1920.] 



Domestic Friit Bottling 



Pack the fruit tightly in the bottles and place in a slow oven 

 until the fruit shrinks slightly ; it is then ready to come out. 

 Have boiling water ready, remove one bottle, fill up with the 

 boiling water and fasten securely before taking another bottle 

 from the oven. See that the lids and fittings are warm before 

 being placed on the bottles. This method may be adopted 

 with special bottles, or with ordinary bottles or jars sealed as 

 described below. 



Bottling in Ordinary Bottles and Jars. — Glass jars with a 

 special device for sealing are to be preferred, and their use is 

 strongly recommended, but if they cannot be obtained ordinary 

 wide-necked bottles or jars may be used and sealed by one or 

 other of the methods described below. The necks of the bottles 

 should not be larger than is necessary for the insertion of the 

 fruit, and should be so formed that air can be absolutely 

 excluded by sealing. The chief difficulty in using ordinary 

 bottles and jars is that of securing a sufficiently germ-proof seal. 

 Several forms can be made to serve, if carefully applied, but 

 it is advisable to examine the bottles in store from time to time 

 in case fermentation or mould-growth occurs in any of them. 

 If this happens, the contents should be consumed without delay, 

 or the affected fruit should be treated again and re-sealed. 

 Ordinary bottles or jars should not be packed so full of fruit as 

 special bottles, on account of the sealing necessary to render 

 them air-tight. Otherwise, pasteurisation should fohW the lines 

 of bottling in special bottles. 



Methods of Sealing. — The old method of tying a piece of 

 bladder over the mouth of the bottle is fairly satisfactory. 

 Bullock bladders, obtainable from a butcher, should be washed 

 and soaked in warm water to soften them before use. Th< y 

 should be tied on with string, having been cut previously into 

 pieces of such size as will leave a fair-sized margin below the 

 string after tying. Better results are obtained by purchasing 

 parchment paper jam covers for pasting or gumming on. pro- 

 vided that the bottles are afterwards kept in a cool, dry place. 

 Corks may be used instead of bladders, scalding them well 

 first and then, after insertion, scaling the tops with scaling or 

 bottle-wax. Mutton fat is sometimes used. Tt is poured on 

 the surface of the water in the bottle so as to form, when cool, 

 a solid block of fat in the mouth of the bottle. 



Other methods are : — 



(a.) Two layers of parchment paper, pasted or gummed 



