The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-15
In the Canning Season.

New York Times.
In canning fruit remember that 1t 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 it is good. bad or indif-
ferent depends upon your own knowledge
and skill. Excluding the air to prevent
fermentation is only A B c Of success Fruit
must look as well as taste delicious, and,
in order to do this, it must retain its nat
Ural flavor and appearance and be sweet
eped with granulated sugar. Fruit for can
ming must be freshly picked and little
under rather than overripe.
All berries except strawberries should be
large and firm. With these the smaller the
better Blackberries, no matter how fine
or what kind, are never satisfactory and
palatable. Cherry pits add much to the
flavor, and when removed from the fruit a
handful should be tied in a piece of net and
put in the center of each jar. Pear seeds
should be used in the same way il the core
Is removed. Cherries are richer and hand
sCmer colored if the syrup is made of half
currant juice
The skin of green gage plums should be
left on and pierced with fork before they
are cooked. The skin of all other common
varieties should be removed. If plums and
peaches are immersed in boiling water to
loosen the skin only a few should be treated
at once and these should be put in wire
utes or so dip in cold water and gently rub
off 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, ard pears and ounces in cold
water to prevent discoloration. Peaches
are firmer and richer if allowed to remain
over night in the syrup before they are
cooked. Five or six pits should be dis
tributed through each quart jar.
The most delicious and natural flavor is
obtained by cooking the fruit in the jars.
This method always does away with the
breakage from handling and adds greatly
to it's appearance Pears and ounces are
no exception to this rule, but, as both are
more quickly cooked tender in clear water,
it is more convenient TO do so before they
are put in syrup.
Ali old jars should be thoroughly cleansed
with soda and boiling water, and the air
tightness 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 prepared, and the jar filled to the neck
with syrup.
A fat7bottomed kettle or. an ordinary
clothes boiler are conve cient for cooking boxing;
and closely filled with inch auger holes
obviates all danger of breakage. Put the
rubber and cover in position, leaving the
latter loose; fill the boiler with warm arm.
water to the neck of the jars and boil
gently until the fruit can be easily pierced
with a fork. No 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 de-
ponds upon their rpeness. Experience soon
makes one expert. Take each jar out onto
a hot plate fill to overlooking with boiling
water and screw down the top. Tighten
as it cooks, and invert to be sure that it is
air-tght.
The jars should be wrapped in paper to
exclude the light, which is more injurious
than one is apt to think, and keep in d
cool dry place. The flavor of fruit is
much improved if the oxygen is restored
by removing the cover an hour or two
If rich fruit is desired the following
quantities of sugar for each pint jar will
be satisfactory, but as the sugar is not
the keeping power much less or even
cherries, s ounces; peaches, 3 ounces; Bart
lett pears, ounces; sour pears, ounces;
plums, s ounces; ounces, ounces.