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' ?» ! '■ jt~ ! k l t P II: ^ r • 1 ; * I ; ? - ? m Tray of Packed Jars Ready to Be Placed in Homemade Water-Bath Out fit—Aluminum Pressure Cooker Also Shown. PRÖrnÄBLTmsS^ SURPLUS FRUnSAND VEGETABLES Every Ounce of Food That Can Possibly Be Produced This Year Will Be Needed—Housewives Can Avoid Much Waste by Canning. FIRST MAKE ALL NECESSARY PREPARATIONS "One Hour From the Field to the Can," Is Motto Every Canner Should Have in Mind—Unless Fresh, Crisp and Clean Produce Is Used, High-Grade Article Is Impossible Equipment Necessary. (PREPARED BY UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.) I CAN SURPLUS FOOD, BUT USE JARS AND CANS WISELY Don't have an empty preserving jar in your home next fall. Reserve regular tight-sealing containers for canning foods. Concentrate products so that each jar or can will hold as much food and ns little water as possible. But up jams, Jellies and preserves in wide-necked glasses sealed with cork or paper and paraffin. Don't can anything that can be kept just as well dried or in other forms. Dry navy and mature lima beans for winter use. Produce in your garden lots of cabbage, potatoes, and root crops J that can he kept for winter without canning.— U. S. Department of jf Agriculture. J +»f++»f++»DH-f-f»f»f»I-f+»f++»f»!-I-f»fH"f»f»W-f+»f»I'f+»f-f"M-f-M"Df-f+»M-F++ The waste of surplus fruits and veg etables in this country eacli year is large. It would be deplorable if this normal waste were allowed to go on this year when every ounce of food that can he produced is needed. The waste cau be avoided in large part if housewives will can as large a part of the surplus perishables as possible. Tiie first step is to see 1 liât all the necessary preparations are made be fore the vegetables or fruit are picked. "One hour from the field to the can" is a motto that every canner should have in mind. This Is impossible if one has to prepare utensils and wash And scald cans after the fruits and vegetables have been brought into the house. The condition of these is a prime factor in determining the quality of the finished product. Unless they are absolutely fresh, crisp, and clean when they are put into the cans, u high-grade sirtiele is impossible. When canning in small quantities, it Is not necessary to purchase special equipment, although inexpensive por table equipment for use in or out of doors may he purchased. If consider able canning is done, such outfits will prove convenient and save labor. Es pecially is this true when a comfort able °out-of-door place cau be selected for the work. The method of packing fruits and végéta Id,;* into containers and steriliz ing the product after it is packed has superseded to a very large extent the old plan of cooking the food in an open kettle, transferring it hot to the jar, and sealing without any further sterilization. Since this is true, the first consideration is a sterilizing ves S & 7 . m Packing Blanched and Cold-Dieoed Product Into Jars. sel. Tiiis Is sometimes called a pro cessor. Cooking the food in the jar to sterilize it is known as processing. Tiiis cooker must be large enough to hold a convenient number of packed Jars and must be fitted with a false bottom and a tight cover. A wash boiler, bucket, or galvanized tub cun lie used for a processor. It may be used on the kitchen stove or placed I on a furnace built out of doors. One | important factor is to be able to bring ! the water in this cooker quickly to the | boiling point and maintain this tempor j ature steadily. The false bottom is a rack which keeps the jars from coming in contact with the metal which is next to the frame. This prevents breakage. Racks made of strips of woods are probably the best. Sometimes wire netting, or perforated galvanized trays, are used. If the lutter material is used. It should be raised about 1 Inch or 2 Inches above the bottom of the vessel. Three types of canning outfits can be purchased. These are the hot-wa ter, water-seal, and steam-pressure outfits. The first is merely a conven ient form of the outfit described above. The other two make use of pressure and 'therefore accomplish the neces sary sterilization in a shorter time thun when the hot-water outfit is used. Canning in Glass. i In canning in glass, select jars which i are appropriate for the fruit or vege J table to be packed, considering the j size of the container from the stand point of the quantity desired when opened, the size of the fruit or pieces of fruit to he packed and the ease of sterilization. I 8terilizing Jars. —Wash these Jars ami place them, side down, in a vessel and cover with cold water. Bring this water slowly to the boiling point and allow to boil for 15 minutes to sterilize jars. Sorting and Grading. —AVhile the Jars are bein^ sterilized, sort and tirade the fruit or vegetables according to size and degree» of maturity. Discard ail fruit that is overripe, underripe, or unsound. Vegetables which are in choice condition for the table—that is, .voting, tender and fresh—are suitable also for canning. Those which have become stale are more difficult to ster ilize and the loss of flavor and deterio ration in texture resulting from stale ness make them unsuitable for can ning. * Following the sorting and grading, thorough washing is necessary before proceeding to paring, coring or slicing. Some fruits and vegetabtes require ; scalding in order to remove peeling, j Blanching. —Blanching consists of®, i plunging the vegetable or fruit into boiling water for a short time. Use a wire basket or cheesecloth square for this. The blanch gives a more thor ough cleansing, improves the texture, and insures a clearer liquor. It also shrinks the fruit or vegetable and makes it more flexible. A full pack is then made more easily. The time re quired for blanching varies with the state of maturity. After blanching the fruit or vegetable is placed for an in stant into cold water to make more crisp and to aid further in shrinking. Packing. —After selecting fruit or vegetable for uniformity in size and quality, it should be arranged with reference to symmetry and the best use of the space within the jar. In plac ing the fruit or vegetable in a jar a thin, flexible paddle, made out of cane or other suitable wood, is useful. " lien the jar has beyu packed as full as possible without crushing the pieces, the sirup, brine or seasoning is added. The paddle is also used to take out bubbles of air after the liquor has been added to tile {tack. Adjusting the Rubber and Cap.— Immediately before using, cleanse the rubber by dropping, for a minute, into n soda bath (one teaspoonful soda to one quart boiling water). Flatten the rubber in its groove, without the pres ence of any seed or particle of the fruit, before placing the cap. When a 'V m V* mm mi i i Homemade Hot Water Bath Sterilizing Outfit, Showing Satisfactory Type of Wooden False Bottom. gloss-top Jar with wire clamp is used, pluce the lid on evenly and raise both clamps up. the upper one fastened to hold the lid in place. With a hermetic jar, fasten the cap on the jar evenly with the clamp. This type of Jar is self-sealing as It cools. Processing. —Place the jars in n wa ter hath on a rack (a wooden rack iS good) to avoid breaking. IlaTe the water the same temperature as the contents, letting it come to within two inches of the tops of the jars. Have a tight cover for the vessel to keep the steam around the tops of the jars which are above water. Do not count time until the water begins to boil; keep it boiling steadily for the time required. Seal the jars air-tight promptly at end of processing, and remove them from the bath, being care ful not to allow a cold draft to strike them. In intermittent processing, raise the clamps of the Jars at the beginning of each processing to allow for eipnn sion. Seal at ;lose of each processing. The hermetic jar cannot be used for Intermittent processing. » Storing. —Before storing, allow jars to stand for 12 hours or more. Then examine the seal. \\'ith a lightning seal or hermetic closure, take off the clamp and test the lid to see if It Is tight. With a screw-top jar, simply invert the jar to see if there is any lenk. Store all products In a cool, dry. dark place. Canning in Tin. Before undertaking canning in tin. special equipment, including capping steel, tipring copper, firepot for heat ing tools, cans with solder-hemmed caps, flux, sal ammoninc and wire solder must he secured. Follow all in structions for canning in glass up to the point where packing is done. See time table for blanching period and for processing period for containers of i j ! I ! ! j j j j | j j I I j j i i ! different sizes. Note, also, the vego tables and fruits which require enamel lined or inside-lacquered cans. Packing. —The federal laws require the cans packed for sale to he tilled sis full of food as is practicable for proc essing and to contain only enough liquor to til! the spaces and cover the contents. Weigh a sufficient number of earns before and after filling to ob tain an act urate idea of average net weight. On account of expansion in processing, corn can he packed less full than other vegetables. These in structions do not cover the canning of corn for market. Mark the cans with a pencil or knife to show contents. After the fruit iy vegetable is in the can, brine, sirup or water should he added to within one-fourth of an inch of the top and the can shaken gently to displace all air within it. Tin groove around the opening is then cleaned and wiped and the cap slipped on. In order to make sure that the contents of the can have the required weight, the container should be weighed carefully before sealing. If the weight Is satisfactory, ftux should be applied carefully around the groove with a small brush or cord, or a little 'mop made by tying a piece of clean white cloth around the end of a small stick. Great care must be taken to see that none of the flux enters the can. The clean, hot capping steel is then, applied, the cap being held in place with the center rod. As the steel is lowered it should he turned steadily until the solder flows. Hold the rod firmly and lift the steel j j with a sudden twist to swing the melt I ed solder evenly around the groove. Exhausting and Sterilizing. The next step is to exhaust the air j ft-om the cans. To do this, they should j j )e p i at > P( j j n trays :»rwl lowered into j boiling water to within one inch of , thp top . Ordinarily three minutes is long enough for the cans to remain in ! the water, which need not he brought : again to tbe boiling point before the ; cans are taken out. A temperature of j j 180 degrees F. is frequently sufficient I for exhausting. Failure to exhaust j results in the air which is left in the | can expanding. This causes the can j to bulge and gives the a'ppearance of j a "swell," which will not only prevent j the sale of that can, hut prejudices cus j turners in future. The leaders in the . government canning worlt insist that wherever the "4-H Brand" label is used, exhausting should be done. After exhausting, the small hole in the top of the can must be closed im mediately. To do this, apply flux as for capping and use a little wire solder to close the hole. Held the solder with the left hand near the hole aud barely touch the hot copper to it, so that only a bead will drop. It now remains to sterilize the con tents of the sealed cans. For beans, corn, peas and asparagus, intermittent processing is recommended. Under this method sterilization is carried on for one hour for three successive days. The cans are lowered slowly under water that is boiling vigorously at the time. Naturally it ceases to boil as soon as tHe cans are immersed, but will begin to boil again a short time later. The time of processing is count ed from the moment when the water begins to boll again, and it must he kept boiling constantly throughout the entireTiour. In the case of very young string beans and some other easily sterilized vegetables, the processing is reduced to one hour for two successive days. As soon ns the processing is over, the cans should be cooled as rapidly ns possible in order to stop cooking, which breaks down the fruit and in jures the flavor and color. It is well to plunge the cans into very cold wa ter. They should never he stacked close together until they are entirely colil. The labeling should he done with a rather dry paste, which Is put only on the end of the label, so that It does not touch the tin. Paste may cause rust, and in damp climates it is some times customary to lacquer the outside of the can before it is labeled. The label. If the product Is intended for sale, must contain the net weight in £> \ \ 's' - 5» Seating a Packed and Sterilized Glas« Jar. pounds and ounces und the pucker's name and address. In packing fruits and vegetables, it is necessary to surround them with, brine, sirup or water, hut under the terms of the federal law governing the interstate shipment of canned goods, no more of this liquor is allowed than is actually necessary to cowr the con tents after as full a pack us possible is made. With tomatoes no water what ever should he added and no tomato juice should be added in except of the amount in tilt* tomatoes canned. Add Sugar and Salt. In addition to the liquor, a mixture of sugar and salt adds greatly to the flavor of such products as tomatoes, peas, Lima beans and corn. The mix turc recommended by the government specialists in canning is composed of one-third siUt and two-thirds sugar, Two level teaspooiTfuls of tiiis are CANNING VEGETABLES (HOT WATZR PROCESS). Do Not Attempt to Use This Table Without Reading All Directions Care fully. Vegetables. Blanch. minutes. Liquor. Asparagus..........3 to 4................Brine (heavy)..... String beans.......3 to 8.................Brine .............. String beans____ Lima beans..... Beets............. Carrots,.......... .......................Brine 1 Corn........ 2 to o......... Cook % done. pee!. Brine .......Cook done. scrape .............Brine .......1 to 3 (blanch on cob) ....... . Salt, sugar, water.....2 3 Intermittent or 1 hours. 3 Intermittent. 5 Intermittent. 3 Intermittent. 3 1 to 2 hours. 3 1 hour. Okra................."0 to IS. Peas (very yoûng).l to 3... Peas, medium. Potato, sweet. Rhubarb........ Soup mixture.. Tomato......... Tomato......... Salt. sugar, water... .. 2 10 Intermittent. Brine .. 2 3 Intermittent. Salt. sugar, water... 3 45 minutes fii 35 minutes an«4 third Salt. sugar. wat'*r... .. 2 " Intermittent. Pack dry ............. .. 3 15 2 hours. Cold water ........... .. 2 2 15 minutes. Salt. sugar ........... 2 5 2 hours or mittent. Salt. sugar .*.......... .. 2 2 20 minutes. Salt. sugar ........... .. 3 3 30 minutes. In Glass. Vegetable. Blanch. minutes. Liquor. Asparagus.....3 to 4 .............Brine (heavy).. Pint String beans. 3 to 8.............Brino ............Pint String beans.......................Brine ............Quart Lima beans — 2 to a........ ...Salt, sugar. water .........Quart Beets............Cook done, peel ............Brine ............Quart Carrots.........Cook done. scrape ........Brine..............Quar: Corn............ 1 to 3 (blanch Salt, sugar. on cob)........ water .........Quart .....10 to 15...........Brine..............Pint : Salt, sugar, ____I to 3..... Ok »a. Peas(very young..... Peas, med.. ar. Pro« ess. ........... Intermittent or 3 liours continuous. ...........Intermittent or 2 hours continuous. .........Intermittent ..........Intermittent. ........... V'a to 2, hours. ...........1 hour. .........Intermittent. »1 quart. Intermittent. Potato, sweet.. Cook ** done, peet ......... Tomato................. water ...... ... Pint ....... .......Same as No Î. .Salt, sugar, water......... .......Intermittent. ...Quart ..... ......13 minutes. ..Salt, sugar... ......2 hours or intermit ...Pint ........ tent. ..Salt, sugar... ...... 30 minutes. Ncte. —String beans packed in No. j 2 cans are preferable because more : surely sterilized. Corn, lima beans, and peas should never be packed in larger container than No. 2 and processed always in termittently. Corn is cut from cob j after blanching. CANNING FRUITS (HOT WATZR PROCESS). In Tin. Fruit. Soup mixture containing corn and limn beans should always he processed intermittently. The hr tie used is made of 2 , ,j ounces salt to I gallon of water, except for asparagus, which contains 4 ounces to 1 galion. Beets .«nil rhubarb when packed in tin must he out in enamel-lined cans. In Glass. Apples ......... Berries ......... Cherries, sweet Cherries, sour. Currants ....... Figs ............ Gooseberries .. Guava .......... Guava .......... May haw....... Peaches ........ Pears ........... Plums ........... .1 minute.........Xo. 1. .....................No. 3. .13 seconds.......No. 3. .15 seconds.......No. 4 .. .....................No. 3. .Soda blanch.....No. 3 .....................No. .15 seconds.......No. 4 . .15 seconds.............. .....................No. 3. .15 secontls.......No. 4 .. 15 seconds.......No. 3. Prick with needle .........No. 4 . 8 Quart 10 Quait 20 Quart 20 Quart 15 Quart 25 Quart 15 Quar« 20 Quart 25 Pint 20 Quart 15 Quart 20 Quart 12 Quart Note.— Berries, cherries, currants.! figs, gooseberries. May haws and plums, when packed in tin. must be put in enamel-lined cans. To make the sirups recommended. boil sugar and water together in the proportion given below until sugar is dissolved. Strain all impurities out of tiie sirup before using: Sirup No. 1, use 14 ounces to one gallon water. placed in a No. 3 can and orip teaspoon» ful in a Xo. 2 can. For beans, okra, cauliflower, etc., a brine containing -''i ounces of salt to a gallon of water is us,y *» l' or asparagus a heavier brine, ^" ,lr a S a ** OM if' needed. fn dialer to conserve the supply of tin cans, it is strongly urged that all products intended for home uso -di-vjid be put up. whenever possible, in glass. The hermetic type of jar. however, is not a suitable one for intermittent processing, for which the best type is a glass-top jar with «Ire damps. The clamps should bo raised at the begin ning of eaeh processing to allow for expansion. The following tallies show the length of time, tin* character of tin* liquor. and other facts in regard to the can ning of vegetables and fruits by i hi. hot-water process: Sirup Nn. 2. use 1 pound 14 ounces to one gallon water, .Sirup No US( . :i ponn)Is nun( .,. s to one gallon water. '*• n-''•> pounds S ounces to ,,n, | Ku ° tl wator - ^ ,ru P Xo. a, use 0 pounds 13 ounces to one gallon water. The sirup for canned berrit t ts made «out of berry juice instead of watet