Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-23
BY MRS. NJ. A. WILSON


COPYRIGHT. 1921, Jv Mrs. ". 4. wilson
All rights reserves.
THE canning question for the bus!
L housewife can easily be solved II
she will arrange to DO this work be-
fore the hot part Of the day. Early
in the morning is the best time. Now
before any thought of canning comes to
can obtain both the fruits and vegeta-
bles in an absolutely fresh condition. 1t
is useless to can and that time and
money alike are wasted
Secure nearby products fresh from
the garden and arrange all needed uten-
sils the night before and be sure that
all the jars are fitted with perfect lids.
For unless this important feature is
watched closely, it will not matter how
fresh the product is nor how long you
steriize it, Faulty jars will permit the
product to spoil.
Use the very best grade of rubbers
and use new ones each season. Do not
think because old ones seem all right
that they will dO-the heat necessary
for sterilizing the product destroys the
rubber and, while they still may hold
their shape, il you attempt to use them
again, the second heat will cause them
to split and shrink and then the produce
will spoil.
A recent visit to the grange meeting
in the Midwest States brought very
clearly to my mind that home canning
is the best paid profession ! have found
to date. To be sure this year the
failure of the fruit crop will increase
the cost of the product. as well as
limiting the supply. But every house
wife should can some Of the following
foods; the actual amount depends upon
the size of the family and its require
ments:
Strawberries, blackberries, peaches,
tomatoes. raspberries, huckleberries,
pears. The canning of asparagus, peas,
beans and corn. unless YOU have them
fresh and directly from the garden into
your own hands, had best be left alone.
| Ninety five per cent of the failure OF
these products to keep is due to the
fact that the dreaded bacteria thcrmo-
phyle has had On opportunity to de-
velop and no amount of sterilzing will
check 1t, so the products will have n
sour, fat taste and are dangerous as
foods.
Peas, string beans and corn may be
salted or dried with success. II desired
but unless grown in your own garden.
| ] hardly think it pays; for example, /
made an exhaustive study of the winter
vegetable situation last winter in twelve
Eastern and seventeen Western States
and I have come to the conclusion that
canning the peas, beans and corn, un-
less home grown, hardly pays the
housewife. The early Southern product
Il -, To
uary. so that unless the product Is
straight from your own or some neigh =
boris garden, it hardly pays you to can
the very delicious and delicate succulent
vegetables.
season from 81 80 to 50 % per one half
bushel basket, and will fill about four
teen pint jars; this season they are
quite apt to, reach more. Buying in
small lots is considerably higher in
price, averaging from twenty To
thirty five cents qunrNer peck.
The time required to prepare basket
OF beans and process them averages
about six hours, with a cost of fifteen
cents to eighteen cents for gas. This
makes these Jars average from twelve
cents to twenty cents, so that II any
mart Of them spoil. 1t increases the cos
In proportion for the balance.
Also | have found that the greer
string bean can be had in market unit
after THANKSGIVING, and that the new
Southern crop IS in the markets early
in January. The average approximat,
cost of the late fall beans runs abou
thirty i've cents per quarter peck.
How to Can Huckleberries
Look the berries over carefully anC
use none but the fully ripe berries
Now place In O saucepan
One CUP Of boiling Wdter,
-Four cups Of sugar.
Bring to a boil and cook for fiv,
minutes, then add five quarts of bcr
ries and stir al! the time until the!
begin to boil lust as berries beglI
TO cook, use a skinner and skim on
the berries, filling into stcrilized jars
Fill the jar as full as possible and the
add one half cup Of the sirup to fill tn
i lar, Adjust the rubber and lid and par
! italy seal. Place In a hot water bat
and process for thirty five minutes