The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-08-27
Get Your Canning
> Equipment Ready

II > llOt lOO Colly W PlVpliS Stlil-
ming equipment for summer use if
generous canning is to be part of this
seasons program. To make sure thai
your canning and preserving will be
a success, include in your equipment
the chief devices that will make for
accuracy.
A reliable household scale useful at
all times is absolutely essential for
preserving time. 1t will mean better
handling of ingredients and less waste.
For example, under the old-fashioned
method of preserving fruit in stone
crooks, equal qualities of sugar were
used with the fruit. We know now
that it is necessary to use only three
quarters of a pound of sugar for each
pound of fruit. If this quantity is
accurately measured it will mean III
definite saving in the sugar used.
Measuring cups-quart, pint and gill
measures-are also helpful, but if the
scale is depended upon they will not
be necessary. All ingredients can be
reduced to terms of pound measure
ment, which, after all, is the most d.,
pendable for preserving. A good Their.
mometer will also be great convent
ence
A small group of preparing tools
will cost comparatively little, but will
be very helpful. There are on the
market now devices for almost every
kind of fruit and vegetable, whether
for canning or drying purposes.
Strawberry hullers, pineapple snip
pers, cherry pitters, orange and grape
fruit knives, apple corers and cutters,
not to mention the innumerable small
articles that cut and flute and scrape.
None of them is expensive, and if
well-made device is purchased it will
last for years.
One great advantage of keeping
such an assortment on hand is that
ii encourages frequent canning in
small quantities. Nowadays few
put off canning until one
period and then submerge themselves
for days or weeks in the hot process
of canning and preserving
With the aid of modern equipment
it is possible to put up half dozen
or a dozen jars frequently-when-
ever one obtains a small quantity of
fruit or vegetables for the purpose.
A few hours of canning every week
will result in a generous total of
canned things at the end of the season
without making the process wearl
some, as it is bound to become, if one
spend several days in succession at
the job
If you have jars left over from last
season, go over them carefully now.
Feel the rims with the finger tips to
make sure there are no hicks, even
small enough to be invisible to the
eye. If some of your old used jar
are even slightly imperfect don't at
tempt to use them over again. And,
incidentally, it may be a good plan
to lay in your stock of jars, rings, ETC.,
now-before the summer rush. There
were many places where it was diff
cult last year to obtain the right kind
of jars at the height Of the season be-
cause of the sudden and enormous de
mand
Finally, and most. important, be
sure you have on hand explicit direc-
tinos for all kinds of canning. The
Department of Agriculture at Wash
ington publishes a number of de-
tailed pamphlets which you can have
free, and they will help you wonder
fully in canning properly without
risk of spoilage. Canning is not a
difficult process-anyone can do it,,
even in a city fiat. But it does re-
quire the utmost care in the right
kind of equipment, methods, of steril-
ization and packing.