The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-09-18
Canning Fruit.

II there is anything more uncertain
than life itself, il must be q successful
preservation of fruit. In nothing do
housekeepers so generally fsil-house.
keepers that may be perfection in
every other branch OF their work.
And the provocstion is, that. after ex-
pending 20 much time and labor and
care on ths work. the result being q
failure, the cause remains q mystery.
The best way is to have near you q
bucket or bowl containing cold water,
and when a handful Of berries are
taken up for inspection, just lower
your hand with the berries in the
water once or twice; this rinses of the
loose leaves and briers, and other for
eign matter that does not tend to i'm.
prove the appearance Of the berries.
There are persons who oppose the
washing of fruit, and who waste their
labor, year after year. by using moth
ing but earthen jars in which to seal
fruit. 1t is almost impossible to find .
perfect stone jar. And there is bat
one glass jar in which my fruit has
kept perfectly-and that one is made
with porcelain-lined lid which
screws on TO the can. I have never
loet quart Of fruit in these cans. and
] have used them for nearly all kinds
of fruit. But notwithstanding this,
/ have used tin great deal-always,
with one exception. with perfect sue
cess; though for the small fruit / pre-.
fer glass, for the reason, that in it the
fruit appears to retain its color best.
After cleansing the cans thoroughly,
pour into each one of them q pint of
right warm water, and have them stand
thus until the fruit is ready to pour in.
In . porcelain-lined kettle heat three
quarts and one pint of berries and near
ly pint of water at one time. After
they have boiled Ave minutes, throw in
. tea.cup of sugar. and allow them to
boil nearly Ave minutes longer, when
the kettle should be removed from the
fire and set on table. This quantity
will fill two cans, quart size. After
they are filled. put more berries on to
heat. and then get ready the cans for
fastening mp, by removing the juice
from the outside of the can and especi-
ally from around the top. After this is
done. place the rubber on and screw
the lid down aboat twO.thirds of the
way; let them stand awhile-ten min-
utes pcrhaps-and then fasten the lid
securely as possible, and set the can
aside where it will not be jolted or
moved about until it is cool. The
sugar can be omitted, but in my opinion
it is economy to cook it in.
The next article of food that comes
in fruit-canning season is tomatoes;
they can be disposed of ut very rapid
rate. A large kettleful, or even .
boilsrful. can bs cooked st time; fifteen
minutes will be sufficient time for
heating. and nothing remains but seal
ing them up. 1t is . good plan to
order your timer to make your cans.
instructing him to use the very best
tin.plate. and then you will have cans
that will last for ten years. or longer.
Great care must be exercised in having
the cans perfectly clean and dried be.
fole putting away after the contents
have been used. Carelessness in this
particular will render the best Of tin
cans unfit for the second using. Some
times in scaling there arise little bub-
bles, which drop OF wax will fasten
up.
In canning peaches have had more
experience than with any other frnit.
Ny aim has always been to keep the
syrup clean and the peaches in perfect
halves if possible. To accomplish
this end requires some care, but the re-
ward is sure. Put into your kettle
about one pint Of boiling water and
scant tes-cupful of white sugar after
it comes to boil. lay in about - many
peaches a. you think will cook down
to two quarts more than this ought
not to be cooked at enc time. After
they have boiled for thirty minutes
take them off, and with . spoon care
fully lay them into the cans 6ll cans
up with syrup. and lay the lid on;
after about ten minutes seal them
up.
The cling stone peach shonld be
stoned with the knife made for that
purpose. The peach can then be pre-
served whole They need less sugar
thaa the free stone peach. Pears re-
quire but little sugar. They can be
nicely cored with the peach stoner.
Ounces need Is much sweetenine As the
peach. and must be cooked . little
longer. Every one is aquainted with
the acidity OF the plum. 1t requires
nearly half its weight in sugar. and
should be invariably preserved in glass.
Each plum should be stuck with . fork
before cooking, - it prsveats the break
ing Of the fruit. TO some extsnt. Ry
attention to the details. such as select
ing the best fruit that the market sf-
foFds, casting asids all that 10 imperfect,
and cutting out oil bruised spots aud
knotty portions, together with care in
heating and selecting. no one need fear
the result. Hnrpcrs Basar.
How came yoa 70 be drunkard =
asked friend Of Tom Marshall. Of
Kentucky, in conversation with him.
Well, l will tell you ell about that,
said Tom. i graduated in law at
Lexington With the celsbaated divine.
Robert ]. Breckioridge. and our friends
thought We were the intellectual won
ders Of the age. and they advised Us,
by way of taking high position st
oncs, to attack Henry Clay. then in the
kxA