“Uhe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
969 
Preserving Vegetables by Fermentation 
The fermentation method widely used 
abroad in preserving string beans, beets, 
cabbage, cucumbers and other succulent 
garden crops, is described in a notice just 
issued by the United States Department 
of Agriculture. 
Sauerkraut and pickles put up in this 
way are fairly well known in this coun¬ 
try, but comparatively few persons have 
thought of trying it as a household meas¬ 
ure for preserving these and other vege¬ 
tables. Those who like acid foods and 
who have too few canning containers to 
hold their surplus products may find this 
method useful. The following descrip¬ 
tion of this method of fermenting vege¬ 
tables is prepared by one of the bac¬ 
teriologists in the Bureau of Chemistry 
who has been experimenting with this 
process. 
The vegetables are not cooked, but are 
put down in a salt brine in any non- 
metal water-tight container and are 
sealed up with paraffin, and are other¬ 
wise made airtight. Under this treat¬ 
ment lactic acid will develop and this 
acid, the value of which as food has been 
recognized, acts as a preservative. 
I Whether Americans will develop a taste 
I for such fermented foods highly prized in 
Europe, is open to question, but the in- 
I vestigator believes that many will find 
the process well worth trying. 
CucuMBiais.—Wash the fruit if neces¬ 
sary and pack into a clean, water-tight 
barrel, keg, or crock. On the bottom of 
the barrel place a layer of dill weed and 
a handful of mixed spice. Add another 
layer of dill and another handful of spice 
when the barrel is half full, and when 
almost full add a third layer. If a keg 
or crock is used the amount of dill and 
spice can be reduced in proportion to the 
size of the receptacle. When the con¬ 
tainer has been filled within a few inches 
of the top, add a layer of covering mate¬ 
rial—beet tops or grape leaves—about an 
inch thick. If any spoilage should occur 
on the surface, this layer will protect the 
vegetables beneath. Press down with a 
clean board weighted with bricks or 
stone. Do not use limestone or sand¬ 
stone. Make a brine by adding one pound 
of salt to 10 quarts of water. To each 
10 quarts of brine so made add 2-3 of a 
quart of vinegar. The vinegar is used 
imimarily to keep down the growth of 
injurious bacteria until the lactic acid fer¬ 
ment starts, but it also adds to the flavor. 
Add sufficient brine to cover the mate¬ 
rial and allow to stand 24 hours. Then 
make air-tight, as described belov/. The 
time necessary for complete fermentation 
to occur depends upon the temperature. 
In a warm place only five days to a week 
may he necessary; in a cool cellar three 
or four weeks. 
Beets and String Beans. —The 
strings should be removed from string 
beans before they are put up. Beets, of 
course, require careful washing to remove 
all dirt before brining. If it is desired, 
when finally the beets or string beans are 
to be eaten, to wash out the brine and 
serve them as fresh vegetables, the ad¬ 
dition of spice when they are put up is 
not necessary. Proceed as with cucum¬ 
bers. 
Make The Containers Airtight.— 
There always will be more or less bub¬ 
bling and foaming of the brine during 
the first stages of fermentation. After 
this ceases a thin film will appear which 
will spread rapidly over the whole sur¬ 
face and develop quickly into a heavy, 
folded membrane. This scum is h growth 
of yeast-like organisms which feed upon 
the acid formed by fermentation. If al¬ 
lowed to grow undisturbed it will event¬ 
ually destroy all the acid and the fer¬ 
mented material will spoil. To prevent 
this scum from forming it is necessary 
to exclude the air from the surface of the 
brine. This should be done by either of 
two methods, 24 hours after the vege¬ 
tables have been packed. Perhaps the best 
method is to cover the surface—over the 
board and around the weight—with very 
hot, melted paraffin. If the paraffin is 
sufficiently hot to make the brine boil 
when poured upon it, the paraffin will 
form a smooth, even layer before harden¬ 
ing. Upon solidifying, it effects an air¬ 
tight seal. Oils, such as cottonseed oil or 
the tasteless liquid petroleum, may also 
be used for this purpose. As a measure 
of safety ?vith crocks, it is advisable to 
cover the top with a cloth soaked in 
melted paraffin. Put the cover in place 
before the paraffin hardens. 
The second method, which may be used 
with barrels or kegs, is to pack the con¬ 
tainer as full as possible and then re¬ 
place the head. In using this method for 
fermentation - of beets, cucumbers, or 
string beans, add the board and weights 
as described above and allow to stand for 
24 hours before heading. During this 
period most of the gas first formed es¬ 
capes and the container then may be 
headed up tight, first removing the board 
and weights. Then bore an inch hole in 
the head and fill the barrel with brine, 
allowing no air space. Allow bubbles to 
escape. Add more brine if possible, and 
plug the vent tight. If the barrel does 
not leak, fermented products put up in 
this manner will keep indefinitely. After 
sealing with paraffin the containers 
should be set where they will not be dis¬ 
turbed until 'the contents are to be used. 
Any attempt to remove them from one 
place to another may break the paraffin 
seal and necessitate resealing. If the 
containers are not opened until cold Win¬ 
ter weather, the vegetables should keep 
without spoilage until they are used up. 
If opened in warm weather they are 
likely to spoil quite rapidly unless the par¬ 
In the Nightgown No. 648 we have a 
handsome design that embroiders up beau¬ 
tifully with the satin stitch or eyelets, 
preferably the latter, if one has the time 
to devote to the finer work. When em¬ 
broidered . with eyelets white only should 
be used, but when worked with the satin 
stitch pink or light blue may be used if 
the needle worker desires color. The de¬ 
sign is stamped on superior quality silken 
finished lingerie batiste, and with mercer¬ 
ized fioss to complete embroidery; costs 
$1.35. 
affin is reheated and the container re¬ 
sealed immediately. In the case of cu- 
cumers and chayotes, it is preferable, if 
enough material is available, to use the 
method of packing in kegs or barrels as 
described above. 
Preparing a Rose Jar 
Will you tell_ me how to make rose 
jars? I am drying some rose petals and 
would like to know how to treat them. 
>r. L. M. 
Dry the rose petals, then “.salt down.” 
Dry the finest table salt in the oven, roll 
it free from lumps, and put in a coarse 
shaker. If rose petals only are used, 
put a layer of the rose leaves in a stone 
or glass jar, then sprinkle with salt, add 
more petals, and then more salt. As 
you dry them, add more petals and more 
salt, stirring the mass well each time 
you add more petals. The salt is to ab¬ 
sorb any moisture that may not have 
dried out. After a week or so the petals 
may be taken out, excess salt shaken off, 
and then packed in a permanent i*ose 
jar. To prepare pot-pourri, in addition 
to rose petals, use dried leaves or flow¬ 
ers of scented geranium, pinks, lavender, 
lemon verbena, or in fact any sweet¬ 
smelling plant that retains its fragrance 
when dried. To six quarts of the dried 
petals and leaves use one-fourth ounce 
each of coarsely ground mace, cloves, 
cinnamon and allspice; one ounce each 
of gum benzoin pounded coarse, one 
ounce chipped orris root, a little dried 
and pulverized orange and lemon peel, 
sandalwood sawdust and powdered gum 
myrrh. Mix all together, and pack in 
the rose jar. In the bottom put a little 
oil of rose and a grain of musk; then 
fill the jar with the prepared mixtui'e. 
Some add, as each layer is packe(^ in, 
a little bay rum, but we think this is 
apt to overpower the flower odors. When 
the jar is closely packed cover tightly and 
leave unopened for three months, so 
that the perfumes may be well blended. 
Some directions advise salting the petals 
as they are gathered; indeed, most old- 
fashioned receipts for pot-pourri give 
such instructions, but whenever we have 
done this tlie result has been a discol¬ 
ored moldy mass of petals, while we get 
excellent results in lasting perfume 
when the petals are first dried and then 
salted. 
Delicious Barley Bread 
To each pint of sour milk add one 
scant teaspoon salt and one rounding 
teaspoon soda, one tablespoon sugar or 
molasses, and enough barley flour to 
make a rather thick batter. Bake in 
sheet like johnny cake in moderate oven. 
A pint of blueberries is a nice addition. 
MR.S. J. A. ALLEN. 
The Plague of Honey Flies 
Last Fall I noticed a letter in The 
R. N.-Y. concerning the “honey fly.” 
They are a pest. I found that mosqui¬ 
to netting fastened on the outside of 
the window by small strips of wood-— 
.such as lath—was the best thing to 
keep them out. Be sure the strips of 
wood meet and that they are flat and 
tight, else the flies will crawl through. 
I 'also found they were gathering honey 
from the flowers and fruit near the house 
and applied the hose, using a good stiff 
stream of water, then stepping on them, 
and there did not seem to be as many 
around the windows after a few such 
treatments. Open the windows cool 
nights, then early in the morning sweep 
them out of the corners, from behind pic¬ 
tures and dark places where they hide, 
as they are stupid when cold and easier 
to handle. You dare not “swat” them as 
you would an ordinary house-fly, as the 
honey they have eaten makes a yellow, 
sticky stain. MRS. L. B. H. 
Take the bitter with the sweet, the 
unknown with the known, as we all must 
do in life, unless we wish to live and die 
alone.—Kingsley. 
n-h.. 11* construction. 
. utility, opera- 
latest tion and repair. 
and most 
complete By Victor W. Page. 
li8hed®“o n 6»/4X7'/2. Cl. 475 pp. 24 III. 
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Hie Modern 
Gas 
Tractor 
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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 333 W. SOth St., N. Y, 
i—- - 
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