The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-07-25
From tie american Agrioaturfst.
Preserving Truit--Best &c Cheapest Way.

| abolish the old mode OF preserving fruits, VIZ: :
the addition of pound for pound of sugar, and
stewing them down to an indigestible mass in
| order to make them 'skeep." Our efforts in
this direction have been in measure successful;
the high price of sugar this year will do much
towards the adoption of the newer and better
mode. All kinds of fruits can be preserved for
a year. or more, with the use of little or no SUI
ear. and at the same time retain nearly all of
their natural flavor. The process is not more
difficult, and is less costly than the stewing pro-
cess, while the fruit is far more delicious and
healthful The whole operation depends upon
simply heating the fruit through, and then keep
ing it entirely free from the access of air.
FRrrr Periodically, as the fruit sea-
son approaches, there are numerous fruit jar
inventions, patented and otherwise, brought be-
fore the public with wonderful assurance and
an indefinite number of extravagant recemmen-
dations. Some seal with wax, Others with India
rubber and cast iron in some the tops are
screwed on; in others, wedged and in others
wired, Some tin, some glass, and some stone,
but all are s.perfect," if the claims of the inven
tors and manufacturers are fully credited. We
have tried most of these fruit jars, and while
many of them are good, our experience has led
us to adopt the cheapest kinds of glass bottles
and lars. Tin cans are not safe. While in a
majority of cases they may answer well for a
season or two, there is always danger OF their
corrosion, or rustine, and consequent production
of poisonous salts of tin. Besides, it is desira-
Bile to have the fruit in transparent vessels SO
| that it can always be examined. Good we'll
glazed stone-ware bottles and jars are not OBJ
jectionabe on account of corrosion, but they are
opaque, so that the contents can not be seen,
and are but little cheaper than cheap glass q
| During the past year we have kept several
bushels of fruit of different kinds, always in
good condition, and the portion now unused is
almost as fresh and delicious as when first pick
ed. For keeping, we haveused all sorts of glass
bottles and jars, holding from a pint to two
quarts eaeh-incudiug several of the patent
Jars with caps of various patterns. Among
these were dozen glass jars with India rub
ber rings expanded by a-eompressing screw, of
shf sh tiEHit was Lost a nf
lost one-Ehere islaasy tgl-.>z 3. ssf a.lssf
ever form that can not be turned TO account for
preserving fruts-eyen junk bottles, sodarwater
bottles. lars, etc, etc. The best form is a wide
mouthed quart bottle or jar, the neck drawn in
to give shoulder for the cork to rest upon.
For the larger fruits wide necks are needed;
for the smaller, berry fruits, narrow necks an
swer perfectly.
PREPARING THE FRUIT.--Our method is, to
| put the fruit in a preserving kettle of some
kinda glazed iron kettle, or even tinnedone,
or a tinpai will do--and sweeten it with just
sugar enough to fit it for the table. The sweet-
ening is added in the form of syrup made by
boiling from one to three pounds of sugar (u-
sually lbs. with one quart OF water. The
more juicy fruits, such as strawberries. require
less syrup while pears and ounces require more.
The fruit is heated with the syrup just long
enough to scald it through Some prefer to
use less sweetening and add more when the fruit
is to be used Others use no sugars they think
the fruit keeps just as well, and preserves its
aroma better without any sugar. We prefer to
use all the sugar that ia to be needed believing
that the fruit will probably keep more certainly
and it is then always ready to pour out at once
upon the table. The fruit to be preserved should
be in good condition-ripe but not over-ripe,
nor containing any decaycd portions. Toma-
toes are peeled, and then cooked down one-half,
as this makes better sauce, and requires less
bottle room.
To BOTTLE THE FRurT.---The bottles or jars
are thoroughly cleansed, andeach one fitted with
n stopper For these, soft corks are best but
they may be made of soft dry wood. For each
bottle or lar we provide little tin 'spatty-pan,
Zig. ~ costing ] to | cent by the quantity
Tea saucers will answer. For cement we heat
together in an old tin basin or iron kettle, one
pound of rosin, and Ii to 2 ounces of tallow.
This may ~ mixed in quantity, and melted
from fine 10 time as wanted. We formerly
used q little over ounce of tallow to one pound
Of rosn, but further experience is in favor of
a softer cement, when the fruit is to stand in
cool cellar.-While the fruit is being heated as
above described, the bottles are well warmed by
setting them near the fire and frequently turn
inr them; or better, by setting them i'll cold
water in a washrboiler and heating to the boil
ine point The fruit being barely scalded
throuqh, it is Dipped hot into the heated bottles,
through funnel II the bottle necks are
small This is done carefully, so as not to
mash the fruit Tho bottles arc filed up to
where the bottom of the shoppers will come;
they are then Jared little to make the air
bubbles rise, and more fruit or syrup added if
needed The tops and necks are then wiped
clean, inside and out and the shoppers put in,
and sunk to level with the top. The cement
being warmed in the mean time, a little is Dip
ped on over the shoppers to close them tightly,
The bottles are then turned neeks down into
the little patty-pans, or saucers, Zig. 2,) and a
lquantity of cement dropped in to completely
enclose the shoppers and necks. When cold the
bottles may be seteither side up Gig. 2or fig. 81.
The cooling will shrink the contents so as to
create strong inward pressdrc, but the patty
pans prevent the shoppers from being pressed in,
and the cement shuts out air. ti
The whole process is simple and quickly per
rermed. After the fruit Is prepared. two per-