The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-07-11

Plans for Conserving Vegetable Food
Not Eaten Fresh Should be Made
Now by Home Gardeners, SAYS the
| U. s. Department of Agriculture.
| Washington, June 23.-The crop of
vegetables from home gardens prom
lses to be unusually large in practi-
cally all sections Of the country this
year. says the United States DEPART
ment of agriculture in a statement
just issued. Home gardeners, there
fore. it is pointed out, should begin
now to plan so that the products
raised by them will be used to the
best possible advantage, without waste
There is likely to be an unusual
ly large production Of vegetables from
small home gardens in most communi-
ties this year." says the statement
Home gardeners. therefore, should
lay their plans carefully so hat they
will be in a position at the appropriate
time to make efficient use of their
garden produce, both by immediate
consumption and by preservation by
canning, drying, or in other ways, so
that no good food will be wasted.
"A very material saving can be eff
fected in the food bill in many in
stances by having the meals consist
more largely of the fresh homegrown
vegetables and less extensively of the
on-perishable foods bought from
grocery stores. BY following this plan.
also. garden owners will relieve some
what the demand for the non perish
able foods.
Even with liberal use in the fam
lily diet in fresh state, however, there
will be considerable surpluses of
vegetables from many home gardens.
These should be saved in some way
Canning is the method most usually
employed, but it is possible that cans
and jars cannot be obtained in sum-
cient quantities this year to pack tn
surplus perishables. In such cases
many products easily can be prescrv-
cd by drying.
''By this method surplus water i
driven off by placing sliced products
on trays in the sun, over n stove or
before an electric fan. The dried
foods can be kept perfectly in paper
bags or boxes sufficiently tight to ex-
clude insects. Soaking in water will
bring the products back practically 20
their original texture and they ma
then be cooked like fresh vegetables.
"In putting up vegetables and frui;S
for future use the home gardener may
find the following suggestions useful:
'If you can obtain cans and jar
| only in limited numbers. can tomatoes
and other vegetables which cannot h'
dried easily, and such fruits as YOU
prefer i'm a juicy form. Wherever pos
sible concentrate succulent foods
| such as tomatoes.
Preserve or jam the fruits and
berries which lou prefer in tina:
form, and put them in glasses scale
with paraffin or in wide necked bot
| ties.
| Put fruit juices in ordinary boz
ties.
| DRY practically any common vege-
table except asparagus. eggplant, rad
ihes, lettuce and the like, and most
fruits except Strawberries and native
grapes. The more important of the
vegetables that are usually dried are
sweet corn. snap and string beans,
shcled beans, shelled peas, and the
root crops. Tomatoes though con
ssting in large part Of water are dried
successfully by many immigrants from
southern Europe.
"If considerable number of cans or
jars are at your disposal so that veg
c:ablcs may be canned be sure to i'm q.
cludc the more nutritious such a.
green beans and peas