98 The Bulletin. 



The laws of our State makes this a disagreeable disease to handle because they 

 require that every horse affected thereby must be destroyed, or, in other words, 

 the penalty of $50 is imposed upon a man for keeping in his possession a horse 

 affected with glanders. 



The symptoms of this disease are not very clear and, therefore, make it more 

 or less difficult for the farmer or horseman to diagnose. In order to be sure of 

 the existence of this disease it is wise to have the mallein test applied, in order 

 to make certain and sure. 



It is only in the last year that the Department of Agriculture has traced out 

 the existence of glanders in this State to direct importation of horses from 

 distant cities. In order to prevent this and other contagious diseases being 

 brought into our State a law, or regulation, has been adopted, prohibiting the 

 importation of live stock of any character into this State unless accompanied 

 by a health certificate issued by a reputable veterinarian, and endorsed by the 

 State Veterinarian of the State in which such shipments originate. This regula- 

 tion was passed by the Board of Agriculture at its December meeting in 1909. 

 and is now in effect. Copies of this law may be secured at the Department at. 

 anv time. 



HOME CANNING OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 



.S. B. SHAW. 



On account of the present high prices of food-stuffs the question of the homt^ 

 production and canning of fruits and vegetables is one of vital importance to 

 farmers throughout the entire country. An abundant supply of fresh garden 

 and orchard products can be had in season, but usually the winter supply of 

 these foods has to be purchased in the form of canned goods. 



Fruits and vegetables can be "put up" in glass jars at home as readily as they 

 can be packed in tins at the factories. The great secret of success is complete- 

 sterilization. Minute forms of life that we call bacteria are present everj-where 

 in untold numbers. These bacteria are practically the sole cause of the spoiling 

 or decomposing of the different fruits and vegetables. Tlie reproduction of 

 bacteria, which is very rapid, is brought about by one of two processes. The 

 bacterium either divides itself into two parts, making two bacteria where one 

 existed before, or else reproduces itself by means of spores. Spores may be com- 

 pared with seeds of an ordinary plant. These spores present the chief difficulty 

 in canning the products of the orchard and garden. By complete sterilization 

 we mean the killing of all forms of bacteria. This can readily be accomplished 

 by boiling. While the parent bacteria can be killed at the temperature of boiling 

 water, the seeds or spores retain their vitality for a long time even at that 

 temperature. Upon cooling these spores will germinate, and the newly-formed 

 bacteria will begin their destructive work. For this reason it is necessary, in 

 order to completely sterilize fruits and vegetables, to heat them to the boiling 

 point of water and maintain that temperature for from thirty minutes to an 

 hour and a half upon two or three consecutive days, or else keep at this temper- 

 ature for a long period of time — five to eight hours. The surest and most eco- 

 nomical way is to boil for so many minutes each day for three days, as required 

 for the different fruits and vegetables. 



The fruits and vegetables to be canned are prepared in exactly the same way 

 as they would be previous to cooking for immediate use, and are packed firmly 

 in clean glass jars. Pack the jars to within half an inch of the top and fill 

 entirely full with fresh water. New rubbers are then put in place and the top 

 put on, but not sealed tight. The jars are then placed upon small strips of 

 wood, or other supports, in some convenient flat-bottomed vessel that will be 

 deep enough to permit being covered when the jars are in place. This vessel is 

 then filled with cold water to a depth that will bring the water up an inch and 

 a half or two inches 'on the outside of the jars. Tlie vessel is then placed on the 

 stove and fltf water brouglit to the boiling point. With most vegetables boiling 



