76 
American Agriculturist, August 2, 1924 
Canning and Food Pointers for Summer Days 
Mrs. E. B Terbush Gives Helpful Suggestions on the Proper Methods and Equipment 
S OMEONE once questioned “What is 
home without a baby?” and every 
housewife asks herself at this time of 
the year, “What is a cellar without 
plenty of canned fruits, vegetables and 
meats?” 
Canning fills many with dismay, be¬ 
cause the results are so often uncertain; 
and what is more of a catastrophe than 
to discover when you visit your cellar 
in the winter for a can of corn or peas or 
meat, that the liquid on the vegetables 
looks milky and has a vile odor, and that 
the meat is moldy? Then it is that a 
woman feels like sitting down on the 
bottom step, and weeping tears. 
However this is just the crisis that 
calls forth every ounce of spunk and a 
determination to find out what is wrong 
with the methods used. Perhaps the 
result will be that the egg money will go 
for the buying of a pressure cooker or 
other more reliable sterilizer. 
Without a question the pressure cooker 
is the most satisfactory piece of canning 
equipment for home use on the market. 
However, it is not the only safe and sure 
method for producing perfectly canned 
goods. There is a steam cooker with racks 
in, which requires only a small amount of 
water and then the old-fashioned big 
boiler in which the cans are covered with 
water and boiled. The nice part about 
the pressure cooker or steam cooker is 
that they may be used for preparing 
other foods as well as for canning. 
First Aid in Successful Canning 
The accompanying illustration shows 
the pressure cooker in use. It is of cast 
aluminum with a pressure gauge and 
dial and a heavy ground top fastened with 
clamps. The twenty-three quart size 
cooker is the most satisfactory size for 
home use and will hold six quart or 
seven pint jars. 
An alarm clock set to ring when the 
required time for cooking is up is a good 
reminder and does away with any pos¬ 
sible error due to a much tried memory. 
Lacking an alarm clock, a pasteboard one 
with movable hands may serve the same 
purpose. 
The colander is indispensable in the 
canning operation for washing and 
draining the fruits and vegetables before 
canning. For blanching purposes, a wire- 
mesh basket or a cheese cloth loosely 
held is best. A good sized wide-mouthed 
funnel makes for greater ease, cleanliness 
and speed in filling the jars. 
Have Equipment Ready Before 
Starting 
Although any jar in good condition 
may be used, the snap-top jar is pre¬ 
ferred by many canners. The covers of 
these are quickly and easily adjusted 
and are more sanitary than the screw top 
kind. If the bale is sprung so it does not 
“snap on” it may be sprung back by 
holding it in the hands, and pressing it 
down with both thumbs in the center. 
A canning fork which will lift out the 
cans and prevent burned hands is a big 
comfort. 
Because many housewives enter upon 
a canning season with some uncertainty, 
a few canning hints passed along may 
help solve a problem here or there. I 
like by far the best the cold-pack method 
of canning. It is easier, requiring the 
handling of the fruits or vegetables but 
once, takes less time, and the chance of 
spoilage is greatly minimized. 
In preparing the food for canning, only 
the best should be used. After it has been 
thoroughly washed, and blanched where 
needed, it is ready to go at once into the 
clean jars. 
Why You Blanch Some Things 
It is not necessary to blanch all vege¬ 
tables and fruits. In fact no soft fruits 
should ever be blanched. The purpose of 
this treatment, which consists of plunging 
the material into hot water, and boiling it 
for a few moments is to start the color, 
reduce the bulk, and loosen the skin. 
It also helps to remove some strong 
flavors or acids that are not always desir¬ 
able. 
Immediately after the material is 
taken from this boiling water bath it is 
plunged into a par* of cold water for a 
moment. This will set the coloring 
matter, giving the food a good rich color, 
and hardening up the pulp. It is then 
ready to be put at once into clean jars. 
The packs should be loose so that the 
heat will penetrate easily to the center. 
Fill the can to about one-fourth inch 
from the top, add salt, water in case of 
vegetables or syrups for fruits, fasten 
the cover by the top bale, and the can 
is ready for the cooker. 
In preparing vegetables for canning, 
only as many as can be processed at one 
time should be gotten ready. While the 
first lot is cooking, additional ones may 
be prepared. Especially is this true of 
greens, peas, beans and corn. Flat sour 
4. Be sure of perfect seals and cool 
quickly after processing.— Mrs. E. B. 
Terbush. 
Summer Care of Babies 
('Continued from 'page 66) 
is perspiring, he is too hot. On the hottest 
days, his band and diaper are enough 
clothing. Be careful, however, of sudden 
changes in temperature. A cooling storm, 
a draft from an open door or an electric 
fan, a motor ride or a sudden change in 
the night, call for more clothes. All his 
clothes must be kept dry and clean. It is 
well to boil the diapers regularly during 
the summer. Sun them well and always 
keep in a covered pail after use. A serious 
form of diarrhea may be caused by diapers 
left exposed to flies. 
When baby seems very warm and rest¬ 
less, a warm (not hot) bath may be given 
in addition to the cleansing morning 
A N EXCELLENT soup mixture is made by filling ajar with different kinds of vegetables, 
beginning with peas and adding diced carrots, corn, celery and string beans cut in small 
pieces. A diced green pepper and one small onion may be added to give flavor. Can 
the mixture under 10 pounds of steam pressure for 50 minutes. Be especially careful 
in preparing peas, which should not be allowed to stand after removing from pods. 
loves to develop at this time, and if after 
a few weeks, we discover a slight sedi¬ 
ment at the bottom of the jars, and 
bubbles coming up, we will know what is 
wrong. If peas are shelled at night, left 
in a dish until the next morning, heat will 
be generated, and flat sour will frequently 
show up after canning. The flavor is not 
greatly changed, but such foods should 
not be eaten. Flat sour will also show 
itself by causing milk to curdle, when 
heated with the food. 
After the jars have been processed for 
the required time, they should be cooled 
as rapidly as possible guarding against 
drafts. To test the seal of the screw top 
jar after cooking, let it stand turned 
upside down for some time. If no small 
bubbles appear around the top, and no 
liquid runs out, the seal is safe. In the 
case of the snap top, a perfect seal is 
shown when the bale may be dropped 
down, and the can lifted by the cover. 
Now they are ready for labeling, and 
storing in a cool dark place. 
Keep Records of Canning 
I find that keeping a catalog of canned 
foods is interesting and helpful. It shows 
what has been canned, and how much of 
each food. At the end of the season, it is 
surprising how much garden produce has 
found its way into the cellar ready for 
winter and summer use. And there is no 
limit to the food that may be canned, 
from all sorts of soups or roasts to mush¬ 
rooms, salad combinations and drinks. 
Now for just a short review of the 
canning operation: 
1. See that all equipment—your canner, 
jars, rubbers, colander, funnel, etc., are 
tested and ready to begin the operation. 
2. Use only food that is fresh and in 
good condition. Prepare only as much 
as can be canned at one time. 
3. Prepare carefully, following rules 
for blanching and sterilizing. 
bath, which should be a regular routine. 
Frequently a wakeful night may be 
avoided by giving a warm sponge bath 
just before the evening feeding. 
Last, but equally important for the 
baby, is fresh air—fresh, cool, screened 
air all of the day and all of the night. 
If baby sleeps out on the porch or under 
the trees during the day, be sure there is a 
mosquito netting over his carriage or 
kiddy coop. One of the black ones is 
good and less trying to the eyes. Never 
allow baby to look up into the sun or 
against any glaring, sunny surface, such 
as a white wall. His body may have 
direct sunlight a little while each day, 
if it is not too hot, and he should be out 
in sunned air as much as possible. He 
does not need to take trips to get fresh 
air. Too much travel is not good for the 
baby in hot weather'. If travelling is 
necessary, care should always be taken 
to protect him from dust and wind. 
Catch Sickness When it Starts 
» 
All that I have said may not prevent 
your baby—may not have prevented you 
in your babyhood—from getting sick. 
In summer, sickness develops fast. The 
child, laughing and cooing, apparently 
well to-day, may lie drowsy, feverish, 
acutely ill to-moirow. Watch out for it! 
Don’t take chances, thinking he will be 
better riext day. Childhood diseases, 
the least and worst of them, look alike to 
the untrained eye at the start. It costs 
to have a doctor, it is true, but it costs 
less to have him once to stop an illness 
than twice a day when it is too late. 
When in doubt, call a doctor. If you 
cannot get a doctor, take your baby to 
the nearest baby health station, hospital 
dispensary, or call a public health visiting 
nurse. Nearly every county in the Union 
and many towns have public health 
nurses. It is their business to help you 
keep your baby well. Call the visiting 
nurse for advice at any time. If she is not 
listed in your telephone book under Board 
of Health, District or Visiting Nursing 
Association, you can find out about her 
from the Town Health Officer at the Town 
Hall or from the State Department of 
Health in your State Capitol. 
I am a nurse, not a doctor, but if there 
are any questions I can answer or any 
books on the care of babies during the 
summer that you would like to read, 
let me know. Your baby is the hope of 
the future. Upon his strength may de¬ 
pend your own comfort and happiness in 
old age. Surely we owe it to those who 
nursed us through our own babyhood to 
see that the present generation has a 
goodly heritage. 
Oregon Pickle Recipe 
1 quart very small 1 quart very small 
wdiite onions cucumbers 
2 quarts of string 3 quarts of green 
beans tomatoes, sliced 
1 head hard white and chopped very 
cauliflower, torn coarse 
into small pieces 
1 medium head of 
white cabbage, 
chopped coarse 
When all is ready, mix through it 
cup salt and set away for 24 hours. Then 
mix together 6 red peppers, chopped 
coarsely, 4 lbs. mustard, 2 lbs. allspice, 
2 lbs. celery seed, 2 lbs. cloves, 1 cup 
sugar, 1 cup best ground mustard—after 
24 hours drain the chopped pickles and 
stir the spices and the chopped peppers, 
all together. Cover with good, pure cider 
vinegar and cover and set on stove to 
simmer till tender. Stir to avoid stick¬ 
ing.— Mrs. J. W. Ray. 
Two Unusual Desserts 
Dessert Supreme 
B OIL I can of condensed milk in the 
can for three hours, keeping the can 
covered with water. Set aside to cool. 
To serve, cut off' top of can, slip contents 
on to a plate and cut in slices. Serve with 
fresh or canned fruit, or wdiipped cream. 
This makes a very rich dessert and will 
serve 6 to 8 people. 
Grape Fluff 
24 lb. marshmallow 34 pint cream 
34 cup grape juice 1 tablespoon pow¬ 
dered sugar 
Cut the marshmallow in small pieces 
and soak in the grape juice for 2 hours. 
Whip the cream stiff and beat it into the 
marshmallows with the sugar. Serve 
cold.—M rs. Ery Camp. 
To Keep Silver Clean 
P REVENT silver from tarnishing and 
you’ll save elbow grease cleaning it. 
The new Jersey College of Agriculture 
suggests these precautions: 
Keep your kitchen well aired. Metals 
soon become coated in a stuffy kitchen. 
Never let rubber touch silver. 
Do not wrap silver in bleached paper or 
cloth. 
To remove egg stains, rub silver with 
salt before washing, and rinse in ammonia 
and Water. 
If silver is scratched, rub with a piece 
of chamois dipped in oil. 
The Help One Another Corner 
T HIS way of making “the best pie 
ever” is passed on to other A. A. 
readers by Jessie B. Acers: 
“Try putting about a cup of green 
currants with pie plant. Add enough to 
fill the crust using the sugar and thicken¬ 
ing as for the pie plant alone. This is a 
delicious filling change.” 
