The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-08-23
DEFECTIVE JARS
CAUSE FAILURES
Director ThOrnber Says Tops of
Jars Should be Closely
Inspected

State College, Pullman, Wn., Aug.
22-Failures in canning fruits, meats,
vegetables or fish have, since the open
ing of the canning schools for the
training of demonstrators, on July 30
become so numerous that the canning
specialists of the State College have
made minute inquiries and investiga-
tions concerning these difficulties.
Director Thornber, of the college ex-
tension service, states that prolific
source of failure lies in the lids and
top edges of the mason jars. The ma
son jars formerly "sealed" thru the
pressure of the id-rim into the rub
Der band fitted around the Shoulder
of the jar; and sealed also in the top
of the lid where the smoothly finished
lar tops came in contact with the
smoothly finished porcelain caps fitted
in the tops of the mason lids. IL
Lately however, a stop sealing" lid
has appeared on the market. This
top-sealing lid seals by contact of a
sealing ring in the top of the lid, which
as the top is screwed on, comes in con-
tact with the top edge of the mason
jar which for the success of this top
sealing, must be smooth.
Director Thornbcr states that ac-
cording to evidence in hand, it appears
that the makers of the mason jars are
now making their jar tops rough, in
stead of smooth. This does not affect
the sealing qualities of the mason jars
and lids, since the main reliance in
this jar is the pressure of the lower
rim of the lid into the rubber band on
the shoulder of the jar. But it multi
fies the usefulness of the new top seal
lids on the mason jars, since the top
sealers will not seal on a rough edged
jar.
To avoid this difficulty housewives
are warned by the State College to use
smooth mason jar tops on the top seal
ers, or to dispense with top sealing lids
if their mason jars are rough edged.
Reports from many points indicate
that this year the market is flooded
with bad, cheap rubbers, many selling
as low as five cents dozen. These
are thin, narrow, without "body" and
can be picked.to pieces almost as cas-
lily as dough. They are unreliable.
Director Thornber describes good rub
bers as being elastic, of good body and
when stretched to about twice it's
length, returning to normal position
without having stretched out" ap-
pearance.
Writing in from the field, Mrs. Eliz-
abeth Jones, assistant club leader and
canning demonstration, states that the
wax composition Of the sealing ring of
the economy lid is inferior to that of
last year. To meet this difficulty she
is working by this plan:
"Follow directions in preparing fruit
and vegetables, according to the Gold
Pack Method, Fill jars with cold fruit
or vegetables, pour over cold syrup or
cold water (instead of hot water or
syrup, and place in warm water (not
boiling), sufficient to come to the hip
of the jars. Do not immense the jars
in hot water. For meats and vege-
tables that require long period of
sterilization, put old tops on; then, five
minutes before finishing the steriliza-
ton, put new lids on and sterilize five
minutes"
A precautionary measure to protect
the canned product against spelling
due to faulty sealing, which now is CIV
ing good results in the canning demon
STATIONS, is to dip the sealed jar above
the sealing line, into boiling paraffine.