Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1864-07-06
PRESERVING FRUIT.

iruits, pug as Senerally haue tney
arc extremely unwholesome; at the
present price of sugar "swectmeats"
made in the ordinary way are, too
expensive to be thought of BY per-
sons in ordinary means. Fruit demands
like the Jew in the Merchant Of Venice
pound for pound, or as much sugar as
fruit. and only the best and most costly
kind should be used. 1t is very general
ly understood that the process of preserv-
ing fruit in air-tight cans is not only
cheaper but far better than the old fash.
ioned way. By this method one-fourth
the usual quantity of sugar is required,
and instead of being thick agglumated
mass when dose, the cherries, plums, or
what not, retain their natural color and
favor when properly put up. They not
only appeal to the palate but please the
eye, which is not the least important
point to to be gained in preparing food,
All that is necessary to succeed in pre-
serving fruits in this way is to exclude
the air from the jar. This is cheaply eff.
fscted by boiling The jars should be of
glass, for through it the condition of the
fruit can be seen perfectly and detected
if it ferments, whereas with other mater
ial, no warning is given until the vessel
bursts and the material is wasted, if it
has not been we'll prepared. Some of our
contemporaries prefer corks and cement
for closing the mouths Of the bottles or
jars, but We regard this method as infn-
itely more troublesome, more costly and
less reliable in the hands of inexerienced
persons than those cans which have an
india-rubber gasket in the mouth, which
is compressed by screw stop or its equiv
alent.
With these jars any one can make a
tight joint if they screwit up properly.
A very great defect with cans of this kind
is that the gasket or rubber rings are too
thin and the mouths Of the jars are une-
ven. If the bottom Of the stopper is uu-
even, as it generally is, it-bears upon the
gasket in some places where it is open in
others. This is very annoying fault,
and makers Of such jars would consult
their own interests by testing each can and
It's cover before it leaves their hands.
This is easily done with water If the
jar when capped is not water-tight it GER
tainly will not be air-tight. Another
fault is in leaving great cavities inside
the glass tops where they are made light
er. These cavities should be filled with
plaster by the purchaser, for they hold
air and tend to the very evil they should
prevent. A cheap and convenient way is
to take piece of stout fine linen and
cover it thickly inside and out with ce-
ment made of beeswax and rosin. This
latter article is very dear at present, and
there is good substitute for it in pitch
made from coal tar, which may be.had in
large cities by going down on wharves
where vessels are being calked, or in ship
chandlery stores. The fruit should be
put in pot surrounded by boiling water,
and the jar filed within and inch of the
top. If it is fuller the air below, as it
rises, causes the contents to overflow and
wet the top of the jar, SO that the cement
does not stick. When the fruit rises to
the mouth of THE jar then is the time to
apply the cover. Clap on the linen, Gov
cred thickly with cement, and tie it tight
ly. When the fruit is cold the cover will
be depressed an inch or more if there is
no air. beneath. If the cover lies flat
the air is not expelled and the fruit will
spoil. lst.i.qags 5pe@ d9t6a y.ag.ssf
Another way to test the vacuum is by
suddenly. turning the jar upside down
when cold Ifthereis much air within,
lit will be seen escaping IN bubbles through
the mass to the top (in this case the bot
tom) offthe jar. There will bo some air
at any rate; it is is-impossible to get per-
feet vacuum in any vessel whatever II
the first trial fails the cementcd cover
should not he pulled off. Place the jar
in warm water again and bring it to, a
boil. If there is air below, the cover
ill "a. l;La n 1;ght h;eouik ToLa a nj n