August, 1917 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
199 
tion. If allowed to grow undis- 
turbed, it will eventually destroy 
all the acid and the fermented ma- 
terial will spoil. As free oxygen 
of the air is absolutely necessary 
for its growth, the exclusion of air 
from the surface of the brine will 
entirely prevent the formation of 
this scum. There are three feasible 
methods of excluding the air. 
1. Use an oil like cottonseed oil, 
which floats on the surface and 
effectually prevents air from reach- 
ing the brine. Care should, of 
course, be taken to select oil free 
from any odor or taste other than 
that possessed by a good grade. 
Brine with a layer of paraffin oil 
or cottonseed oil one-half inch 
thick on the surface will keep in- 
definitely. The only objection to 
the use of a liquid oil is the diffi- 
culty of removing it from the pre- 
served vegetables. 
2. Cover the surface with very 
hot melted paraffin. Paraffin, 
sufficiently hot to make the brine 
boil when poured upon it, forms a 
smooth even layer before harden- 
ing. Upon solidifying it effects an 
air-tight seal. Paraffin is easier to 
handle than liquid oil, and does not 
remain on the fermented vegetables 
when they are removed from the 
receptacle. Furthermore, paraffin 
can be used over and over, thus cut- 
ting down expense. If it becomes 
dirty it can be heated to a high 
temperature and strained through 
cheesecloth or a thin layer of cot- 
ton. The only disadvantage in us- 
ing paraffin lies in the fact that gas 
developing below the layer will 
break the seal. If the paraffin 
breaks, it should be removed, re- 
melted. and replaced. 
Before sealing containers with 
paraffin, set them where they will 
not be disturbed until the contents 
are to be used. Any attempt to 
move them from one place to an- 
other may break the paraffin seal, 
thus necessitating rescaling. If 
the containers are not opened un- 
til cold weather, the vegetables 
should keep without spoiling until 
they are used up. If opened in 
warm weather they have a tend- 
ency to spoil rapidly unless the 
paraffin is reheated and the con- 
tainer resealed immediately. 
3. Pack the container as full as 
possible and then replace the head. 
In using this method for the fer- 
mentation of beets, cucumbers, 
chayotes or string beans, allow the 
product to stand for 24 to 48 hours 
after board and weights have been 
added. During this period most 
of the gas first formed escapes. 
The boards and weights are then 
removed and the container headed 
np tight. Bore a one-inch hole in 
the head and fill the barrel full 
with brine, leaving no air space. 
Let stand until bubbling has 
ceased. Add more brime if possi- 
ble, and plug the vent tight. If 
the barrel does not leak, fermented 
products put up in this manner 
will keep indefinitely. The use of 
this method in repacking ferment- 
ed product serves to economize 
space and prevent spoilage of the 
brine and upper layer of the prod- 
uct. The vegetables may be trans- 
ferred after bubbling has ceased 
from the original containers to 
kegs and barrels which are then 
headed up as has just been de- 
scribed. 
If cottonseed oil or paraffin is 
used to cover the brine, it is ad- 
visable to so adjust the amount of 
brine and the weights on the cover 
that the brine comes up to, but not 
over, the cover. Thus only the 
brine exposed between the cover 
and sides need be oiled or para- 
ffined, thereby saving covering ma- 
terial. 
Only those vegetables which can- 
not be kept by storing or early 
ones not available later in the sea- 
son should be preserved. Late 
beets, for example, can be kept bet- 
ter in the cellar. 
Sauerkraut 
The method of putting up cab- 
bage by fermentation has several 
advantages over the present proc- 
ess of making sauerkraut. The be- 
lief that only late or fall cabbage 
is suitable for making sauerkraut 
has been disproved by experiments 
conducted in the Bureau. If 
properly handled excellent sauer- 
kraut can be made from cabbage 
maturing at any season of the year. 
Be careful, however, to use only 
mature, sound cabbage, keep every- 
thing scrupulously clean during 
the whole process, and follow ex- 
actly the directions given for treat- 
ing the surface of the brine when 
fermentation has ceased. 
Remove the outer green leaves of 
the cabbage, just as if it were be- 
ing prepared for boiling, as well as 
all decayed or bruised leaves. A 
finer looking product is secured 
when the cores are removed. If no 
instrument for coring the cabbage 
is at hand, quarter the head, and 
slice off the core of each section. 
Shred the cabbage either in one of 
the shredding machines manufac- 
tured for this purpose, or by cut- 
ting it into thin slices with a large 
knife. Pack the shredded cabbage 
at once into a clean, water-tight 
receptacle, as a cider or wine bar- 
rel, keg. or tub. Four or five- 
gallon receptacles, as earthenware 
crocks, are recommended for small 
families where larger quantities 
might spoil before the sauerkraut 
could be used up, after opening the 
container. 
As the cabbage is packed into 
the barrel or crock, add salt in the 
Continued on p. 201 
