The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-09-26
SOME CAUTIONS
TO HOME GAMERS
o. H. Benson, in Charge of Boys and
Girls Club Work, Points Out
Some Necessary Steps.

At the request of o. II. Benson, in
charge of Boys and Girls club work
United States department of agriculture.
the Vermont Extension service of the
University of Vermont furnishes the
following cautions prepared by Mr.
Benson:
/. In beginning home canning work
take time to study fully the instructions
in Farmers bulletin $50. Home Canning
bv the One-Period Cold-Pack Method.
Club members should follow but one set
of instructions. If you combine two it
will lead you into difficulties and cause
the loss of food products.
2. The instructions in Farmers bull
letin 839 are based on the use of fresh.
firm, sound, ripe products. When can
ming vegetables which have stood in the
market place over "a hours increase the
time of sterilization as given in this bull
letin about 90 per cent.
3 Do not begin canning large
amounts. First, try out a few packs
thoroughly and determine for yourself
whether YOU understand the instruc-
lions and can follow them.
f. Use good rubbers. Most of the
ubbers which are furnished with glass
jars will not stand the boiling required
for the sterilization of vegetables in hot
water steam, or steam under pressure,
and might better be discarded and good
rubbers procured. Description of good
rubber rings: Rubber rings for the
average standard pint and quart jars,
etc, should be 5-16 of an inch wide
They should be cut II to the inch, that
&c ~ IaloonH : 10
other will measure one inch in thickness
They should stand up under sterilization
| in boiling water or in steam under pres
sure for at least three hours without
injury to the rubber Good rubbers
will stretch and return promptly to the
| place without changing the inside diam
cter They should be reasonably firm
and able to stand abrupt bending with
out breakage This description does not
apply to rings for the special types of
jars on the market.
). Reports during the past FIVE years
indicate that % per cent of the spoil
age of food products in home canning
is due to the use of poor rubbers. old
Mason tops. and defective Joints,
springs, and caps.
6. Success in home canning BY the
one-period cold-pack method depends
upon full understanding of the entire
process. Observe especially that green
vegetables should be hlanched in live
steam; tubers, in hot water for not less
than five minutes. Then dip them quick
~ in cold water. Pack at once in hot
sterile jars and add boiling water. All
green's, pod vegetables, green peppers,
etc, should be blanched in live steam
rather than water. Take time to pack
all food products well into hot glass
jars. a little salt or sugar should be
added Immediately, rubbers and tops
Iput in place, and the Jars partially
sealed. These steps, if properly and
quickly taken, have largely to do with
the success of the method The fna
success rests, of course, with the sterili
cation. Food products should be ster
ilizcd for the period given in Farmers
bulletin $50. Read carefully all instruc
tions with reference to the handling Of
pressure Gamers to avoid exhausting O.
liquids, syrups, etc. When canning il
territory with an altitude of over .00t
feet increase the time given in thu
tables from FIVE to 10 per cent for eacl
additional 500 feet in altitude Do thi
Nttubut ltli VI SOIHt VI tnC IibduflS VIII
be lost.
I. In canning fruit the syrup shoul,
be prepared in separate vessel an,
poured over the fresh fruit, in the no
jar. Some food products with high aci
: content, like cherries and plums, shrive
and shrink too much if heavy syru1
is used.
s. The flavor of sweet corn and pea
t canned for home use is greatly in
proved b. the addition of sugar instea
n of salt.
Il 9. In canning tomatoes be sure t
L scald until the skins crack, dip in col
k water then cut the cores out, remov
|. skins, and pack at once into hot glas
e jars. Use wooden spoon for packin
Ii purposes and pack quickly. A wellril
t encd tomato may be placed at the to
o and pressed down to fill all crevice
Il Allow a level teaspoonful of salt to tn
c quart. Wipe off the joints before tn
rubber rings are placed in position, pa
TALLY tighten the tops, and sterilize.
II 10. Flat sour which develops
= canned vegetables, especially wit
g green, asparagus, peas, and sweet corr
is caused by insufficient sterilization
by canning old, deteriorated food proc
ucts, or by improper blanching an
cold-dipping.
IL. Blanching and cold dipping a
q vegetables before packing, if properl
done, will not in any way injure IL
v character and quality of the produc
= On the other hand, it will remove di
and bacteria and materially aid Il
: sterilizing process. These preliminal
steps will also make it unnecessary
ii tin canning to exhaust the products.
cl