Canning Fruit for Winter 



By M. Roberts Conover, New Jersey 



AS DISTINGUISHED from rich 

 ■**■ preserves, the ordinary process of 

 canning aims to save the natural flavor 

 of the fruit, with only sugar enough to 

 make it palatable and sufficient cooking to 

 make it tender — a more wholesome pro- 

 duct than that preserved with the bor- 

 rowed flavor of spices. Sound fruit that 

 is right to eat is right to can. Flat, flavor- 

 less fruit, or that which is underripe, 

 requires longer cooking and added flavors 

 to render it agreeable to the taste. 



The quantity of sugar for canning fruits 

 of ordinary sweetness is one half a pound 

 to each pound of fruit; and for preserving, 

 three quarters or one pound of sugar to 

 each pound of fruit. 



Firm fruit that is to be cooked in a 

 kettle and dipped into the jars requires 

 water enough to float it, the sugar be- 

 ing added about ten minutes before 

 dipping it. 



Pears, apples and peaches, if pared 

 long before cooking and exposed to the 

 air, deteriorate in color and flavor. 



Soft, yielding fruit such as plums, if 

 dipped, should be allowed to stand twelve 

 hours in syrup before cooking. It toughens 

 them. Covering fruit during cooking pre- 

 serves its color. 



It is far more satisfactory as to form 

 and color to cook the fruit in the jars. 



They do not require the long boiling of 

 vegetables — one hour is sufficient. 



The fruit is put into the cans cold and 

 covered with water in which the right 

 amount of sugar is dissolved. In the 

 case of plums and peaches, I find that one 



For all the larger fruits the wide-necked jars are 

 especially convenient for keeping the fruit whole 



teacupful of sugar to each jar of fruit 

 sweetens them agreeable and saves the 

 trouble of weighing. 



The covers are adjusted and the cans 

 set in a tank of water, as described for 



canning vegetables in the June issue of 

 The Garden Magazine. 



For fine appearance and quality nothing 

 surpasses the fruit canned whole. The 

 wide-mouthed jar answers splendidly for 

 canning fine large peaches and pears as 

 well as other fruits. If you use the kind 

 not requiring a rubber ring it is a great 

 convenience, as the jars do not have to 

 be opened after cooking as do jars of other 

 types. 



What Do You Think? 



AN EXPRESSION of opinion by an 

 ■*"*• interested reader is always welcome. 

 Our aim is naturally to give satisfaction 

 to the greatest number of our readers, and 

 with their aid we try to make the text 

 of this magazine expressive of their desires. 

 We had thought that this special page 

 might fill a vacancy in the rounding out 

 of our idea of the garden and the home. 

 But perhaps we have been mistaken; 

 one letter just received from a subscriber 

 in Philadephia says: 



Will The Garden Magazine publish a reason 

 for giving up space to " The Housekeeper ? " Do 

 not the many subscribers agree with me in saying 

 that they buy this paper for garden information, 

 not for cooking recipes or to learn how to cut down 

 husband's pants for Willie at a maximum cost of 

 ten cents. 



And as we really want to know, we ask 

 you, "How about it?" 





All conveniences should be kept in built-in compartments. Such a kitchen. And the wrong way is to have everything hung against the walls or set upon 

 neatly finished in hard wood, is easy to keep immaculately clean shelves in plain view, to catch the dust. This gives an untidy appearance 



THE RIGHT AND WRONG ARRANGEMENT IN KITCHENS 

 69 



