The Monmouth inquirer., 1897-08-19
FRUIT CANNING.
1t is Hard and DisagreeabIe work az The
Best


1t Is Hard and DisagreeabIe Work az thu
Best
In canning fruit. remember that il IS
hard and disagreeable work at best.
and unless you can come within sight
Of its highest possibilities, the game
is not worth the candle Whether ii
is good. bad, or indifferent depends
upon your own knowledge and skill.
Excluding the air to prevent fernent-
alton is only the A B C Of success.
Fruit must look as well as taste der
hcious, and, in order to do this, it must
retain its natural flavor and appear
ance, and be sweetened and grai1u-
lated sugar. Fruit for canning must
be freshly picked, and a little under
rather than over ripe.
All berries, except Strawberries.
should be large and firm. With these
the smaller the better BIackberries no
matter how fine or Of what kind, are
never satisfactory and palatable Cher
ry pits add much to the flavor, and
when removed from the fruit a hand
full should be tied in piece of net
and put in the centre of each jar. Pear
seeds should be used IN the same wsy
if the core is removed Cherries are
richer and handsomer c0Iored IL the
syrup Is made Of half currant juice.
The skins Of green gage plums
should be left on and pierced with
fork before they are cooked. The
skins of all other common varieties
should be removed If plums and
peaches are immersed in boiling water
to loosen the skins, only few should
be treated at once, and these should
first be put In a wire basket or sieye.
After remaining two minutes or SO.
dip in cold water and gently rub on
the skins.
A silver knife should be used to
shred pineapple. and to pare pears and
ounces.
Peaches should be put in syrup as
soon as pared, and pears and ounces
into cold water, to prevent discolof-
alton. Peaches are fr1ner and richer
if allowed to remain over night in the
syrup before they are cooked. Five CT
six pits should be distributed through
each quart jar
The most delicate and natural flavor
is obtained by cooking the fruit IN the
jars. This method also does away with
the breakage from handling, and adds
ounces are no exception to this rule.
but, as both are more quickly cooked
tender in clear water, it is more con-
venient to do SO before they are put
in syrup.
All Old jars should be thoroughly
cleansed with soda and boiling water,
ana the air-tightnes Of every jar should
be tested with water before they are
filled with the fruit, which should be
placed in the jar as fast as it is pre-
pared, and the jar filed to the neck
with syrup.
A hat-bottomed kettle or an ordinary
clothes boiler are convenient for cook
ing, and a board fitted to the bottom
loosely and closely filed with one inch
auger holes obviates all danger Of
breakage. Put the rubber and cover
in position, leaving the latter loose;
fill the boiler with warm water to the
neck of the jars and boil gently until
the fruit can be easily pierced with
fork. Nc definite rule for cooking can
be given. Ten minutes is usually long
enough for berries, while the time re-
quired for larger and more solid fruits
depends upon the ripeness. Experience
soon makes one expert Take each jar
out onto a hot plate, I'LL to oyerfowing
with boiling water. and screw down the
top. Tighten as it cooks, and invert to
be sure that it is air tight
The jars should be wrapped in paper
to exclude the light, which is more in
furious than one is apt to think, and
kept in a cool dry place The favor
Of fruit is much improved if the oxy-
gen is restored by removing the cover
an hour or two before it Is needed.
II rich fruit is desired, the follow
ing quantities of sugar for each pint
jar will be satisfactory. but as sugar
is not the keeping power" much less.
or even none, may be used. Strawber-
ries ounces: rapsberries. ounces;
Whortleberries, 4 ounces; cherries. s
ounces; peaches, 5 ouncesl Bartlett
pears, ounces: sour pears. s ounces
plums, 8 ounces; ounces, 8 ounces