Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1917-07-20
DRYING FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES

AND VEGETABLES
This year, when both glass
aud tin cans are high in price
a nd hard to secure, the Exten-
sion Division of the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute urges the
housekeepers IF Virginia to save
as much as possible of the by
products of their gardens and
orchards by drying, rather than
c ,nning. Directions for dryi' e
fruits aud vegetables now inl
season are given here in a bri, +
way aud complete bulletins ON
this subject may be had by adj
dressing, Director Of the Exttr-I
sion Division, Blacksburg. Va.
REQUIREMENTS FOR DRYING
Any plain board, tray. or dish
will be quite satisfactory, but
quicker results may be obtained
by using trays like window
screens, or with muslin or cheese
9th in place of the wire. These
trays should be of a size con-
veuient to carry, as they must
be brought under cover during
the night. If left out at hi gilt,
they should be covered at sun
down then uncovered aud plac-
ed in the sun early in he morn
ing Better results will be Sc
cured if the trays are suspended
two or three feet from tile earth,
so that the air NAV pass freel,
under aud through the fruit.
In Door DRYING Stretch wire
netting on fra the size Of the
cooking stove top, and nail an
inch thick block under CHI
corner. Put brick OIL each
corner of the stove top, aui put
tiie filled frames on, one above
the other. Have a very slow
fir. aud shift the frames from
top to bottom in order to hea
the food as uniformly as posi-
be. This is primitive way.
b It costs little aud is useful on
rainy days.
STRING BEANs-Clip both
ends, Drop in salted boiling
water for ten minutes, then
spread thiply on trays to dry
Some suggest Sitting the beans
We or three times lengtliwise.
Th's will cause them to dry much
m ore rapidly.
BRINED OR SALrED STRING
BEANS These are gathered as|
for canning, then put in layers
o: two or three inches in tie
crock or keg and sprinkled with
salt; another layer is added, etc. :,
until finished, and then all is |
covered with brine,
CoRN-Corn that is just rig LIT |
TO use OH the table or Tor car
ming should be selected for or :
ing; this will be somellere be-
tween the Mill" state in which
the juice spurts out when. the
kernel is pre- sed open with the
'humb nail, and the dough-
st ge in which the contents of |
lac kernel NAV lie pressed cut in
a solid sosgy mass. Corn sliou d |
be dried as soon as possible after
it is gathered and. as q, ickl, rs
possible, in order to retain Ii i
flavor. Left-ovels of cooke d
corn on the cob may be dried in |
the oven or over the stove.
Dried corn 81 ould lie stored In
cloth bags, placed insiie paperI
bags, and Lung in a dry, walm
place. There are several metL-
DDS for drying corn ard the oneI
given here has Teen found the
most satisfactory.
5 quarts Of corn, measured
after it has been cut from Il eI
cob; "a cupiul sugar; Il cup.ull
salt.
Strip off the husks and ii e
silk, and eut the kernels from
the cob, working from the small
eud of the cob towards the butt.
Do not cut the Kernels too close.
but press out all the milk with /
the back of the knife. Mix the |,
corn, the sugar, and the salt. l.
place the mixture in a pan overI
a vessel Of boiling water, and
stir it frequently until all the
N * has been absorbed. Spread I
the corn on plates, and dry it in t
a slow oven, stirring it frequent #
y to prevent scorchins. tIr
hould be possible to complete n
The process in half day. b