*r
or
V
GARDEN
VOL. LVHI.
INDIA* "*«$£<<-»        IB 27, 1903.
NO. 26
SONG    OF   THK    LIGHTNING.
I  bave my  home  In  the  angry  cloud.
I   speak   la   the   thunder's   roar.
I   shiver  at   sea   tbe  mainmast   proud.
And   I   rend   the   rocks   nabore.
1   tear   and   torture  tbe  stoutest   tree
In   all   the   woodland  plain;
I   dance  ind  play  In  ecstatic  glee
When   heavy   falls   the   rain.
I  have  iny  home  In  the  tempest  car.
And   visit   the   scenes  of  earth.
1 r.peed the tidlm/s of trade and war,
Of  sorrow and pride and  mirth.
1  run  tho motor;  1  turn  the wheel;
!   light;   1  cook;   1  spin;
I  play   te  wizard;   I  print;   1  heal;
Tbe race with the light I  win.
I  stand for horses without their feed;
Tor Rtoam-powerf  witmrnt   ita  gear;
For wind,   for water, and  never  need
A moment's rest a year.
I  bave  no eyes;   I  could  use  no ears;
.  suffer nu heat  nor cold;
1   could  work   right  on a   hunderd  years
And grow not lame nor old.
Oh,  I  am a worker of wondrous  mien!
No rival at  all  have   I.
My  aervlce  and   usefulness   are  .seen
I" earth and Bea and sky.
I   cwn   no   master,   coufeaa   do   mate,
*.'l>ey   no  ruling   will—
JSfve  that of  man,   who on  earth  ls great,
And   God,   who   ls   greater   atlll.
Walter  S.   Smith,   in   Woman's   Home   Com
panfon.
Sxpjerimte g*pa*im*irt.
TELL HOW TO CAN AND PRESERVE FRUITS,
AND TO MAKE JELLIES,  FRUIT
BUTTER, ETC.
lst Premium.—Although every housewife, young or old, has a way of canning
fruits which she thinks is best, yet I have
heard many a good hint, and I hope given
a few, by mutual comparison of canning
methods.
It was by aecialent that I learned how
easily sealing wax will let go of a cold
surface. Try it on a hole in a bucket or
pan. If  these  utensils  are  not  heated
before the wax is poured over hole or
crack in them, the wax will not remain
on them over two days, coming off of
its own accord. This taught me that
many a can of spoiled fruit was due to
pouring wax on the can lid while it was
cold. Now I range the lids on the stove
hearth to heat until I need them, or
leave on the can until the hot fruit from
1k*1ow thoroughly heats them, before putting on the wax.
Before putting on the fruit to cook,
have cans clean and ready for fruit, and
well rinsed out with scalding water before adding fruit.
Fruit keeps that is put up just before getting too ripe. If it is very mellow and just at the point of spoiling, as
so much of our market fruit is when it
comas to us, place those cans foremost for
first use, as very ripe fruit has a tendency
to gather mold and not keep so well. The
l..*>t keeping fruit is that canned almost
as soon as taken from tree a.r trash, .ind in
making jelly the freshest fruit jells the
quickest. Many housekeepers will not
try to make jelly from frnit that is
kepi over one night after picking, but I am
nol   SO  particular. I'ut  the   fruit  in   a
c*aa*l place or in the collar, and it will
make   good   jelly. Saiine   fruit    juices
will not jell unless mixed with juices of
aatli.r fruits. Cherry juice ami gooseberry, half and half, make a gaaod jail.
and the same of rhubarb and g.aaaselierry
or grape juice.
If yiati must keep fruit that is on the
verge >frf spoiling over night lacf**rc canning, put it in water, and let the water
oome up well over the top. Cherries
have kept nicely by putting In water, while
others from the same lot have been found
s rotating, mildewed mass during the same
time. because left outside the water. Pared
fruits that must be left to stand Hor some
lours before canning, should always be
covered with water to preserve   the color.
Use porcelain lined kettles, pans or
creeks faar cooking the fruit, and don't
fill to the top. Fruit will cook more
evenly nnd retain its shape if the water
is boiling tiefore it is put to cook. Cook
done, but not to n mushy point. Mushy
fruit, mailals and spoils easily. Gooseberries should merely be brought to the
scalding point that turns the skins white
but leaves them whole, then ladle them
right into the can. The heat of tho
mass in the can will do the rest of the
cooking, and it will do it for small fruits
such  as  rasplaerries,  currants.
Gooseberries should almost swim iu
water in the cau, and a lump of lard at
the top will keep off mold, and yet not
add u lardy taste to the fruit. Where
one is putting up a limited amount of
fruit it is handiest and best kept by sweetening as you can it. One-fourth pound
of sugar to one pound of prepared fruit is
the stated average measure, but for strawberries, cherries, plums and all fruits containing much acid, it is better to allow
one-half pound of sugar to one pound **f
fruit. Measure the sugar into hot water,
let come to a boil, skim, then add the
measured   fruit. Tutting   the   fruit   in
the boiling sirup helps retain its shape.
Fill the can to the top, run a knife down
to break np air bubbles, and seal when
the fruit is sufficiently cooled to not raise
the Mil tind force air holes in the wax.
Put the fruit away in a cool place excluded from the light. Don't put canned
fruit where walking will shake it Shaken
fruit will finally spoil.
In the making of preserves, jellies, marmalade, more sugar, as a rule, is required
than in canning, but if you will put preserves and marmalade in scaled cans not
so much sugar will be required. Add
sugar until it is sweet enough to suit
your own individual taste, or that of the
family. A pint of sugar to a pint of
juice or pulp is the common measurement
for marmalades and jellies, but in the
sweeter fruits a pint is too much. From
half a pint to three-fourths pint of sugar
is the amount I use for crab apple, blackberry and ripe grape jellies and marmalade. I make gallons of grape marmalade each year, but I do not make it until
the grapes are dead ripe and very sugary,
this last saves my other sugar bill.
In making marmalade cook the fruit
well done, and if yon will run it through
one of those ten cent flour seives that turn
with a handle, you will turn out the pulp
almost as fast as you can cook the fruit.
Don't have the pulp too thick for marmalade, and it will cut out smooth like jelly
when cold. Where fruit is dear and scarce
marmalade should take the place a.f
jally. as in jelly all the pulp is thrown
away, and in marmalade you retain all
the fruit, with nothing discarded but seeds
and skitrs. Marmalade cooks almost as
quickly as jelly, and requires but an occasional stirring to keep from sticking to
the kettle bottom. I. M. 8.
Henry Co.
2d Premium.—Selexrt self-sealing cans of
some good variety. Those with glass
*'.vi*rs, or porcelain-lined covers are best
Cans and covers should be sterilized by
boiling in water for half an hour. The
cans should be placed in the water or
an oven when cold, and the temperature
allowed to rise gradually, to avoid breaking. Choose a dry day for gathering the
fruit, and put it up at once, handling as
little as possible. Try to keep it clean
enough to avoid washing. If the fruit
is to be pared, use a silver knife, as steel
is apt to discolor the fruit
('■Mlk   the   fruit  slowly   in* a     porcelain-
lined  or granitewnre  kettle,  using  as  lit-
; tie water as possible.    It is batter to cook
J only small quantities at a time in one ket-
* tie.    Steaming iu    the cans is  preferable
, to (tewing where the fruit is at all  saaft
To   do   this,   carefully   fill   the   cans   with
| fresh     friiit.  packing it quite  closely,  if
the fruit Ls  large,  and  set  the cans  in  a
j boiler partly  tilled  with  ...Ial   water,   with
1 something    underneath     them   to  prevent
breaking.        Screw the covers on tha* cans
I SO the water can  not   boil  into  them,  but
11  t   so  tightly   as  to   prevent   the  escape
of steam; heat tbe  water to boiling,  ami
Steam  Iha*  fruit  until   tender. Fruit  to
be canned in a sirup.may be advaiitagvous-
!y cooked by placing on a napkin in a
steamer, over a kettle of boiling water
until tender, then dropped inlaa the sirup
The length of time required f.ar cooking
fruits for canning, varies With the kiir.1
and quality of fruit and the manner of
cooking. Fifteen  minutes may  lie con-
si.lara'al u the shortest time for which
even the most delicate fruits should be
coaikcil anal thirty minutes will lie requited by most. The boiling should be
very slow, however, as hard, rapid boiling
will break up the fruit, and much of its
fine flavor will be lost in the steam. Cooking the sugar with the fruit at the time
of canning will cause it to keep better than
when cooked without because the addition of^.sugar raises the boiling point. By
the ah; >f this additional degree of heat
the   germs   are   more   certainly   destroyed
the frilit. and this slightly hardens it and
previ'iits its falling to pieces. I'm* tlia*
best sugar, two tablespoonfuls to a quart
of frilit is sufficient l'.ar most snl*-acid
fruits but oilier fruits require from five bo
eight taltli'spionfuls to a quart. Have
tin* sugar not, by spreading on tins ssd
heating In the oven. Add it when the
fruit is Iniiling. The fruit should be put
in the a*.*ms SI a boiling tempera! aire. Place
first in the cans a quantity of juice. SO
that when the fruit is put in, ma vacant
places will laa* la*ft for air; then add the
fruit. Fill  the  can  to overrtanving  re
membering that any vacuum invites the
air to enter; run the handle of a silver
spoon around the inside of the can to make
sure the juia-e entirely surrounds every
p. ut ion of the fruit, and thnt no spnees
for air remain, put on the rubbers, wipe
off the juice, and seal quickly. As the
fruit cools, the cover can be tightened,
and this should be promptly done again
ami again as the glass contracts, so that
no air mav be allowed to enter. After
the cans have cooled and the tops have
been screwed down tightly store them
aw ay in a dark, cool place.
In the process of making jellies the
average length of time required for boiling the juice of most laorria's, aairrants. anal
grapes, lief ore adding the sugar, is 20
minutes from the time it begins to bubble
all over the surface. Jellies are generally made from eqnal parts of juice, measured before boiling, and sugar; but a
very scant measure of sugar is sufficient
White granulated sugar is best. When
the juice has boiled 20 minutes, turn in
the sugar, which shonld be so hot that the
hand cannot be borne in it with comfort,
stir   rapidly   until   dissolved. Det   the
sirup boil again for three or four miutes,
then take immediately from the fire. Heat
the glasses and stand them on a wet, fold-
e<l-towel while filling. If the covers of
the glasses are not tight fitting, a piece
of firm paper should be fitted over the
top before putting on the covers, to make
it air tight If the jelly is not sufficiently
firm when first made set the glasses in
the sunshine for several days, until the
jelly becomes more firm. This is better
than reheating and boiling again, as it .lest n.vs less of the flavor of the fruit.
De Kalb Co.
3d Premium.—If you want your fruit
to keep well, can it before it is overripe,
anal be sure the vessel you can it in is free
from grease. I prefer a granite or porcelain vessel, for canning. Use glass or
stone jars; I prefer the glass, with self-
sealing lids. Wash them well and dry
with a clean soft towel. Jars that ha"Vc
been in use should be washed when emptied and placed in the sun. A very
ga.aad place, that most farmer's wives
have for them, is on a picket fence. Be
sure the rubbers fit good, and have no
cracks in them. The surest plan, when
fruit is scarce is to buy new rubbers. IC
berries are sandy place in a colander or
sieve and pour water over them. Always
cook the fruit in a thick sirup. Some
farmer's wives think this an extravagant
way, but if they would give it a trial
tin y would find it the opposite, as it helps
to keep the fruit, and it keeps its natural
Savor. I'se as much sugar for the sirup,
as it will take to make the fruit sweet,
for table use. Strawberries require
ablaut one-fourth as much sugar to the
pound as other fruit. Peaches, apples,
et,*.. il** not  require so much.     Have a
v. ss**l of caild water to drop apples,
peaches ami pears in. while paring; this
keeps them from turning black. Do not
let tiie frilit cook luaa long. This is where
BO many fail; they Cook it till it becomes
sait't. If yaau  want  lai    can  it   ll  its own
juice, place the fruit, with tbe amount
,f stigar~rv,|iiired iu the jars, putting in a
un stove to lauil, heat sugar in the oven,
then add lai juice and let it all boil about
16 or 20 minutes: pour in glasses, that
have laceti warmed fur the purpose and
in   the   sun  to  cool. The   next
• lay sprinkle a ta'aspiKinful of sugar aaver
each glass to prevent it from molding,
ate! seal with writing p;iiH-r and white
of  nn  egg.
Fur preserves use as many pounds of
fruit as sugar; for cherries nse about 1\_
pounds of each for una- gallaan preserves.
tl is a help to watermelon preserves to
lay tbe rinds in salt water a cample of
days, then soak in water and when ready
for preserving lay in alum water for about
mii* hour: this hardens them. I like to
have the sugar on peaches anal i>ears aava*r
night, then pour the sirup in the kettle
and let it come to a boil, before adding
fruit. To can or preserve grapes, remove the skins, plaae in one vessel and the
pulps in another, place pulps over fire and
stir till seeds come aaut. Then press
through a colanda-r and adal skins, one-
half pound of sugar is required for one
pound of grapes, to can.
If a few slices of lemon or a little white
ginger rout Ik- added to preserves it gives
them a fine flavor: also to mix juices of
lifferent fruit; rhubarb and apples are
very nice mixed. Something real nice
is rhubarb flavored with banana extract
I shanild think pineapple flavoring would
be nice also, especially in apple jelly. For
fruits that will not jell, such as pears,
adal a little cranberry juice.
Blackberry jam is very nice, it does not
require as much sugar as preserves and
should be cooked longer and stirred well.
An easy way to make apple butter or
*->each butter is to cook the fruit in the
''.,-eling till soft; then rub through a sieve,
this saves time anal fruit. If cider apple butter is wanted put the cider in the
Kettle and when it boils skim and add the
apples. Some use as many gallons cider
as thev think they will have apple butter
when it is done. In this case the cider
should be boiled down the day before yon
are ready to make the apple butter. I
do not like to use more than half as much
aider as I cxpi-ct to have apple butter.
Do not aald sugar till apple butter is almost done; flavor to taste with cinnamon
anal dove oil. If a cloth wet with
alcohol is placed on top of apple butter it
will not mold or a little melted parafine
wax    will keep it very well.
Fl.ayal   Co. Farmer's   Wife.
Premiums of $1. IT, cents anal 50 eents
are given for the first, second and third
U*sl articles fair the Experience Department each week. Manuscript should be
sent direct to the Indiana Farmer Company and shouhl reach us one week before date aaf publication.
Topics for discussion in future num-
laa'ts of tha' Farmer are as follows:
Nn. .'aS2. July 4.—Give experience in
growing strawberries successfully, for
hoi ind  market.
Nn. :\s:\. July 11. Tell how to make
and hang a good, durable, reliable farm
gate.
Very Helpful to Us.
•Editors Indiana  Farmer:
We have been taking the Indiana Farmer for nearly a year, and have been
reading it several years. We find it very
helpful, as we have just moved on a farm
ami depend am it largely fur help and advice. Mrs. J. A.
Monroe Co.
They Were not Rodded.
Editors  In,llai.a  Farmer:
To help further Uie investigation as to
whether lightning rods protect I will send
layer of fruit and aane of sugar till jar the following clipping taken from the
is tilled; then put tbe cover a.u, but not Frankfort Times. The buildings referred
air-tight, and place in a wash boiler that to were struck on Tuesday morning, June
has pieces uf thin boards or a'laath in tha- !). Tin same bitlding was struck once
bottom: fill to two-thirds the hight of before, but did not catch on fire, although
jar with eold water. Place this on the it was damaged considerably. There were
Stove  and  let  it  cook  for oue  hour,  then   no roils. A. B.
set off stove to cool. Do not remove
jars till water is cool around them;
■Ciew  the lids tight and place in a dry,
Frankfort, June 17.
—Following is the item referred to:
"During the electric storm Tuesday mor-
cool, dark place. If you have no dark ning. lightning struck the barn of James
place to put your fruit it is well to wrap 11. Haalmes, three miles east of the city.
th« jars in papers.     Fruit that is to bo   Tbe  building  was  fired   and  was  totally
useal for jelly should be cooked through; consumed. The blaze spread to another
then rubbed through a sieve and strained building stauding near and it too was total-
threugh a flannel bag. To keep jelly ly destroyed. When discovered, the one
and preserves from sugaring add a little barn was almost a mass of flames and no-
tartans aaid while cooking. Have about thing could be done to save it or its con
an*l tuaa, the sugar abstracts the juice of   as many cups of sugar as juice' place juice tents."