598 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



the jar during the second cooking. Place the jars again in the 

 boiler and boil for one hour. Clamp on the top as on the preceding 

 day and allow them to cool. Repeat this operation on the third 

 day. In removing the jars from the boiler be careful not to expose 

 them to a draft of cold air while they are hot, as a sudden change 

 in temperature is likely to crack them. 



After the sterilization is complete the jars may be set aside for 

 a day or two and then tested. This is done by releasing the spring 

 at the side and picking up the jar by the top. If there has been 

 the least bit of decomposition, or if sterilization has not been com- 

 plete, the top will come off, because the pressure on the top hay 

 been relieved by the gas formed by the bacteria. In this case it is 

 always best to empty out the corn and fill up the jar with a fresh 

 supply. If canning fruits or some expensive vegetable, however, 

 examine the contents of the jar and, if the decomposition has not 

 gone far enough to injure the flavor, place it once more in the 

 boiler and sterilize again. If the top does not come off, one may 

 be reasonably sure that the corn is keeping. Corn is often subject 

 to the attack of anaerobic bacteria. The spores of these are some- 

 times very hard to kill and remain alive even after boiling for one 

 hour. In case any jars spoil, increase the time of boiling to an 

 hour and a half. 



String Beans. Select young and tender beans, string them, 

 and break them into short lengths. Pack firmly in the jar, cover 

 with cold water, and add a teaspoon of salt to each quart. Put on 

 the rubber and top and boil for one hour on each of three succes- 

 sive days, as directed under Corn. A small pod of red pepper placed 

 in the bottom of the jar will give a delightful flavor to this vege- 

 table. 



Eggplant. Pare the eggplant, cut in thin slices, and drop in 

 boiling water for fifteen or twenty minutes. Drain off the water 

 and pack the slices in the jar. Cover with water and sterilize as 

 directed under Corn. The slices of eggplant are pliable and may 

 be taken from the jar without being broken and either fried in 

 bread crumbs or made into pudding and baked. 



Summer Squash. Cut the vegetable into small blocks, pack 

 in the jars, and cover with water. Add a teaspoon of salt to each 

 quart and sterilize. It is sometimes preferable with this vegetable, 

 however, to pare off the skin, boil or steam until thoroughly done, 

 mash them, and then pack in the jars and sterilize. If canned in 

 the latter way, it is advisable to steam them for an hour and a half, 

 instead of for an hour, on each of three days, as the heat penetrates 

 the jar very slowly. It is absolutely necessary that the interior of 

 the jar should reach the temperature of boiling water. A jar will 

 usually hold about twice as much of the cooked vegetables as it 

 will of the uncooked. 



Tomatoes. Every housewife knows how to can tomatoes. They 

 are very easily kept, even in the common screw-top jar. When the 

 tomato is to be used for food, care should be taken to retain all of 

 the juice, as the nutrients are present largely in soluble form, and any 



