THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 241 



also encourage uncleanly, careless work, and in the hands of inex- 

 perienced persons may be dangerous. While with small doses the 

 influence may not be apparent in an adult in normal health, with a 

 child or an invalid the effect may be of a serious nature. The 

 proper way to sterilize is by means of heat, and as this can be done 

 very easily and cheaply the use of chemical preservatives in canning 

 is not to be recommended. 



Kinds of Jars. The first requisite for successful canning is a 

 good jar. Glass is the most satisfactory. Tin is more or less 

 soluble in the juices of fruits and vegetables. Even the most im- 

 proved styles of tin cans which are lacquered on the inside to pre- 

 vent the juice from coming in contact with the tin are open to this 

 objection. While the amount of tin dissolved under these condi- 

 tions is very small, enough does come through the lacquer and into 

 the contents of the can to be detected in an ordinary analysis. 

 While the small amount of tin may not be injurious, it gives an un- 

 desirable color to many canned articles. Tin cans can not readily 

 be used a second time, while glass with proper care will last in- 

 definitely. 



There are a great many kinds of glass jars on the market, many 

 of them possessing certain distinct points of advantage. The ordi- 

 nary screw-top jar is the one in most common use. Although cheap 

 in price, these jars are the most expensive in the long run. The tops 

 last only a few years and, being cheaply made, the breakage is 

 usually greater than that of a better grade of jar. The tops also 

 furnish an excellent hiding place for germs, which makes steriliza- 

 tion very difficult. 



The most satisfactory jar is the one which has a rubber ring 

 and glass top, held in place by a simple wire spring. There are 

 several brands of these jars on the market, so no difficulty should be 

 experienced in obtaining them. Vegetables often spoil after being 

 sterilized because of defective rubbers. It is poor economy to buy 

 cheap rubbers or to use them a second time. As a general rule black 

 rubbers are more durable than white ones. 



Buy a good grade of jar. The best quality usually retails at 

 from a dollar to a dollar and twenty-five cents a dozen. The initial 

 expense may be, therefore, somewhat high, but with proper care they 

 should last many years. The annual breakage should be less than 

 3 per cent on the average. In selecting a jar always give preference 

 to those havings wide mouths. In canning whole fruit or vegetables 

 and in cleaning the jars the wide mouth will be found to be decid- 

 edly preferable. 



Containers for Sterilizing. A tin clothes boiler with a false 

 bottom made of wire netting cut to fit may be used as a container 

 for sterilizing. The netting is made of medium-sized galvanized 

 wire (No. 16) with one-half inch mesh. A false bottom is abso- 

 lutely necessary, as the jars will break if set flat upon the bottom of 

 the boiler. Narrow strips of wood, straw, or almost anything of this 

 nature may be used for the purpose, but the wire gauze is clean and 

 convenient. 



