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CANNING FRUIT. 
There are three things essential to success in can- 
First, to have good fruit; the second is 
As a rule, the simple cans are the best; 
those of glass, with glass cover, a rubber band, and 
a screw ring, are as easily closed as they are opened, 
and can be managed by any one possessed of common 
sense. The third thing requisite is, a good cool place 
to store them away; it should be dry, and just warm 
enough in winter to keep out the frost. It is a mis¬ 
taken idea to suppose that it does not injure canned 
fruit to let it freeze. Freezing will change the color 
of the fruit. All who have ever canned any fruit 
know that the juice, if the fruit has saved perfect, 
is thicker than when it was just fresh cooked. The 
damson plum, and all blue and black grapes, are of a 
nice rich, dark plum color if they do not get a taste of 
frost; where, if they get a touch of frost, the juice 
will assume a dull red color, and is more acid to the 
taste. I think grapes are injured more by freezing 
than any other fruit. G-lass cans should be wrapped 
in paper, to exclude the light, or the fruit will lose its 
natural color. In canning, never put in sugar; the 
fruit retains its flavor best without. It is a mistake to 
think it will help to preserve it. My rule for cooking 
the fruit is to boil it through thoroughly. Grapes, 
cherries, plums, and all kind of berries, are cooked 
sufficient as soon as they boil. Apples, peaches, and 
pears, and quinces, require a little longer, or until a 
fork will penetrate them easily. Tomatoes are cooked 
sufficient for canning as soon as they boil through. 
Heat your cans by placing them m a vessel of cold 
water, and then bring them to the boil. There should 
be a board or a cloth in the bottom of the kettle to 
keep the can from touching the bottom. Fill the 
cans, after pouring out the hot water, by putting a 
funnel in, that is the size to fit the mouth of the can, 
and pour the fruit through it. After filling the can, 
let it alone until it settles, and then fill up again; be 
sure and have the contents covered with the juice. By 
letting the fruit settle down in the can and then filling 
it up again, you will prevent its moulding. Seal im¬ 
mediately after filling it up. If you use the glass cans, 
with the band and screw, no instructions are neces¬ 
sary, except to let them alone after you close them; 
and do not open them to see how the fruit is saving 
until you want it for the table. If your cans have 
cork stoppers, cut a piece of old muslin the right size 
to cover the underside of the stopper and just come up 
even with the top. The old muslin will soak up the 
hot wax, if there should chance to be a crevice be¬ 
tween the can and cork for it to run in. If you prefer 
sealing with cloths, use new muslin. Wax over the 
top of your can, and then put a piece of tough paper 
over it, and press it down on the wax all around the 
edge; then put a little wax all over the top of the 
paper, and put on your cloth; tie it securely with good, 
stout wrapping thread, after which pass a warm iron 
around the edge of the can to soften the wax suf¬ 
ficient to cause it to adhere to the cloth. If it should 
become chilled before the cloth is put on, it will not 
stick well. Have your wax warm enough to spread 
freely, and then put it on the top of the cloth, and rub 
it in around the edge, so as to cause it to stick to the can. 
If you are successful in the operation, the cloth will be 
drawn down in the center when the can has cooled. 
In selecting fruit, I always prefer the first ripening, as 
it is the best flavored. In canning grapes and ber¬ 
ries, the juice is richer if you do not put in any water, 
but crush a few of the berries for the first can, and 
then reserve a part of the juice to boil the next. If 
you use stoneware cans, they should be well cleaned 
after use. A good way is to put them in a kettle of 
weak lye and boil them to remove the wax, after 
which boil in clean water, when they will be as clean 
and good as if new. After emptying a can, it should 
always be washed, and never left to mould and sour. 
All fruits should be cooked in a tin or porcelained vessel. 
L>undas, Ohio. Mrs. Mary 11. Craig. 
HINTS TO HOUSEKEEPERS. 
Canning Fruit.- -1 think it is not generally known 
that it is not necessary when canning fruit to first fill 
the cans with hot water. I thought it was until quite 
recently ; and it was such a task to heat a boiler full 
of water—and I thought the water must boil or the 
pots; also, how to graft Geraniums'? I would like to 
have some one try my recipe for Gentys. 
Schaghticoke. Mrs. A. N. D. S. 
cans would break ; so I 
would burn my fingers 
handling the hot cans, and take so much unnecessary 
trouble that the time for canning fruit was looked for¬ 
ward to with dread. But a friend lias told me of a 
better way. Wrap a wet towel around the can, fill 
with the boiling fruit, and put the top on immediately. 
It is done so easily and quickly it takes away one-half 
the trouble, I think. 
Carpets. — 1 saw in the Cabinet that a good way 
to sweep carpets was to use snow in which to dip the 
broom. That may be a very good way in the winter, 
but I know of a nice way which is always available. 
Sprinkle salt upon your carpets, fine table salt is best. 
It keeps down dust, destroys any moths which may 
be lurking around, and cleanses the carpet nicely, 
while it prevents the colors fading. When 1 take up 
my carpet in the spring I spread them upon a flat sur¬ 
face in the sun, strew salt on thickly, and it is really 
surprising the way the colors are brightened. Old 
and faded carpets will look quite fresh and new again, 
and there is absolutely no danger from moths. I am 
quite sure that those who once use salt for sweeping- 
will never again use tea leaves, which ought never to 
be put on a nice carpet; while salt will not injure the 
most delicate colors. 
Bugs. —I presume nearly every housekeeper has 
had some trouble with those horrid abominations— 
bedbugs. Ugh! It makes me shiver just to think of 
the disgusting pests. I once moved into a house 
which was “alive with them.” I used all the adver¬ 
tised exterminators without avail; and when I was 
almost in despair, some one told me to try alum water. 
I had no trouble after that; and I would say to any 
one who would like a clean and easy remedy, make a 
strong solution, and wash every place where they 
‘ ‘ most do congregate,” and I will guarantee that the 
places which have known them will know them no 
more. I will leave this disagreeable subject, and tell 
you how to make a pretty wall basket, and then I 
must stop; for I am spinning this letter out to a most 
unpardonable length. 
Wall Baskets. —For the basket, cut it out of 
paste-board any pretty, graceful shape; then put on 
rice thickly, using clear, .white glue to make it ad¬ 
here. Take the stems of raisins, point them with red 
sealing-wax dissolved in boiling alcohol; it will look 
exactly like sprays of real coral; fasten them on care¬ 
lessly with the glue; or no, the fastening need not be 
done carelessly, but to look as if they were drifting 
amid the white sea foam, whfeh, if put on nicely, the 
rice will resemble somewhat. A few sprays of feathery 
moss will do for sea-weed; and when finished, you 
will have a very pretty parlor ornament. 
Covers for Flower-Pots. —Will some lady tell 
me a pretty way to make covers for common flower- 
IELE-NOIS’ FAVORITE RECEIPTS. 
Ice Cream Cake. —Two cups of sugar, one cup of 
butter, three cups of flour, one-half cup of sweet 
milk, whites of eight eggs, one teaspoonful of cream 
of tartar, one of soda; bake in layers. 
Icing or Cream for the Above. —Take two and 
one-half cups of sugar, put enough water in to 
moisten it thoroughly, then boil; beat the whites of 
three eggs to a stiff froth, and when the syrup is clear, 
pour it on them hot, and stir fast as possible; then 
add half a teaspoonful of citric acid; if that quantity 
is not enough to thicken, add more; flavor with vanilla. 
Pound Cake. —One pound of flour, one pound of 
sugar, one pound of butter, one cup of sweet cream, 
one teaspoonful of yeast powder, whites of ten and 
yolks of six eggs; beat until very light. 
Plain Marble Cake. —Dark part: Two cups, of 
brown sugar, one cup of butter, one cup of molasses, 
one cup of sour cream, five cups of flour, yolks of 
seven eggs well beaten, two tablespoonfuls of pow¬ 
dered cinnamon, one of cloves, one of allspice, one 
nutmeg, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in milk. 
Light part: Two teacupfuls of white sugar, one and 
one-half cups of butter, one cup of sweet milk, five 
cups of flour, whites of seven, eggs beaten to a froth, 
half teaspoonful of soda in the milk, one teaspoonful of 
cream of tartar in the flour;* alternate the dark and 
white dough in the pan, and cut through it once or 
twice with a knife; bake thoroughly. 
White Mountain Cake. —Two cups of white 
sugar, three of flour, one cup of butter, one-half cup 
of sweet milk, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, 
three-fourths teaspoonful of soda, whites of eight eggs 
well beaten. Make frosting out of eggs and sugar, 
and add one cup of dessicated cocoanut; bake the cake 
in layers. 
Fruit Cake. —Twelve eggs, one pound of butter, 
one of sugar, one of flour, one of currants, two pounds 
of seeded raisins, one-half pound of citron, two nut¬ 
megs, one tablespoonful of cloves, one of cinnamon, 
one of mace, one gill of fruit syrup or brandy; bake 
two hours. 
Cream Custard.— Two quarts of new milk, four 
tablespoonfuls of flour, yolks of seven eggs, one and 
one-half cups of sugar; beat the eggs, sugar, and 
flour together, and stir in the milk; let it thicken, but 
do not boil; beat the whites to a froth, and pour the 
hot custard over; flavor with vanilla, rose-water, or 
dust pulverized cinnamon. This makes a delicate and 
attractive looking dessert, easily made, and sure to be 
called good. 
Baked Pudding. —One-half cup of suet, one-half 
teaspoonful of salt, one-half pound of finely chopped 
apples, one-half pound of stoned raisins, five eggs, 
one glass of brandy or fruit syrup, one-half pound of 
flour, one-half pound of sugar : dredge the raisins in 
flour, mix, the apples and suet with the yolks of the 
eggs, add all the other ingredients, and incorporate 
thoroughly; then beat the whites to a stiff froth, and 
stir lightly in before putting in the oven; bake two 
hours. 
Cold Sauce for Puddings. —Take equal quanti¬ 
ties of fresh, sweet butter and powdered white sugar, 
beat to a cream; if wished, add a glass of wine or a 
small quantity of clear, red jelly; set in a cool place 
fifteen or twenty minutes, and before serving, sprinkle 
over a small quantity of pulverized mace. 
M. Hoxsey. 
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