Miscellaneous. 



471 



that all my canned goods were gathered, packed and cooked be- 

 fore they were allowed to deteriorate. 



Two and three pound tin cans are used the same as in a regu- 

 lar canning factory. The fruit and vegetables are packed in the 

 cans raw, and the cans are soldered up and their contents cooked 

 the required length of time. String beans and peas are first blanch- 

 ed before being packed in the cans. That is, they are boiled in 

 clear water for ten minutes in order to wilt them so that more can 

 be packed in a can. 



All the preservatives used in canning, is a weak salt brine in 

 canning corn, peas and string beans, and only enough salt is used 

 to season to taste. 



Strawberries, cherries, raspberries, pears and fancy peaches 

 are packed in a syrup made by dissolving granulated sugar in 

 water. Some have packed apples in syrup and report a greater 

 demand for them, than for their peaches. Since but a small 

 quantity of sugar is required for making the syrup, this will prove 

 to be a more profitable way of utilizing the surplus apples, than to 

 evaporate them. 



The length of time required to properly cook the canned goods, 

 varies from six minutes for strawberries to five hours for corn. 

 Corn is cooked by compressed steam in the canning factories, be- 

 cause this method raises the temperature to 240 degrees, and only 

 a short length of time for cooking is required to destroy the fer- 

 menting germs and insure its keeping qualities. This same end 

 may be accomplished, however, by cooking at 212 degrees, or the 

 boiling point for the full five hours. 



