The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-09-23
aatltultural am 1omestit.
CANNING FRUIT.


A correspondent OF the Country Gentleman,
Who has evidently had experience gives the fol
loving advice regarding the canning oil fruit:
There are certain conditions 20 be complied
with, ard If they are observed, success 70 reason
ably certain. All agree that the fruit shall be
sound and fresh. IL must be thoroughly heated
or boiled and in many cases thoroughly cooked
that il, cook il for canning about az much as
you would the same fruit for the table All fruits
are subject to spontaneous fermentation that
il, they contain Preventative substance, which
will surely produce fermentation under favorable
circumstances. In canning fruit the first object
is 70 destroy this tendency; heat destroys it.
The boiling point is sufficient 70 destroy all
germs Of yeast, and other ike substances, and
generally to destroy all the germs OF vegetable
and animal hfe which appear in such vast num-
bers in all decaying or fermentng substances.
Hence the neces .ity for a thorough heating or
cooking Of the fruit. After having destroyed
these germs Of life and fermentation in the fruit,
the next object is 20 prevent the introduction Of
new germs into the cans This is 10 be done By
sealing them up Immediately and thoroughly air.
tight Tin, glass and earthern or stone cans are
nsed Earthern and stone jars are so porous
that Che air passes through them and introduces
those very germs which we have taken 20 much
pains to destroy; then the contents will grad
ually become infested, and in mos, instances a
fermentation or decay will gradually take place
Even the glazing is usually too imperfect 70 be
reliable. Glass Is 50 easily broken that economy
would discourage its use and when the glass
Jars are closed with cork and sealing wax, in
many cases these substances will transmit air
enough with germs Of vegetable aud animal life
70 injure the fruit. When glass Jars are used
they should have tin, or some other metal. COW
ers fitting closely. Tin cans are the most eco
nonical and effective; the covers should fit
close; then they may be sealed with wax or sol
dered, The cover should be- punched, the aper.
ture beng SMALL which may be left open little
while alter sealing, until the wax harder The
sealing wax should be composed OF substances
that will harden at the boiling point Of the fruit,
and not crack IN cooling. IL should, when used,
be hot enough to flow freely. | usually procure
It OF some reliable druggist, tell him what want,
and get him 20 prepare il l think resin and gun
shriAc are both used; perhaps some other sub
stances Beeswax, tallOw, Orany other substance
which will melt at a lower temperature than the
boiling point will not do; the sealing wax must
DO thoroughly hardened before the cans have
cooled much and az soon az the wax hardens.
seal up the aperture in the cover. As soon as
the cans are cool, examine them carefully by
turning hem in every position, to see that none
OF them leak; then place them in a cool drv
cellar. All Of them will keep, if desired, through
the next Summer. In heating or cooking fruit
Tor Gaming, use about the same amount of sugar
you would in cooking the same fruit for the Ia
bic II will assist in keeping the fruit fresh.
IL costs but little to have fresh cooked fruit al
most every day, from the time it falls in the Au.
tumn until II appears again in early Summer
And when the conditions above described are
observed. there is but little chance of failure.
That the boiling destroys the Preventative prin-
ciPle IN fruits ls well understood by those who
boil der, and bung 1t up closely while hot or
warm In that case, no spontaneous fermenta-
ton will take place. Brewers introduce Yeast
to ierment their liquors after the Preventative
substance has been destroyed by heat The
process OF fermentation in bread is entirely ar
rested, and the yeast is destroyed by the heat in
baking. To insure success, then in canning
iruit, nothing Is required but a thorough heat
ing Of the fruit before and at the time il is put
into the can, and thorough exclusion of the
cold air at all times afterwards.