The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-07-20
Preserving Fruit.

the fruit be we'll grown and well rpened as
it then contains more and richer Juice iu,
preservation. Small, half green. imperfect
or half decayed specimens, should be re-
| jected.
Juy$ or Cdns.-Glass Jars are now gen.
orally employed -earthcn succeeds equally
well. aud is somewhat cheaper, but the fruit
cannot be seen. a large number OF patent
covers have been invented, posse sing vari.
ous degrees Of merit. They may be divided
into three claSSes-those consisting of cork
those made of metal or glass, with cement
lining; and those with India rubber lining.
The objection to cork is poroSity. requiring
Il large amount OF cement. through which
the air pressing is apt TO impart It's llaYor to
the fruit The India-rubber Innings are the
most convenient and easily applied but they
should be well made. and form u perfect lit :;
many that have been offered in market not
being tight, have caused the spelling Of the
fruit. Different modes are employed TO re.
move the covers in taking out the fruit
The corks should have two small and strong
cords placed under them, for lifting them
out, the ends Of which should be covered
with cement, to prevent the admission OF
air, or round piece of cotton cloth may be
used Tor the same purpose. PlnCers may b"
used for drawing the cord or cloth in taking
with the India.rubbcr lining by inserting the
point OF IL knife.
UeutiAy Tie Fruit. The fruit should be
heated to nearly about the boiling point Of
water, but should NOT be made to stew or
boil, rs this would break the form of each
specimen, and reduce the whole to 4 mass.
For common family purposes, the best way
is TO place the fruit in II Tin pan, with about
as much sugar as will give it Il pro"cr flavor,
and then set the pan i'll the top Of "a stove
boiler, where it will lit rs Il lid F.; then let the
water boil beneath the fruit until the whole
is well heated through. Small fruits require
less tlmic than large ones.
About twenty inmates will be needed for
peaches and putns, aud half All hour iol
apples, pears aud ounces.
fWiny Jurs.-N hiic the heating OF the
truit is going on, place three or more empty
jars in another boiler, and pour in cold OF
moderately warm water till it rises nearly to
their nccks. a heavy weight, as bricks, fiat
irons, OF Hat stones, must be placed on these
jars to hold them down; and it is safest to
place a few small strips Of wood on The bot
tom OF the boiler, before setting the jars III,
to prevent the cracking by the heat below.
When the wafer about the jars has nearly
reached boiling, they then may he filed with
the fruit by means ot Il dipper. This wor,.
is facilitated by providing II wide tin iuuNri
made on purpose TO tit the mouth Of the Jar,
and it should have 1t handle q lo4t long t.
prevent any danger of burning or scading
the hand. When the jars are full, the con.
tents should be slightly shak ken 10 start ~
any bubbles that may remain, and the water
allowed to boil slightly about trin i,.r u few
minutes. The covers should be then ap
piled, aud made air tight, nj the moment the
lens "a, Itnu al, t,fI
apply iug the cover, the jars should be SO
completely filled with lrnit that not the least
air OF; space may remain, but the whole hr
perfectly solid.
TO save the hands from scaling. ther,
+honId be II pair of i"rceps made to iii the
neck ut each jar, +" grasp II readily III iIilm"
it from til. bot water.
The juice Of ali s,na!I ifpis furnishes sutli
rirnt syrup with the sugar ia I'LL ni the in
tersticr9; but some larger aud dryer sort,
rrqnre SOMETIMES .hu 4idilYlt Of norton
of syrup made by boiling It poand or two ol
sugar in u quart OF water.
Some persons. after HAVING heated the
Jars, I'LL them while they are slinhiny un the
table, and then r"plac" then and conlinnc
the boiling inr few minutes, or until every
air bubble has passed away, before eealinq
them tight. Either way will answer. if the
work is well done.
Cen,eHh The hest is made of one part OF
tallow miXel with about ten or Twelve part
of rOgin. An increase Of the taiow soilenS
the cement. The moSt perfect India rubber
Innings obviously need no cement : with
corks il must be used freely and is indis
penSihle, The best mode is the following,
described ia the 1mcriraH Auicmtalia:
Small lin sancers, or patty pans are
procured. an inch more in diameter than
the mouth Of the jar--these may be oh.
tanned cheaply, by the quantity, OF any tin.
man.
When the Jar is filled with fruit. the cork
is crowded snngly in, and coating of CO
mcnt Is then poured into one OF the tin Sau-
GERS, and the laouth Of the jar Inverted,
placed in Informing, as soon as cool.
perfect air-tisht cover. The saucer remaining
until the fruit is taken out of the Jars. Com.
mon tea saucers, and even backing boxes
may be used instead of tin sanccrs.
qpaatiW Of Sugar Required. - Some have
stated that they succeeded in keeping the
fruit without using any sugar but in ordi
nary practice it is "a est to apply it, and ii
best TO do 50 at once, rather than defer il
till the fruit Is used. Peaches and ounces
require but Il small quantity, i've ounces to
a quart of fruit being sufficient, Pums and
DlachptFTlcS require more, or from seven TO
eight ounces.
Stone Jas&. In the absence Of common
jars, which could not be procured. a friend
employed two gallon stone jars, with entire
success They were filled as already de
scribed, the fruit running ont all around rs
the lid was applied, so as Ia prevent any
vacancy or air, and the whole well cemcntcd.
After several months they were opened in
perfect condition.
Iomatoes These are the easiest preserved
of all ripe fruits. They may be kept entire
by merely removing the skin; or, what per.
haps is better, as well as more economical,
stewed down to about half their original
bulk, as they are Il very watcry fruit.
In order to determine whether the fruit
has been well PIT up, when lndia.rubber
lining is used, lift them by the covers, or
apply a few pounds force to them. If the
cover comes off, the work has not been well
lonesome air has been allowed 10 remain
or the heating has been insufficient, in which
case the boiling must be done over again -
II is safest to evamine them ii second time,
i'll about week.
1t is important that the jars, after the
whole process is completed, be placed in
cool and rather dry place If the tempera.
tpre is warm, they may spoil by fermepta
ton and experience has fully proved that
they mould III a damp cellar. II the tenn
perature were but few degrees above freez,
ing, they would probably keep unmiurcd Tor
Yeas. There is no doubt that the apart
mpnt should sometimes have fine credit