TO BOTTLE FRUIT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 449, 28 January 1909, Page 3

TO BOTTLE FRUIT.

A practical housekeeper gives the following directions for bottling fruit! — Procure Mason’s jars, which are sold in small and large sizesMake a syrup of one quart of sugar and three quarts of water. Boil for fifteen minutes, skimming carefully. Use only a copper or enamelled vessel for fruit.

Choose sound but not too ripe fruit. Place in the bottles and pack tightly. Pour the syrup over the truit, and put on the lids, but not the rubbers.

Fill a boiler (or, failing this, a kerosene tin) with cold water, and place the bottles in it. Place straw or several thicknesses of cloth at the bottom.

I find the copper in the laundry an excellent vessel to use for ho iljng the fruit. I have a bound stand made of strips of wood, not too close, placed in the copper about twelve inches from the bottom. The jars are placed on this stand, which fits securely. I can thus boil nine two-quart bottles at the same time. The water (which is allowed to come within an inch of the. top of the • bottles)' is then brought to boiling point, and allowed to boil for ten minutes. Some fruits, such as quinces, pears, etc,, need about fifteen minutes.

Remove the jars, put on the rubbers, and close tightly. If the fruit sinks, have a little syrup or boiling water to fill up the jar be-

fore covering. Hold each jar upside down to see if any juice escapes, If so, the fruit will not keep. There must be no flaw in the bottle or cover. Procure new rubbers every season. Use good fruit, good sugar, and exercise a little care, and you cannot but have success.