486 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



pressure ol' inaiuifactured gas for best economy of both gas and labor in the 

 lioiKselioltl lias clainu'd coiisidorablr altentioii. The relative merits of dil'ferent 

 metals and other materials for kitchen utensils have been considered and should 

 receive further attention. One very si t;ni Meant development of this work is 

 the study begun in cooperation with the Bureau of Mines of the Department of 

 tlie Interior of the domestic use of natural gas by methods and equipment 

 which will help to conserve this natural resource — an exceedingly important 

 matter because of the rapidly disappearing supply. 



3. In the studies of home canning, fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, and 

 fish products have been used to learn the influence of different environmental 

 factors and variations in method of canning upon quality of the final product. 

 Iliese products, winch include more than 1,500 cans and jars, are stored for a 

 period comparable with ordinary home storage and are examined at frequent 

 intervals both in a bacteriological laboi'atory and by judges with some expe- 

 rience in scoring canned products for exccjUence of quality. It seems clear 

 that climate and other environmental factors umst be given greater considera- 

 tion than has heretofore been the case when instructions for home canning are 

 issued. This is of special importance with such vegetables as asparagus, 

 green beans and peas, corn, and okra, some of which may be suitably canned 

 at home by water-bath methods, others of which should not be attempted 

 under the trying conditions of a hot climate unless a steam-pressure cooker 

 can be used. A considerable number of studies have been undertaken with non- 

 acid vegetables to deternn'ne the effect of adding vinegar on the length of time 

 requii-ed for processing. The rate at which heat penetrates different kinds 

 of containers and different sorts of animal and vegetable tissues under varying 

 conditions is also being studied. Such studies must be further continued in 

 order to arrive finally at conclusive general deductions. One conclusion reached 

 is that home canning, despite failures in individual instances, is in the main 

 successful, and that this method of conserving our food supply merits the 

 confidence placed in it. 



4. The studies of dried fruits and vegetables have been continued, and as a 

 result a paper, Recipes and Methods of Preparation of Dried Fruits and Vege- 

 tables, has been writtc a for the ufe of the extension ofilces. 



5. In the jelly-making work several processes for making pectin at home 

 from apples and the peel of citrus fruits have been studied, and also the use 

 of this pectin of- home manufacture and of commercial pectin, with fruits 

 lacking it entirely or with those having only a low pectin content. Mention 

 may be made, too, of a comparison of cane and beet sugar for jelly making, 

 in which e^iually good results were obtained, and of the use of malt sirup, 

 which made a good jelly when used to replace half the sugar required. 



6. An absorption of fat in frying greater than is necessary for good quality 

 involves not only difficulty in digestion of the product, but also needless ex- 

 pense, and should be avoided by housekeepers as well as by commercial bakers, 

 who are usually quick to realize that a small saving in each article cooked 

 means in the end a large total. The experiments along this line (more than 

 2.50 tests) have given useful results which the housewife can apply. Contrary 

 to general opinion, it has been found that the use of eggs in batters like 

 fritters and doughnuts involves high fat absorption. Recipes can be given 

 which insure a good quality of product without needless fat absorption, and 

 this means a saving of material which means a saving of money, and also 

 improved health in some instances at least. 



7. At the request of the Bureau of Animal Industry a number of commercial 

 fats made for cooking purposes were studied. Following this tests were made 

 with a number of other shortening fats, including lard, butter, and several 

 common manufactured products. It appears that the successful use of fats 

 in cake and pastry making and the manipulation to be followed when incorpo- 

 rating them in batters and doughs is related to or determined by the " graini- 

 ness " of the fat. " Graininess " is a name indicating the size of the crystals 

 formed when cooling melted fat, the number and lengtli of the crystals in- 

 fluencing decidedly the distribution of the fat wlien it is mixed with the other 

 ingredients. 



8. The work with meat has included studies of the qualities of different 

 grades and classes of beef and their preparation for the table. A report of the 

 results was given to workers in other branches of the Government service who 

 were interested in the use of the cheaper cuts of meat by the average house- 

 Avife. For the Bureau of Biological Survey a study was made of the food 



