HOME CANNING 295 



Sterilize in hot-water bath outfit for 30 minutes 180 degrees 

 heat ; in water-seal outfit for 20 minutes, same temperature. 

 Do not undertake to sterilize apple -juice or any other fruit 

 juice under steam pressure or high temperature. Remove 

 jars, tighten cover, invert to cool and test joints. 



The average fruit farmer may not be able to make apple 

 sirup commercially profitable, but during seasons when there 

 are a large number of culls and windfalls, when markets are 

 glutted, it is a matter of business economy to utilize by- 

 products and reduce these apples to food value of some 

 kind. The making of apple sirup for the family's winter 

 use is then quite worth while. 



Reducing Sweet Apple Cider to Sirup. Wash ap- 

 ples, remove all decayed and worm-eaten spots. Use 

 only sweet cider. The sterilizing, reducing vat or ket- 

 tle should be a third larger than required to hold contents. 

 Powdered calcium carbite is sometimes called carbonate 

 of lime and is a low-priced, harmless chemical available at 

 any drug store. It looks something like powdered chalk. 



Recipe for Apple Sirup. Add five ounces of powdered 

 calcium carbonate to seven gallons of apple cider. Boil 

 in kettle or vat vigorously for a period of five minutes. 

 Pour the liquid into vessels, preferably glass jars or pitch- 

 ers, allow to stand six to eight hours or until perfectly clear. 

 Pour the clear liquid into preserving kettle. Do not allow 

 sediment at bottom to enter. Add to this one level tea- 

 spoonful of lime and stir thoroughly. The process is com- 

 pleted by boiling down rapidly to a clear liquid. Use den- 

 sity gage or a candy thermometer and bring it up to 204 

 degrees F., or without thermometer reduce bulk to one- 

 seventh of original volume. Remove, cool rapidly in cold 

 water until it shows same consistency as maple sirup. Do 

 not allow to candy. Pour sirup into fruit jars, pitchers, 

 bottles, etc., and allow to cool slowly. (Slow cooling is 

 important.) The sirup can be cooled effectively in fireless 

 cooker or wash boiler. The white sediment which settles 

 during the cooling process is called by chemists malate of 

 lime, and is a harmless compound of lime or acid of the 



