Canning and Preserving 1855 



floating in the air. When a spore settles on a snitable article of 

 food it sends out a fine thread which branches out and works 

 its way over and into the substance. At first it seems white or 

 light gray and can hardly be seen, but soon the mold becomes 

 colored and, under a microscope, looks like a beautiful flower 

 garden. These spores of mold are light and are blown about by 

 the wind, but they are heavier than air and settle everywhere. If 

 one settles in a glass of preserves or jelly it will soon grow. Molds 

 do not w^irk so freely in canned fruits as raw. 



' Canning is from all points the most desirable way of caring 

 for fruits, making only enough rich preserves to serve for 

 variety and for special occasions. 



There are several methods of canning fruits, as follows: 



First, by simply stewing the fruit in an open kettle and then 

 sealing in jars. 



Second, by cooking in jars in the oven. Put the raw fruit in 

 jars filled with syrup boiling hot and place jars uncovered in the 

 oven on a sheet of asbestos paper or in a pan with a little water in 

 it; cook about ten minutes. If fruit has settled refill and seal 

 jars. 



Tomatoes cooked in the oven are fine. First stew a few toma- 

 toes and strain. Then fill cans with fresh peeled tomatoes, pour- 

 ing in and filling to overflowing with the stewed tomatoes. Cook 

 uncovered a half hour ; refill and seal. 



Third, by cooking in jars in a water bath. By this method 

 prepare the fruit and syrup as for cooking in the oven. Fill the 

 sterilized jars and put covers on loosely. Have a wooden rack 

 in bottom of wash boiler and enough warm water to come about 

 four inches above the rack. Place the filled cans on the rack, 

 separating the cans by cloth or ropes, so they will not bump 

 together when the water boils. Cover the boiler and cook fruit 

 ten minutes from the time the water boils. Kefill cans with syrup 

 and seal. 



In canning vegetables by this method, the process is much 

 longer. We are not able to get a high enough degree of heat to 

 kill the bacteria that cause decay in vegetables on our stoves, so 

 to make up, we need to cook the vegetables in the water bath for 

 three or even four hours. I do not like this way of canning fruits 



