Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-07-01
The Best way of Preserving
Fruits.

The old-fashoned method Of preserv.
ing fruit, by boiling in sugar, "pound for
pound" is rapidly giving way to the i'm
proved plan Of scaling in air-tight yes
scls BY the former process rich bqs
almost favorless compound is made, ad-
mirably adapted to test the digestive
powers, and the cost of the sugar rcquif.
ed is no small item. BY the latter meth.
cd the natural taste Of the various fruits
is mostly retained, The healthfulnsss dn.
impaired, the cost far less, aHd the trouble
no greater, if so great After oat ex:
perience of half i dozen years; We find
bottllhg fruit much less work than sprc.
serving" it, while it is cheaper and fac
better every way: Fruit bottles and Jars Jars
Of several patterns are in the market,
some Of which possess considerable advaps
tages. We have used the Youman's, thS
Porter g. Bodine, und other bottles, and
found them good. Tin CANS are object.
tioaable, being liable to rust, and at best
lasting but one or two seasons. Porce:
lain or carthenwarc will keep fruit, we'll,
but glass is better at it admits Of readily
examining the contents: Although the;
bottles made especially for tic purpose
are much more convenient, they are not
absolutely necessary ID The preservation
of fruit. Any vessel that will allow Of
the easy introduction of fruit, and of the
entire exclusion Of air, will answer. We
have kept strawberries and other small
fruits perfectly, the year toutd; In COM
mon junk bottles, corked and scaled tight.
ly. Fruits Of every kii!d I'd be Kept in
this way should be ripe or very nearly SO.
sound and fresh: In q very short timo
after picking, fermentation commences,
and there is loss of flavor, and the diff.
Guilty of preservation is increased. A
porcelain kettle. or timed vessel Is pre-
ferablc to brass for cooking, although the
latter will answer if it be first thoroughly
cleanscd. Only enough sugar to sweetcn
the fruit for table use need be taken.-
Even this is not necessary to the preser-
vation as the fruit, as it may be we'll
kept by simply scalding in water and then
bottliug. But we think it ptsfersbls
to add the sugar at the time of cook:
ing, as it then becomes better incorpora-
ted with the fruit. Make a syrup By
boiling enc or two poauds Of sugar:
to Quart Of water: More water is
needed with fruits containing little juice,
as pears and ounces, and less with such
as peaches, etc. For berries we have
simply taken 4 quarter of a pound of SUI
gar to one pound of fruit, with just water
enough added to keep it from burning.
When the syrup is boiling pour in tho
fruit which will of course cool it some.
what, let it come to boil again, and
cook about five minutes, or just enough
to sca!d it through, and then Immediately
dip it out into the bottles which should
be filed. Cork the bottles as fast as fill:
ed, Or sercw down tie covers, if patent
arrangements are used. This should be
done while the contents are as hot as pos
sible, as then the small space which re-
mains untitled, will be occupied by steam,
and as this cordenses ON cooling, q vacuum
will remain. Only little air left would
be sufficient to cause fermentation and
spoil the preserves. For ordinary bottles,
shoppers Of compact soft cork are best
They should be soaked IN hot water be-
fore using, so that they may be crowded
in closely. Force the CORE in little be.
low the top of the neck, and then ill the
remaining space with ccment made Of
| IL onnce of talow to I lb. Of resin.
Additional security is given by inverting
the bottles and dipping them into a tin
"patty-pan' partly filed with cement
These will prevent the shoppers being
forced in by the pressure Of the air when
the contents Of the bottles cool. In place
'of the "patty-pans" snail blocks of wood
partly bored through to receive the &c:
ment, will answer every purpose. Caro-
must be taken to have the bottles we'll
heatc1tcfore Introducing boiling contents;
otherwise many will be broken. 70 DO
this partly fill them with water set them
in vessel of cold water upon the stovs
and let it heat to boiling, while cooking
the fruit
Where i. is desired to htcp fruit with:
out sugar, put it in bottles, fill them
with cold water, and loosely put in tho
corks which should be long and soft, and
previously soaked in hot water. Set ihe
bottles in cold water, and heat it up to
boiling; let it boil FIVE or ten Minutes.
Then will, mallet, Or other convenient
implement force the corks in deep and
tight, wire or tie them down, and the
work is done. We have seen strawber-
ries and fruits kept in this way for more
than Il year.-Americam Agr,culturist.