Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-07-22
Canning and Preserving Frmits.

Canning and Preserving Fruits.
The season for this duty is now upon
US. and every good houseSeeper vii! be-
gin To lay up in store provisions for the
months when the leaves lie drilted in
hollows and snow covers the corn fields
and apple orchards. and candle light
comes at ) O'Clock. Only little while
ago the expense OF putting up fruits pre-.
vented many families from preserving
them, but now that the cost of the cans is
the only item which requires outlay every
body can afford supply ofthis most nee
essary and delightful pat of whole
some diet. During seasons when peaches
are scarce there are usually plenty OF
berries, pie plant, and apples; tomatoes
may always be obtained. giving Us when
pu, mp in syrup, delicious preserves, and
in their own juice one Of the most favorite
vegetables The process of canning, rs
most OF our readers know. is very simple.
The fruit and vegetables must be fully
ripe and every defect removed before
they are ready to be put up. Rhubarb
must be peeled, cut up thoroughly cook
ed and sealed in glass cans. The usual
and rs good mode as any, especially
where glass is used. is TO prepare the
fruit. ill the cans. set them in large
boiler with boards on the bottom To- keep
the Plass from contact with the metal.
aUd thus prevent hreaAage. let the water
in the boiler come up about three quarters
OF the height of the can, put on the Gov
er Of the boiler, raise the whole 10 4 boil
ing point. and keep il thelc till the fruit
is done The time required for the vaIi-
Gus fruits and vegetables may be found
in the table below. Ii cans with glass
covers are used. and these are by Ear the
best, let the covers be on the cans while
they are in the boiler 10 Keep The hot wa
ter from bnbbling into them. But if the
can covers are OF tin they will bc apt TO
injure the appearance Of the fruit, and
should not bc put on I'LL they are acquired
in the scaling up.
For cCru, peas aud tomatoes many pre-
fen Tin To glass, though others have rs
good luck" when using the latter as with
tin. Stone Jars are found by some house
keepers 10 be excellent for tomatoes. All
agree that light should be excluded from
canned fruit. and Is this can be more rca-
dlly bc done hy tin or stone than in glass.
cans OF that material are preferred for
this purpose In the table below the pro
portions OF sugar required by each kind
Of fruit are givcr. but If the cans are fill
cd with hot water. or from another can
when they are sealed up the contents will
keep rs we'll rs when sugar is added.
MANY months since the writer sealed
several gallons of slewed cranberries in
glass cans without using sugar, and those
now loll of the berries are as fresh as
when first put up. II is very little trouble
to add the sugar when the cans arc open
cd. We mention this because a the de-
mand for sugar is greater in the fruit sea
son than at other times the price adyan-
ccs. placing IT beyond the reach of some
families except for ordinary use. II Gran.
berries, the most acid of all fruits. can be
kept without Suga, any other may be pre-
served in the same way. Those who have
experimental for many years in the vari-
Gus ways of preserving fruits and yege-
tables may add others by giving the re-
suits OF their observation to the readers
OF this column. and this they are cordial
~ invited to do.