The Spectator., 1915-12-31
III. SOME RULES FOR CANNING.
By Miss Emma Archer. in Charge Girls Club Work for Arkansas.

Girls Club Work for Arkansas
 Tho first step in canning is sterili.
 ration. All new glass jars. tops, rub
 bers, tin cans and caps should be
 boiled at least i've minutes. Old glass jars should be boiled at least fifteen minutes. Never use old rubbers. If old tops are corroded or battered out of shape new ones should be purchas- ed, but if the old ones are in perfect condition sterilize for fifteen minutes and they will be ready for use.
 Asserting Fruits and Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables should be as sorted according to size, color and degree of ripeness. Each variety of fruits and vegetables should be canned by itself It is no moro profit able to can ovsr-rips fruits than 1t ls green oaAs.
 Preparing Fruits and Vegetables TOT the Can: All fruits and vegetables hsve to be prepared for the can first by . thorough washing. Those from which the skins are to bs removed should be peeled or sealdsd.
 Blanching: Blanching consists of plunsing the vegetable CT fruit into boiling water for . short tune. Use wire basket or cheese cloth square for this. Tho blanch gives . more thor ough cleaning, removes tho strong odor and flavor from certain kinds of vegetables. improves the texture and gives a clearer liquor. It also shrinks the fruit or vegetable and makes 1t more flexible. A full pack is then more easily made. The time required for blanching varies with the state of maturity. Beans should bs blanched until tender enough to bend without breaking. Peaches VIM pack better IT blanched for an instant in water be. low boiling (about 1s0 degrees F.) lowering peaches into 1t for IS sec onds. The same blanch will make the hard varieties of pears pack bex. ter and give them . moro transpar- ent appearance: and used for cher ries will prevent splitting and crack ing. Spraying fruit with cold water after blanching will make 1t hrmer. Frequently 1t is well to Dut the vege- table into cold water fer An instant after blanching ts mako more crisp. In blanching asparagus. tie . few stalks in each bundle, lower bundle in- to water. tips up. Shnehing the lower ends one or two minutes before Jm- mersing the tips. Blaneh the tips on ly two or three minutes.
 Packing: The R0Aeral laws require the cans to be filled e f,li of food e is practicable for processing and to contain only enough Aluor to i'll the spaces and cover the contents. Weigh sufficient number of cans before and after filing to obtain an accurate idea of average net weight. On account of expansion in processing, corn can be packed less full than other vege- tables. These instructions do not cover the canning of corn for market. | Mark cans with psnc1 or knife 10 show contents. Plaa in aavAnce and | werk rapidly. Lk one Dossen 60 | paekiae and sss<Asr asesnA to the weighing. Ds net aNoW hlled cans to | stand before adding nauos and ex- aausunG.
 Seasoning: Adding brine, syrup or | water After adding to with A inch sf top, shake can gently to displace all air within the can.
 Exhausting: After placing the rub ! bsr on the tops of glass jars. the tops should be screwed on to the last turn | thereby leaving a space through which | the air can pass out. When exhaust ing tin cans the opening in the top i of the cap is left open for the same [ purpose.
 Processing: After p.acing jars in the hot water the time is not kept uu- til after the boiling is started. The boiling should be kept up until the required length of time Is up, which AH Al