FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRESERVING. 283 



on the tables of the growers is a most effective way 

 of convincing other people of how good fruit diet is. 



Bottling may be our first step in preserving. Apricots, 

 peaches, plums, pears, quinces, cumquats, cherries, 

 marmalade, jams, &c., are possible, and without stint for 

 use when fruit is scarce. There is no unapproachable 

 secret and but small expense in bottling. The process 

 is simple, and depends on the fruit being sound to start 

 with ; then sorted properly, and, either in the bottles or 

 in the preserving pan, heated to the boiling point' until 

 cooked, according to the nature of the fruit. All germs 

 which cause decay are thus destroyed. The bottle is sealed 

 while hot and the contents may then keep for years. 

 Apricots should be split in halves, peaches stripped of their 

 skins by dipping them in a boiling bath of water, with 2 to 

 6 ozs. caustic soda per gallon of water; or a sufficient quantity 

 of stronger or weaker soda to make an effective skin 

 stripping bath. Then dip the fruit in cold water, and the 

 skins slip off, leaving the fruit beautifully smooth. 



Time for Cooking. Judgment and practice soon give 

 the necessary experience. The following will be found 

 helpful, the variation depending on ripeness, appliances, 

 &c. Apricots, take from three to ten minutes ; peaches, 

 six to twelve minutes ; cumquats and pears, from ten to 

 fifteen minutes ; quinces, twenty minutes ; plums, from 

 ten to twenty minutes ; cherries, from five to twelve 

 miuutes. The covers or tops are put on while the contents 

 are boiling hot, in order to secure a vacuum, by the 

 condensing of the steam. In bottles closed up when in 

 this condition there will be no mould or other sign of 

 decay nfter long keeping. Soft tough parchment paper 

 or paper dipped in spirits, quickly applied, and tightly 

 bound on while hot, and a coat of some waxy material put 

 on afterwards, answers well ; but bottles with spring or 

 screw tops are handy, reliable, and not costly. 



Sugar or Syrup. So far as acting as a preservative, 

 sugar or syrup has but little effect. The quantity used is 

 matter of taste. From to 20 oz. sugar per pound of 

 fruit is used, but the flavour is injured and the sugar as 

 well by cooking fruit and sugar together. This part of 



