720 
The preparation of fruit for the various 
processes of preserving is the second im- 
portant step. System will do much to 
lighten the work. Begin by having the 
kitchen swept and dusted thoroughly, 
that there need not be a large number of 
mold spores floating about. Dust with a 
damp cloth. Have plenty of hot water 
and pans in which jars and utensils may 
be sterilized. Have at hand all necessary 
utensils, towels, sugar, etc. Prepare only 
as much fruit as can be cooked while it 
still retains its color and crispness. Be- 
fore beginning to pare fruit have some 
syrup ready, if that is to be used, or if 
sugar is to be added to the fruit have it 
weighed and measured. 
Decide upon ‘the amount of fruit you 
will cook at one time, then have two 
powls—one for sugar and one for the 
fruit—that will hold just the quantity of 
each. As the fruit is pared or hulled, as 
the case may be, drop it into its measur- 
ing bowl. When the measure is full put 
the fruit and sugar in the preserving 
kettle. While this is cooking another 
measure may be prepared and put in the 
second preserving kettle. In this way the 
fruit is cooked quickly and put in the 
jars and sealed at once, leaving the pans 
ready to sterilize another set of jars. 
If the fruit is to be preserved or canned 
with syrup, it may be put into the jars as 
fast as it is prepared. As soon as a jar 
is full, pour in enough syrup to cover it. 
If several people are helping and large 
kettles are being used for the preserving, 
or where fruit (like quinces and hard 
pears) must be first boiled in clear water, 
the pared fruit should be dropped into a 
bowl of cold water made slightly acid 
With lemon juice (one tablespoonful of 
lemon juice to a quart of water). This 
will keep the fruit white. 
All large, hard fruit must be washed 
before paring. Quinces should be rubbed 
with a coarse towel before they are 
washed. If berries must be washed, do 
the work before stemming or hulling 
them. The best way to wash berries is 
to put a small quantity into a colander 
and pour cold water over them; then turn 
them on a sieve to drain. All this work 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
must be done quickly that the fruit may 
not absorb much water. Do not use the 
fingers for hulling strawberries. A sim- 
ple huller can be bought for five cents. 
If practicable pare fruit with a silver 
knife, so as not to stain or darken the 
product. The quickest and easiest way 
to peel peaches is to drop them into boil- 
ing water for a few minutes. Have a 
deep kettle a little more than half-full 
of boiling water; fill a wire basket with 
peaches; put a long-handled spoon under 
the handle of the basket and lower into 
the boiling water. Let the peaches drain 
a minute, then peel. Plums and tomatoes 
may be peeled in the same manner. 
If the peaches are to be canned in 
syrup, put them at once into the steril- 
ized jars. They may be canned whole or 
in halves. If in halves, remove nearly 
all the stones or pits. For the sake of 
the flavor, a few stones should be put 
in each jar. 
When preparing cherries, plums, or 
crabapples for canning or preserving, the 
stem or a part of it may be left on the 
fruit. 
When preparing to make jelly have 
ready the cheesecloth strainer, enameled 
colander, wooden spoons, vegetable mash- 
er, measures, tumblers, preserving ket- 
tles, and sugar. 
If currant jelly is to be made, free the 
fruit from leaves and large stems. If the 
jelly is to be made from any of the other 
small fruits, the stems and hulls must be 
removed. 
When the jelly is to be made from any 
of the larger fruits the important part of 
the preparation is to have the fruit 
washed clean, then to remove the stem 
and blossom end. Nearly all the large 
fruits are better for having the skin left 
on. Apples and pears need not be cored. 
There is so much gummy substance in 
the cores of quinces that it is best not to 
use this portion in making fine jelly. 
Making Syrup for Use in Canning and 
Preserving 
Such syrups as are used in canning and 
preserving are made with varying pro- 
portions of water and sugar. When the 
proportion of sugar is large and that of 
