Neio Modes of Disposing of Fruit and Vegetahles. 595 
seasons there was abundance of fruit and low prices ; in poor 
seasons the fruits were poor and prices high. As a consequence, men 
were loth to invest their money in the business. The art of fruit 
preserving and drying has changed all this. The fruit-grower no 
longer depends upon a local market ; his mai’kets are in London, 
Asia, and Australia. Fruit -canning has steadied the local market, 
because the fruit-grower depends upon local demand for green fruit 
only as an auxiliary to his business, which he will supply if he gets 
his price. If not, he will send his fruit to the cannery, where 
there is ever a demand for it, or dry it and ship it himself.” 
After pointing out the dietetic value of fruit, Mrs. Shelton hoped 
to convince the ladies present of the desirability of having on hand a 
good supply of canned fruit for family use, and to show them how 
they might can fruit for themseh es. “ There are women in America,” 
Mrs. Shelton added, “ who do a large business in putting up home- 
canned fruits, jellies, pickles, &c. — for these are superior to 
factory goods. These ladies began in a very small way, trying to 
make their fruit as perfect as possible, and increased their business 
as the demand for their superior goods increased ; now there is one 
lady who sends her goods all over the United States. 
“ The process of canning is a simple one, being merely to drive 
out the germs of fermentation by heating the fruit and excluding 
the air. Success in canning depends not on the amount of sugar- 
used, but on the entire exclusion of air-. To accomplish this there 
are two methods in use. The first and most perfect method, and 
that employed by the canning factories, is to pack the fruit, neatly 
prepared, as closely as po.ssible into the glass jars. Fill the jars with 
a syrup made by boiling water and sugar together, in the proportion 
of about one cup of sugar to one quart of water. This will make 
syrup enough for two quart jars. Place the jar in a tank or boiler 
of tepid water on a rack, so as to allow the water to come within 
an inch of the top of the jar ; screw on the cover loosely without 
the rubber, cover the tank or boiler, and boil till the fruit is done. 
Ten, or at most twelve, minutes are enough for berries, currants, or 
other small fruits ; fi’om twenty minutes to three hours for peaches, 
pears, and apples. Have some syrup ready for filling up the jars. 
When done, remove the jar from the water, fill to the top with hot 
syrup, wipe off the neck, put on the rubber, and screw down the 
cover tightly. 
“ The second method is the one most used by the housewife in 
America. It is simply to boil the fruit in sugared water in a porcelain 
lined stewpan, or kettle, until it is sufficiently cooked, and pour it 
boiling hot into the jars, stirring it about with a spoon to let the air 
bubbles escape ; fill up with hot juice or syrup, wipe the neck with 
a moist towel, put on the rubber, and screw down the cover tightly, 
. and tighten again when cold. A tin funnel to put in the mouth of 
the jar, made for the purpose, facilitates the filling of the jar. If the 
fruit is in pieces like apples, peaches, and pears, it should be placed 
in the jars carefully with a fork or spoon, a little sugared Avater being 
first put in to temper the jars. If there is fruit remaining in the 
