THE (lAKUl'.lN AND FIELD. 



.'5.53 



® Fruit Bottlins ® 



Amonjist the best papers on this 

 subject is one which was written 

 by I\Ir. Wm. Jaapios, Cannini:^ Kx- 

 pert to the New /'eal.uid l>epart- 

 inent of Ajj;riciiltiire. 



The condition in which the fruit 

 should be for bottliujr depends 

 upon the use for which it is in- 

 tended. If it is to be treated for 

 for dessert purposes it should be 

 mature but not soft ; if for pie-- 

 fruits or for stewnne: it should be 

 ((iiite on the hard side. Over ripe 

 or damaged fruit should be con- 

 verted into jam or made into pulp 

 for makinor jam when the fruit- 

 packinsj season is over. Specked 

 and bruised fruit should not be 

 used unless the bruised parts and 

 the surrounding (le.sh can be cut 

 away. In selecting the fruits, 

 while it is quite tri'e that any 

 variet}'- can be used, for pie-fruits 

 the cooking varieties c;ive by, far 

 the better result ; while for dessert 

 fruits, if it is desired to turn out 

 a fine and satisfactory article, 

 there are certain varieties that are 

 so far superior to others that it 

 \^^11 be much mon satisfactory to 

 select these rather than expend 

 time and money in treatins^ vari- 

 eties that do not cive entirely 

 satisfactory results. At the same 

 time, if a quantitv of fruit is avail- 

 able for preserving-, there isino rea- 

 son whatever why it should not be 

 put up for personal or local sup- 

 ply ; but if it is proposed to turn 

 the business to commercial ac- 

 count it is most desirable to ob- 

 tain fruit which is orthodox as to 

 colour, flavour, and appearance, 

 and suitaible for the purpose. 



— Apricots. — 



These should be selected as they 

 develop flavour and sweetness at 



COOPER'S 



STOUT. 



Full-bodied and Nourishing, is 

 taking the place of Imported Stout 



Recommended by Doctors. 



Write to — 



Thos. COOPER & SONS 

 Upper Kensington. 



an early staple of ripening, as well 

 as of a jjood colour. The fruit 

 .should not be too large, but of fair 

 size, evenly graded and clean. 



— Pears. — 



The fruit should not be too large 

 but of good size, evenly graded, 

 and clean. 



— Peaches. — 



Any good-flavoured, firni-Qeshed, 

 fruit will '"')Ule, but deeii-yellow 

 or pure white give the best restilt. 

 Clingstone fruit has the better 

 flesh, but it is somewhat tronble- 

 some to pre.i^are unless a pitting- 

 spoon is available to remove the 

 stone ; while freestone fruit may be 

 used, providc'd that the pit is not 

 too large and the pit-pod is free 

 from fibre, light in colour, and 

 easily cait away, otherwise the fibre 

 may separate from the fruit and 

 cause the syrup to become cloudy 

 or coloured, and otherwise spoil 

 the general appearance cf the pack- 

 age. The fruit should not be too 

 large, but medium in size, and well 

 graded. Late peaches are better 

 than the early varieties. 



— Quinces. — 



Quinces may be bottled. There 

 is little demand cornmercially, 

 which I attribute to a want of 

 appreciation of a very wholesome, 

 useful, and delicious pie-fruit. Any 

 variety may be used, but .hoo.^e 

 the best available. 



— Apples. — 



The most valuable and obliging 

 of all fruits if properly treated. 

 Apples are sometimes thought too 

 common to preserve in bottles ; 

 this may be true from a commer- 

 cial point of view, but not in the 

 domestic sense, because with care 

 the bottle and cover may be used 

 each season, and the apples are 

 kept for winter use at the expense 

 of only the ring. It is not desir- 

 able to put up apples for dessert 

 purposes. Sweet dessert apples 

 do not bottle so well as cooking 

 apples ; and , while alm'ost any 

 variety may be used, be careful to 

 choose, H possible, a hard, sour 

 cooking sort, with firm white flesh 

 and a small core. 



— To Prepare the Fruit. — 



Never pack two varieties of the 

 same sort of fruit in the same 

 bottle (red currants and raspber- 



ries excejited), and always tho- 

 roughly sterilise the bottles, cov- 

 ers, and rin;;s before using. Spread 

 the fruit out on a tal)le or bench, 

 which should be fitted with a ledge 

 to prevent the fruit from rolling 

 off. The table should l:o covered 

 with cocoanut matting to make a 

 soft surface, as it is essential not 

 to bruise the fruit. Pick out all 

 speckled, bruised, and, damaged 

 fruit, and grade the sound fruitr. 

 into two or three sizes. If the 

 fruit is wet or dirty, it should be 

 washed in salt and water, taken 

 out, and drained. Then proceed as 

 follows : — 



— Apricots. — 



As apricots are packed with 

 therr skins on, any sneckled fruit 

 will spoil the appearance for des- 

 sert, therefore reject all imnerfect 

 fruit for this purpose. With a 

 clean, sharp knife cut evenly round 

 the stone, commencing at the stalk 

 end, then take the fruit in both 

 hands, and with a firm but decid- 

 ed twist, without bruising, divide 

 the fruit into two hah'es, and with 

 a small spoon, sharpened at the 

 edges, or, for preference, a pitting- 

 spoon, cut out the stone cleanly ; 

 remove the stalk and any loose 

 pieces resulting from an uneven 

 cut, and pack immediately into 

 bottles which have been previously 

 sterilised, placing the pieces, skin 

 uppermost, slightly overlapping 

 one another. If carefully packed, 

 the bottles will hold more fruit 

 and have an att'ractive appearance 

 when finished. Be careful not to 

 press the fruit down, or it will be 

 buised. Fill the bottle quite full, 

 place your hand over the top, and 

 strike the bottom of the bottle on 

 a wooden table to shake the Jruit 

 down, and fill up with fruit till the 

 bottle will hold no more. Then fill 

 up with svrup to the top — a dense 

 svrup for dessert fruits and a light 

 syrup for pie-fruits. Pie-fruits are 

 treated in the same way. 



— Pears. — 



Pears should have their skin re- 

 moved before they ana packed. 

 Pick them over carefully, removing 

 all bruised and damaged fruit. 

 Grade them for size. Pare the 

 fruit lenirthwise, with a sharp 

 knife with a thin blade ; so as not 

 to bruise the fruit, or, if a large 

 quantity is to be prepared, have 

 ready a wire basket or string net, 

 place the pears in this, and dip 

 them for about three or four min- 

 irtes into a boiling solution of caus- 

 tic soda and water — 6 oz. of caus- 

 tic soda to each gallon of water ; 



