Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-06-29
PRESERVING TINE.
RnIes 20 Remember when Engaged In
Canning Fruit.


Some rules and receipts for putting
up vour supply Of sweetmeats for
winter use may aid the inexperienced
housewife in her task Of love, for it
is not always pie. SAINT work, espe-
cialIy when the Thermometer in the
coolest corner tells us that the
weather Is oppressive. First Of all
comes the purchase Of the kettles that
are best fitted for this work Do not
make the mistake Of purchasing one
or two huge kettles that will hold
from two to three, four or even FIVE
gallons of fruit, for then indeed you
are preparing for yourself heavy and
back beaking task, and the probabili-
ties are that after all your labor you
will find that your preserves are dark
in color, stringy and altogether unde-
stable, and this after you have ex
pened SO much time and care upon
them so that they might be just right.
No matter how manv jars of pre-
serves you intend to put up do not
allow yourself to be tempted to pur-
chase that will hold over three quarts.
Purchase three or four kettles Of this
size and be sure 10 get the enameled
ones. as thew are thicker and less apt
to scorch the fruit than the thinner
granite ware. The cost of these small
kettles will be trifing and not only
are you saved the exertlon OF hand
ling a heavy weight, but your pre-
serves will cook more rapidly and the
color and flavor will be greatly en-
CHANGED by cooking them in small
quantities.
As the strawberry is first on the list
of preserves word i'll regard to the
selection of the fruit is advisable.
Do not set day for this work and
then run ont and purchase the fruit
regardless OF the weather, but select
day following clear, spnshiny
weather, for then the fruit will be
clear from sand and rich i'll flavor
Be careful also that the berry is of
good size and not 100 ripe. Pick. then
weigh two pounds of berries. Weigh
one and a half pounds of graduated
sugar and put over the berries, then
stand away over night. Early in the
morning place on the range two Of
the kettles and watch them carefully.
hn FOR
10 minutes put on another kettle of
berries. If you are going to do more
than this put the kettles on the range
at an interval of 10 minutes and in
this way there will be just time
enough to skim the berries and put
them in the jars before another ket
tleful will be ready and You will
lose no time in waiting. Skim care
fully and watch closely and when
they have boiled 20 minutes put
spoonful on cool saucer and if the
syrup jellies after few minutes the
fruit is done. Remove from the fire.
and put at once into jars. By this
time the next kettle will need at
tention, and 30 on without loss of
time until all are done. AS soon as
the first kettles are put on the range
get the jars in readiness and see that
they are perfectly clean. You have
of course, seen to the condition of the
rubbers before preserving day has
come, so that there need be no delay.
You will find that preserves made
in this way, that is, pound or two
at a time-will be clear, and bright in
color and will not take nearly so long
to cook as when they are emptied by
the wholesale into one or two large
kettles. You will also wonder how
it is that all the preserving is done
and you are free from the aching back
that has ALWAYS been the accompani-
ment of the preserving season hereto
fore. Try this plan and see if you
are not well pleased.