply to all other modes of putting up
fruit
From the American Agrieulturist for July.
Preserving Fruit.
The essential points to be observed in
preserving fruit are lst, that the articles
be entirely fresh With soft pulpy fruits,
as strawberries, this is very important
Many who have been at fault here, blamed
the bottles or cans, and us for recommend
ing them Berries purchased in the mar
ket are often from six to thirty hours
gathered, or more. Fermentation advan-
ces somewhat before it can be perceived by
the taste, and when once it has started, is
with difficulty arrested. The good house
wife sometimes introduces such fruit into
confinement, without sufficient cooking
the openings are safely closed, but the
working goes on. Carbonic gas is gen.
Grated, pop 90 the corks, and out run the
.frothing syrup and the housewives hopes
together Fruits with firm skin give less
difficulty, because their decay does not
commence SO early.
2d Sufficient cooking is needed to expel
the air CONFINED in the fruit, and to coun-
teract the change which exposure to the
atmosphere has produced. The liquid al
bumen is made solid by boiling, and in
this state is not easily fermented. Green
corn among vegetables, require the longest
boiling; say two to three hours. Skin
fruits, as plums, peaches, etc, we have
kept without cooking, except that obtained
by pouring in the boiling syrup and seal
ing at once, but previous heating atroUgh
is preferable.
Sd. Care must be taken to entirely ex-
clude the air. Fill the bottles, raise the
liquid to the boiling point, then put in the
cork, and make all so tight with cement,
that air can not enter A pin hole left |
will as certainly spoil the fruit as though
the cork was not inserted. Housekeepers
should not be discouraged by one or two |
failures. A few trials will give the neces-
sary practical experience, after which they
will thank the Agriculturist for commen-
ding the fruit bottles. Now is the time to
procure supply.
SPECIAL DIRECTIONS FOR PUTTING UP !
FRUIT.
As guide to new readers, of whom we
have some fifteen or twenty thousand, and |
for convenient reference for older readers, |
sgho may not have last years numbers at
hand, we add the following special direc- |
tions:
Berries. For strawberries, blackberries,
and raspberfies, take the clean fruit, pick
ed while dry, avoiding washing unless re-
ally necessary. Put into glazed vessel
one OF brass will do, but is not so good as
ar enameled one. Pour over it hot syr-
up made of ! h. to h. of good white
sugar to one pint Of water (We have
used ], !, and h. of sugar with nearly
equal success. A good rule is to use about
as much sugar as will be required to fit
the fruit for eating, remembering that
rather more is required when the fruit is to
be saturated through, than when it is to be
eaten fresh.) A small amount of syrup
will be needed to fill the interstices be-
tween the fruit, and it need not come up
quite to the top at first, as the fruit will
sink down into it when boiling. Careful
ly cook the berries in the syrup for II or 20 |
minutes, so thatal shall be scalded through.
Too much cooking spoils the form of the
1ruit, and dissi pates the fine aroma. Heat
1t through, but do not stew it down Have
the bottles ready heated by the stove, or in
water (setting them in, when it S cold,
and heating it up, and pour in the fruit
with the syrup. This can best be done
through a wide-necked funnel, or from a
pitcher to avoid getting the syrup upon
the top of the bottle, which would prevent
the union of the wax with the slass-a
very common error. Fill the bottles not
quite to the top of the neck Let them
stand few minutes, occasionally iarring
them little, to facilitate the escape ofany
AIR bubbles left on pouring in the fruit.
This, with the partial cooling, will cause
the fruit to shrink little Now pour in
enough more syrup to FIJI the bottles as
high as where the bottom of the cork will
sink to. Carefully wipe off any chance
drops OF syrup that may have been care
lessly left upon the meek or top of the bot
tie, and press in the corks The corks
should be large, and be softened in hot
water, so that they will press in easily.
Press the corks down upon the syrup. if
any syrup Oozes through, carefully wipe it |
all off with towel dipped in hot water, so
as to leave the glass clean for the wax.
AS soon as the water dries off, dip on the
melted cement with spoon, until the top
Is well covered. Pour little of the ce-
ment into the patty pans,' turn the waxed
neck into it, and add enough more cement
so perfectly close the rim of the bottle
neck. Remember that water or grease ON
.he neck cf the bottle will prevent the firm
union of the wax. eve make long story
Of these particulars, but they are essential,
and noSilr. nr i c.r,;n L. Il !