718 
Sterilization 
To sterilize a substance or thing is to 
destroy all life and sources of life in and 
about it. In following the brief outline 
of the structure and work of bacteria, 
yeasts and molds, it has been seen that 
damage to foods comes through the 
growth of these organisms on or in the 
food; also that if such organisms are ex-~- 
posed to a temperature of 212 degrees 
Fahrenheit, life will be destroyed, but 
that spores and a few resisting bacteria 
are not destroyed at a temperature of 
212 degrees Fahrenheit unless exposed to 
it for two or more hours. 
Bacteria and yeasts, which are inti- 
mately mixed with food, are not as easily 
destroyed as are those on smooth sur- 
faces, such as the utensils and jars em- 
ployed in the preparation of the food. 
Since air and water, as well as the 
foods, contain bacteria and yeasts, and 
may contain mold spores, all utensils 
used in the process of preserving foods 
are liable to be contaminated with these 
organisms. For this reason all appliances, 
as well as the food, must be sterilized. 
Stewpans, spoons, strainers, etc., may 
be put on the fire in cold or boiling 
water and boiled 10 or 15 minutes. 
Tumblers, bottles, glass jars, and covers 
should be put in cold water and heated 
gradually to the boiling point, and then 
boiled for 10 or 15 minutes. The jars 
must be taken one at a time from the 
boiling water at the moment they are to 
be filled with the boiling food. The work 
should be done in a well-swept and dusted 
room, and the clothing of the workers and 
the towels used should be clean. 
In canning fruits it is well to remember 
that the product is more satisfactory if 
heated gradually to the boiling point and 
then cooked the given time. 
Utensils Needed for Canning and 
Preserving 
In preserving, canning, and jelly-mak- 
ing, iron or tin utensils should never be 
used. The fruit acids attack these metals 
and so give a bad color and metallic 
taste to the products. The preserving 
kettles should be porcelain lined, enam- 
eled, or of a metal that will not form 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
troublesome chemical combinations with 
fruit juices. The kettles should be broad 
rather than deep, as the fruit should not 
be cooked in deep layers. Nearly all the 
necessary utensils may be found in some 
ware not subject to chemical action. A 
list of the most essential articles follows: 
Two preserving kettles, one colander, 
one fine strainer, one skimmer, one ladle, 
one large-mouthed funnel, one wire frying 
basket, one wire sieve, four long-handled 
wooden spoons, one wooden masher, a few 
large pans, knives for paring fruit 
(plated if possible), flat-bottomed clothes 
boiler, wooden or willow rack to put in 
the bottom of the boiler, iron tripod or 
ring, squares of cheese cloth. In addi- 
tion, it would be well to have a flannel 
straining bag, a frame on which to hang 
the bag, a syrup gauge and a glass cylin- 
der, a fruit pricker, and plenty of clean 
towels. The regular kitchen pans will 
answer for holding and washing the fruit. 
Mixing bowls and stone crocks can be 
used for holding the fruit juice and pared 
fruit. When fruit is to be plunged into 
boiling water for a few minutes before 
paring, the ordinary stewpans may be 
employed for this purpose. 
Seales are a desirable article in every 
kitchen, as weighing is much more accu- 
rate than the ordinary measuring. But, 
knowing that a large percentage of the 
housekeepers do not possess scales, it has 
seemed wise to give all the rules in 
measure rather than weight. 
If canning is done by the oven process, 
a large sheet of asbestos, for the bottom 
of the oven, will prevent the cracking of 
jars. 
The wooden rack, on which the bottles 
rest in the washboiler, is made in this 
manner: Have two strips of wood meas- 
uring one inch high, one inch wide, and 
two inches shorter than the length of the 
boiler. On these pieces of wood tack thin 
strips of wood that are one and one-half 
inches shorter than the width of the 
boiler. These cross-strips should be about 
one inch wide, and there should be an 
inch between two strips. This rack will 
support the jars and will admit the free 
circulation of boiling water about them. 
