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PRESERVING VEGETABLES.
The Necessary Precautions.
lst Premium.—The canning of vegetables makes it possible to have a supply of
them the year round. Success in canning comes when one brings about the conditions that prevent decay; namely, the
keeping out of moulds and bacteria, quite
commonly called germs. They are so minute that they can only be seen by a high
power microscope, which makes it plainer
why they can be on fruit and vegetables,
os floating in the air, and we not see
them. Boiling kills them, and is the key
to successful canning. Not only should
the vegetables be well boiled but also the
cans and covers. Have the rubbers
thoroughly washed in soap suds and dipped
in hot water before putting on cans. The
hotter the cans, covers and vegetables are,
the better. Corn and tomatoes are infested with a germ that is hard to kill eveu
bj boiling, so especial precautions must
b.' used with these tws> vegetables. First
prepare the old cans and covers by boiling
them in lye water to free them from all
L'orms and odors. Use only a granite or
porcelain kettle for cooking. A wooden
spoon is best for stirring. Fill cans brimful with material actually boiling hot all
through, seal tight and screw the eover
tighter when it has cooled a little. Fruits
and vegetables have a better flavor when
cooked in small quantities because they are
not cooked so long, and they will keep
better as they are more apt to be actually
boiling hot althrough. In order to be
sure that canned goods will keep, you must
bo certain that there are no living germs
in the cans when sealed. Our forefathers used salt and sugar as preservatives,
fnd they are the only nealthful ones, as
many makes of preservative powders contain sueh chemicals as salicylic as.-id, borax
and formalin. While they will stop the
action of the bacteria they also have a
poisonous effect upon the body. Try to
can the most perfect vegetables, as they
have the best flavor and are more apt to
be free from germs.
To Can Beets.—Use small beets, wash
•as for present use and leave an inch stalk
at top to prevent bleeding. Boil in slightly salted water, peel as for table, pack
in heated jars while hot and cover with
boiling hot cider vinegar. sSeal at once.
Vinegar may be diluted. Sugar and
spices may be added to suit taste.
To Can Spinach.—Pick it over, wash it
and strip off the leaves carefully from
main stem. Cover with cold water to
freshen and crisp. In an hour's time
transfer the leaves dripping wet to kettle,
.'Hiding no water except what drips from
leaves. Place kettle in larger vessel of
cold water- Cover the inner vessel closely to keep in the steam and set over fire.
When the water begins to boil uncover.
Stir gently to make sure they are heated
through. Cover and let boil for half an
hour or longer. Pack in hot jars. There
"liould be enough liquid to cover spinach
"fter packed in jars.        sSeal tight.
To Can Corn.—Try and perfect ears in
"te roasting ear stage. With a sharp
knife cut a thin slice from the ends of the
Kjains, and then scrape the rest of the cob.
fr'or each quart of corn, put in kettle a pint
<)f water and half a tablespoonful of salt.
ut the corn to cook and add more boiling
water as it evaporates. Let it cook 20
•minutes after it boils all through, stirring
occasionally to prevent burning, but do
not allow to stop boiling. Fill the cans
within one-half inch of top, while boiling
hot. Cream down with spoon to prevent
air bubbles. Finish filling with boiling
water and seal tight.
To Can Peas.—Pick    peas just    before
raw. Cut in halves or quarters. Salt
as for table and cook in own juice twenty
minutes. Fill   cans   brimful   and   seal
while boiling hot. When cold set in cool,
dark, dry place. To can them whole use
medium sized tomatoes. Fill cans with
them.      Use hot cans.      Add one table-
Two Grant County Barns of a Roomy, Substantial Type.
On the Farm of   Samuel Leer
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ready to can. Shell, cook half an hour,
and salt same as for table. Put into jars
v. hile boiling hot. Another way is to
put peas in the cans, fill with water, add
salt as for eating, put cover on loosely,
and cook in boiling water four hours and
seal tight.       First way is the safest.
To Can .String Beans.—Prepare and
cook as for,, table, exoept to season with
salt on'y, and seal tight. Another way
is to cook iii slightly vinegared water till
don_e, and seal tight.     FresbsSjjin for use.
To Can Tomatoes.—Gather^ripe red tomatoes aud prepare them as for serving
spoon salt io each quart and fill with boiling water.        Seal tight.
To Preserve Tomatoes.—The small tomato is the best. Take equal parts of
sugar aud tomatoes. Boil sugar till it
hairs and then add tomatoes. Cook until
they are done, then skim out into jars.
Boil the sjrup until thick as honey and
pour over tomatoes. After three days,
drain the syrup off aud boil again. Flavor
with either ginger, lemon or orange peel. A
more economical way is to take three cups
of tomatoes and one of sugar, boil all together until thick as jam.      Flavor    with
either ginger and slices of lemon or orange
peel.
To Dry Corn.—Select ears in roasting
stage, boil till done, cut thin slices from
the ends of the grains and scrape rest from
cob with small sharp knife. Place in
pans and put in warm (not hot) oven till it
begins to shrink, and then place in hot
sun to finish drying process. P.
Use  Porcelain Cement.
2d Premium.—We have always canned
our own tomatoes, and when the cans were
good have never had any to spoil.      We
use only fresh tomatoes and not overripe.
The  defective  ones  are  rejected,   as  the
least speck will taint the whole kettleful.
First,  wash  the tomntoes,  and  scald    in
boiling water  till skins  can  be removed.
Care must be taken not to scald them too
long.       When skinned, and all hard parts
cut off,   cut crosswise and put a little more
than two quarts in the kettle iu their own
juice; add  salt to  taste,  and  boil a  few
minutes.       Then in well-aired and heated
cans we put only the solid parts, reserving
the juice for the next cooking,   ns the solid
keeps   better   than   the  juicy   part.       If
canned in tin, a small piece of fresh butter
dropped into each can will prevent corrosion.       "If   glass   cans   are   used,   we  always wrap them in dark paper when filled,
and set away in a dark place.        We seal
with resin that is made tough with a little
tallow or beeswax.
Tomatoes and Corn.—Take good sweet
corn, slice the grains and scrape from cob.
Put in porcelain kettle aud scald. At the
same time put in a porcelain kettle over
tht fire, a quart of peeled and quartered
tomatoes that are not overripe; salt, and
when hot add one heaping cupful of the
scalded corn, stir, and let boil a moment.
Put in tin cans, seal and set in dark
place.
Green Beans.—Break tender green beans
in small pieee, wash and drain; put a gallon in a porcelain kettle with two quarts
of water. Add one cup vinegar; if very
strong, take less; two level tablespoonfnls
of salt; and cook 30 minutes. Pack the
beans closely in glass, using a spoon or
some dull instrument for pressing them
down tightly without mashing. When
can is filled, then pour in as much of the
juice as will go in, and seal and put away
in dark piace. These are warranted to
keep and are relished in winter.
Pickled Beans.—Take a half bushel or
more of tender green beans, string and
break into short pieces. Boil in plenty
of water till thoroughly scalded, skim out
and drain well, then pack closely in a
large stone jar, salting every layer as you
would kraut. In winter wash the beans
and boil as you would fresh beans, witli
seasoning of meat and boiled potato. They
may also be eaten raw with vinegar, onion
and egg dressing. Some prefer them raw
as being even more palatable than boiled.
Canned Beets.—Tender young beets are
preferable. They nre boiled about two
hours, then taken out and peeled. Place
a kettle of good eider vinegar, not too
strong, on the fire, add one half cup of
sugar to every two quarts of vinegar, and
salt and pepper to taste. When the vinegar boils, drop in the beets, and after
boiling a moment, put in glass cans and
seal.
Delicious Pickles.—Take young cucumbers, salt over night, and wash the next
day before putting them on to boil. Then
take good cider vinegar, set over the fire
in a porelain kettle, and when boiling add
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