Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-09-05
FARM AND PRESIDE.
Answers to Correspondents.


Answers to Correspondents.
Peach CuAurist.--Can you give me,
through the columns Of the Rural, de-
tails of the process Of canning fruit,
from the orchard to the store-room, in
glass and tin cans, for ones own use
and the market.
ANs.-The process Of canning fruit,
whether in glass, tin or earthenware
vessels, for home use or for sale, is es-
sentially the same, and much simpler
than is generally supposed. There are
a number Of methods Of accomplishing
this, but our space prevents us from de-
failing more than the one which has
proved the most satisfactory.
The fruit for canning should be pluck
ed when fairly ripe, and, with few ex-
ceptions, the sooner it is put up, after
having been gathered, the better. With
regard, however, to the degree Of ma.
turity some latitude is permissible. AS
preparation for the process, the larger
fruit should be peeled, cored and cut
into medium-sized pieces or slices. AT
ter the cans are filled and before closing
them, some add sugar, pepper. spices
and other condiments, but, as a rule, It
is better to defer seasoning the fruit IN.
til it is used.
Among the different means practlced
for excluding the air and destroying the
Preventative properties of the fruit, ex-
perience has shown that the most efec-
tive is to heat the fruit thoroughly in the
can, by steaming at temperature Of
about 2lS or 220 degrees, Fair, and then
to seal the can while its contents are
quite hot. By heating in the can, the
fruit is not broken, the air is expelled
sufficiently to insure the preservation Of
the fruit, and the sealing is easily accom-.
plished. BY heating to a temperature
of 2lS, or so, fermentation and conse.
quent putrefactien are found to be much
more effectually prevented than by heat
ing at 2l20, the ordinary temperature
Of boiling water. By steaming, the
temperature is readily raised to the re-
quired degree, the whole exterior of the
can is exposed to the heating medium,
and in the interior every part of the fruit,
not covered by the juice, comes into
contact with compressed steam, and the
whole is heated equally and completely.
By sealing while hot. the external all
is excluded at time when that within
the can is so highly rarifed and displac-
ed by steam that, on the cooling of the
vessel, enough Of it does not remain tc
energize the putrefactiye clements
Moreover, the vessels should be always
filled to overlooking. and it would be
well, where the preservation of the fruit
uubroken is immaterial, to press it down
with spoon or other instrument to ex-
pei any bubbles Of air that might posi-,
bly, remain in the hollow interior Of
strawberries or other small fruit.
The process can be readily practiced
on a scale sufficiently large for a family's
needs, by putting into large boiler-a
common wash-boller will answer the
purpose water enough to
cover the bottom to tue depth Of two OF
three inches, and then. a little above
the surface Of the water, placing rack
made of lath or other strips, on which
to set the cans. Having filed these.
place them on this rack, OF course. with
the shoppers or caps OF. Cover the
boiler as tightly as possible with cover
and cloth spread beneath it. Then,
with z brisk fire. generate steam until
the cans and their contents are thor
oughlY heated through-the time neces.
sary for which Will depend On the kind
OF fruit and the size of the cans. With
ordinary cans, say four Or five inches in
diameter, the time needed to complete
the operation, after the steam has begun
to issue freely from the boiler. is ap.
proximately from fifteen to twenty min.
utes for berries, peaches and pears, and
about thirty minutes for tomatoes and
ounces. When the cans are thoroughly
heated, remove and seal them as soon
as convenient. There is no necessity
TOR sealing hurriedly, since the heat i'm.
parted to the contents Of the cans will
keep the air expanded long enough tc
permit the operation to be done deliber.
ately. Closing the boiler tightly will
cause pressure Of steam sufficient to
raise the temperature fully as high as
needed, for the temperature of steam,
rises only with its pressure. To avoid
breaking the vessels, when they are Of
glass or earthenware, it is safest to
place them on the rack before the water
A-eNS SNNSbHS vi Nellth- put IL tilE
are oftin Or other metal, it is inmate.
rial whether they be put IN their place
before or after the water has begun to
boil. Some kinds Of fruit settle during
the process and leave the can only part
ly filled. To remedy this, some of the
fruit should be put into tin pail or 9TH
er convenient vessel. and heated with
the cans, which may, in this way. be
filed up before they are sealed, or the
lids screwed down.
For preserving large quantities for the
market or other purposes, steam-tight
chamber, for the reception of the cans,
should be made Of boards or sheet met
al, and charged with steam by means
Of a pipe..communicating with separate
boiler.
After sealing, if the vessels are O:
glass, they should be set away in a dark
place, and Of whatever material they arc
made. they should be stored in a cool