The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-18
TICKLING PLAN
 WILL PRESERVE
 FOOD SUPPLIES
Method of Fermentation Alp. proved by Government
 Made Known Generally

Ao~ : @ASSo abroad in preserving string beans, beets, cabbage, cucumbers and other succulent garden crops. is described in a notice just issued by the United States Department of Agriculture.
 Sauerkra ut and pickles put up in this way are fairly well known in this country but comparatively few per- sons have thought of trying it as a household measure TOT preserving these and other vegetables. Those who like acid foods and who have too few canning containers, to hold their surplus products may find this method useful. The following descrip- ton of this method of fermenting vegetables is prepared by one of the bacteriologists in the Bureau of Chemistry who has been experiment. ing with this process.
 The vegetables are not cooked but are put down in a salt brine. in any non-metal water-tight container and are sealed up with paraffin and are otherwise. made air-tight. Under this treatment tactic acid will develop and this acid, the value of which as food has been recognized, acts as pre- servative. Whether Americans will develop a taste for such fermented foods highly prized in Europe, is open to question, but the investigator be- i lieves that many will find the pro- cess well worth trying
 To Preserve CucumbersY
 Wash the fruit if necessary and pack into clean, water-tight barrel, keg, or crock. On the bottom of the barrel place a layer of dill weed and a handful of mixed spice. Add an- other layer of dill and another hand full of spice when the barrel is half full and when almost full add a | third layer. If a keg or crock is used, the amount of dill and spice l can be reduced in proportion to the size of the rceptacle. When the con- l tainer has been filled within few inches of the top, add a layer of cov- ering material-beet tops or grape laves-about an inch thick. If any l spoilage should occur in the surface, this layer will protect the vegetables beneath. Press down with a clean l board weighted with bricks or stone
 Do not use limestone or sandstone. | Make g. brine by adding, 1 pound l of salt to 10 quarts of water. To each 10 quarts of brine so made add 2-s l of a quart of vinegar. The vinegar lis Used primarily to keep down the I growth of injurious bacteria until the l tactic acid ferment starts, but it alst
 adds to the flavor. Add sufficien
 brine to cover the material and allow to stand 24 hours. Then make air l tight, as described below. The time necessary for complete Fermentation l to occur depends upon the tempera-
 ture. In a warm place only 5 day to week may be necessary; fh { cool cellar 8 to weeks.
 Beets and String Beans
 The strings should be removed from string beans before they are put up Beets, of course, require carefu washing to remove all dirt before
 brining. If it is desired. when final l ly the beets or string beans are t.
 be eaten, to wash out the brine ant serve them as fresh vegetables, tn addition of spice when they are pu
 up is not necessary. Proceed as witl cucumbers.
 Make the Containers Air-Tght
 There always will be more or les
 bubb1ing and foaming of the brin during the first stages of fermenta ton. After this ceases a thin film ! will appear which will spread rapidl
 over the whole surface and deve1ol
 quickly into a heavy, folded mem
 
 yeast-like organisms which feed up
 on the acid formed by fermentation
 If allowed to grow undisturbed it vii eventually destroy all the acid an the fermented material will spoil. T prevent this scum from Forming it
 necessary to exclude the air from tn
 surface of the brine. This should b done by either of two methods
 hours after the vegetables have bee packed.
 Perhaps the best method is to cove the surface-over the board an
 around the weight-with very ho melted paraffin. If the paraffin sufficiently hot to make the brin boil when poured upon it, the para fin will form a swooth, even lave
 before hardening. Upon solidifying, r effects an airtight seal. Oils. such 6
 cottonseed oil or the tasteless liqui : petroleum, may also be used for tn purpose As a measure of safety wit ] crooks it is advisable to cover tn
 ltop with a cloth soaked in mlted pal
 affin Put the cover in place befol
 the paraffin hardens.
 The second method, which may |
 used with barrels or kegs, is to pac
 the container as full as possible an e then replace the head. In using tn = method for fermentation of beets, cl y cumbers, or string beans, add tf i, board and weights as described abos S and allow to stand TOT "A hours b. }. fore heading During this perie e most of the gas first formed escap' r and the. container> then may be heat }. ed up tight, first removing the boar r and weights. Then bore an inch ho r in the head and fill the barrel wit e brine, allowing no air space. Allo r bubbles to escape. Add more brir t if possible and plug the vent tigh :. If the barrel does not leak, fermente : products put up in this manner wi 0 keep indefinitely.
 s After sealing with paraffin the COT r tainers should be set where they wi = not be disturbed until the conten = are to be used. Any attempt to rt = move them from one place to anotht h may break the paraffin seal and nt l. cessitates resealing. If the contaiI n CTS are not opened until cold winte
 weather, the vegetables should kee
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