18 D. M. FERRY & CO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



CANNING DIRECTIONS— Continued 



Root or Tuber Vegetables. — This class includes carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips and sweet potatoes. 

 After being thoroughly washed and scrubbed with a vegetable brush they should be scalded long enough to 

 loosen the skin. Plunge them immediately into cold water, then scrape or pare off the skin. They may be 

 packed whole or cut into cubes. Fill containers with boiling water, with one level teaspoonful of salt to each 

 quart container. Screw on the tops lightly and sterilize for an hour and a half in the hot-water bath outfit. 

 Cool and store. 



Tomatoes. — These demand special canning directions. Scald the" tomatoes enough to loosen the skin. 

 Then plunge them into cold water, core and skin them and pack them whole. Do not put in any hot water, but 

 add a level teaspoonful of salt to each quart container. Loosely seal and sterilize 22 minutes in hot-water bath 

 outfit. Tighten covers, invert containers to cool and test, wrap in paper and store. 



Corn on the Cob. — Be sure to have fresh corn. After removing the husks and silk blanch the corn on the 

 cob from five to fifteen minutes. Then plunge it into cold water and pack the ears, alternating butts and tips, 

 in half-gallon containers. Fill the containers with boiling water and put two level teaspoonfuls of salt in each 

 gallon. Sterilize the partially sealed containers three hours in the hot-water bath outfit. Tighten covers, tip 

 the containers on their sides to cool, wrap them in paper and store. 



Corn off the Cob. — If you do not care to can corn on the cob, after blanching slice the corn from the cob 

 with a thin, sharp knife. _ Pack the sliced corn in containers, add a level teaspoonful of salt to each quart, fill 

 with hot water and sterilize for three hours as in the case of corn on the cob. 



Pumpkin and Squash. — For pie filling cut pumpkin or squash into small pieces, then cook for thirty 

 minutes, so that it becomes pulp. Add one cup of sugar and one teaspoonful of salt to each quart of pulp. 

 After partially sealing sterilize ninety minutes in hot-water bath outfit. Cool, wrap and store. Pumpkin or 

 squash may also be put up in cubic form for special uses, such as frying, creaming or baking. To do this blanch 

 for ten minutes, dip into cold water, pack into containers, fill each container with boiling water and add one 

 level teaspoonful of salt to each quart, but no sugar. Sterilize for ninety minutes in the hot-water bath outfit. 



Pod Vegetables. — Such vegetables as lima beans, string beans, peas and okra, should be blanched in boiling 

 water from two to five minutes, plunged into cold water and packed. Fill container with boiling water, adding 

 a level teaspoonful of salt to each quart. Sterilize two hours in hot-water bath outfit. Cool and store. 



Precautions 



One of the troubles to be guarded against in keeping canned goods is the development of mold during storage. 

 Mold is apt to develop if the sealing is defective. Care must therefore be used in sealing. Mold may also de- 

 velop if the tops of jars are removed, after sterilizing, for replacing rubber rings. It is unsafe to keep jars in a 

 damp place where the rubbers may decompose, as this, too, may result in the development of mold. 



Another thing to guard against is improper or inadequate blanching and cold dipping. If vegetables or 

 fruits which require blanching are not handled properly in the process shrinkage is apt to occur during the period 

 of sterilization. Care should be taken to follow the instructions on this point. 



Careless packing must be avoided. Vegetables and fruits should be packed closely in containers, and after 

 this has been done the containers should be filled with hot salted water in the case of vegetables and syrup in the 

 case of fruits. 



In canning vegetable greens, including spinach, dandelions and kindred vegetables, and cabbage, brussels 

 sprouts and cauliflower, it is important that the mineral salts and volatile oils should not be lost. The retention 

 of these is required for perfect results. For this reason the greens must never be blanched in hot water. The 

 blanching must be in steam. This may be done by having them suspended in a closed vessel partially filled 

 with boiling water, taking care to see that they are above the water line. 



It is important that vegetables and fruits should not be allowed to remain too long in the sterilizer. If 

 sterilization is allowed to continue too long the product will shrink. Watch the time and follow the schedule as 

 given in the table. 



One of the things to be avoided with canned peas, corn, beans and asparagus, is the development of what is 

 known as the state of being "flat sour." The canned goods may show no signs of spoilage, and yet be found, on 

 opening, to be in this condition. The trouble is manifested by a sour taste and disagreeable odor. It may be 

 avoided by making use of vegetables that have not been gathered more than five or six hours. Blanch, cold-dip 

 and pack one jar at a time, placing each jar in the canner as it is packed. This is a wise precaution, and one 

 that should not be overlooked. 



TIME-TABLE FOR BLANCHING AND STERILIZING 



The following time-table shows blanching and sterilizing time for various vegetables: 



Blanching Sterilizing Blanching Sterilizing 



Minutes Minutes Minutes Minutes 



Vegetable Greens 15 to 20 120 Tomatoes To loosen skin 22 



Cabbage 15 to 20 120 Corn (on cob or off) 5 to 15 180 



Cauliflower 15 to 20 120 Lima Beans 2 to 5 120 



Brussels Sprouts 15 to 20 120 String Beans 2 to 5 120 



Carrots 5 to 8 90 Peas 2 to 5 120 



Parsnips 5 to 8 90 Okra 2 to 5 120 



Beets 3 to 8 90 Pumpkin (for pie) Cook 30 min. 90 



Turnips 5 to 8 90 Squash (for pie) Cook 30 min. 90 



Sweet Potatoes 5 to 8 90 Pumpkin or Squash Cubes . . 10 90 



— Republished by courtesy of the National Emergency Food Garden Commission. 



