Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1864-08-10
From Trails Herald OF Health.
PRESERVING FRUIT.

er tried it, seems like great undertaking,
but there is method by which it may
be done which is easy, simple, cheap, and
perfectly safe. Out of hundreds Of cans
which we had put up in this manner last
year, not one has been lost, and we have
them now, in June, as perfect as the hour
they were canned. The following is the
method employed, and as far as our ex-
perience goes, it is preferable to all 9TH
ers; no corks are used the cloths will
answer.a second year, and as soon as the
bottles are cold, a glance sufices to
tell whether they are air-tight or not
Take common wide-mouthed glass bot
ties or jars; those with rim around the
neck are preferable. Procure thick Canton
dannel; cut it into squares sufficiently
large to cover the top and neck of the jar
on jug. Dip these pieces into heated
grating wax, made by melting together
one pound rosin, two ounces beeswax, and
one and one-half ounces of tallow. Seve-
raj pieces may be put in at one time and
should be allowed to remain until they
are perfectly saturated with the wax
Just before you begin to fill jar with
fruit, take out one of these pieces, thus
allowing it to cool little. By doing so,
they can be handled with greater ease,
and there is then no danger Of the wax
running through them into the fruit. Af-
ter the wax has been kept hot long time
it is apt to harden slightly. A little
more tallow should then be added. TO
prepare the fruit put it into preserving
kettle of some kinda porcerlain one is
best-sweeten it with just sugar enough
to make it fit for the table; about one lb.
of sugar to six pounds of raspberries is
sufficient; add small quantity of water,
and cook the food slightly less than if it
were to he used Immediately. Heat the
bottles to prevent breaking; this may be
done by placing them underneath the
stove, or else by putting them into q ket-
tie of cold water and gradually heating
it. Pour the hot fruit into the hot bottle
filling it full. wipe the top and outside Of
the neck of the bottle perfectly dry, have
ready piece of white paper cut so that
it will just fit the lneide of the mouth Of
the bottle, and lay it on the top of the
fruit. Now you are prepared for the
sealing process. Your pieces Of Canton
flannel being all ready, having been pre-
viously saturated with the wax and al
lowed to cool three or four minutes, place
one of them over the mouth of the bottle,
drawing it as tightly as possible, and
then wind piece Of strong twine round
and round, binding the edges Of the
cloth firmly against the neck of the bot
tie. Then with spoon dip on little Of
the hot wax, spreading it evenly over the
top of the cloth, and over this place pa.
per large enough to cover the top and
neck of the bottle, smoothing it as closely
as possible, and your jar is sealed. AS
soon as the bottle cools, glance will de-
termine whether it is air.tight or not, as,
if SO. there will be slight depression Of
the cover. The least hole will prevent
this concavity, and indicate at once the
necessity of repeating the sealing process.
If care be taken, no. one bottle in forty
but will be perfectly tight at once, and
after the first few bottles, most persons
think canning fruit less labor than dry
Ing it, besides being so much nicer and
much more convenient for use when
In a very large family, glazed stone
jugs, holding from one to two gallons
each may be used. In this case, the han.
dies of the jugs will interfere with the
tying Of the cloths, and corks will there.
fore have to be substituted in place Of
them. Immerse the corks in hot water
till thoroughly soaked, they should bt
one and half to two inches in length
and should ft the mouth Of the jug Sc
tightly that before soaking it will b
very difficult to drive them in. gil the Jug
with the hot fruit, then with mafle
drive the corks in tightly, till the top 0
81 II l. AZ