BOTTLING SOFT FRUIT 23 
capping, and much of the success depends upon the care 
taken in capping. The indiarubber rings are next put 
on. Have ready a basin of hot water, and before laying 
the ring on the mouth of the bottle dip it into the hot 
water, for a second or two. This makes the rubber 
more flexible and more likely to lie quite flat, which is 
an important point. When the ring is in its place put 
on the metal cap. Care must be taken to place it on the 
bottle perfectly straight. The spring clip is then put 
on, and the bottle is ready to go into the steriliser. 
Imperfect capping is often due to the ring, or the cap 
being carelessly put on. ‘This allows the air to get in, 
and prevents the bottle becoming hermetically sealed, as 
it should be. 
Sterilising the Fruit.—The bottles are now placed in 
the steriliser. They should stand just clear of each 
other. A sufficient quantity of cold water is put in to 
cover the bottle three parts of the way up. The 
lid is then put on, and the thermometer screwed into 
its socket. The temperature generally registered at 
this stage is about 60° It is very gradually allowed 
to rise till it reaches 155°. An increase of two degrees 
a minute is rapid enough. If the temperature is allowed 
to go up with a rush the skin of the fruit in the bottles 
will be cracked. It nearly always takes an hour, if not 
more, before the required temperature is reached. ‘The 
‘bottles should be kept at 155° for 45 minutes. If gas 
or oil is used for the heating this is easily done by 
regulating the flame. In the Jacketed sterilisers 
(Mercia) the hot air cushion keeps the temperature 
Weryeeven. At the end of 45 minutes the bottles 
are taken out and put to cool. If a screw-topped 
bottle is used, such as the De Lucca or Atlas Fruit Jar, 
the loose rim is now tightly screwed down. Where 
the spring clip is used it is left on till the bottles 
are quite cold. When this stage has been reached 
