EVERY STEP IN CANNING: THE COLD-PACK METHOD TEXT

cans--enameled--in 500 lots cost $3.80 a hundred; in 100 lots, $3.95 a hundred. Number 3, plain, in 500 lots are $4.50 a hundred; Number 3, plain, in 100 lots are $4.70 a hundred. Number 3, enameled cans, in 500 lots, are $4.95 a hundred; Number 3, enameled cans, in 100 lots, are $5.10 a hundred. The gallons come twelve cans to a case. They are $1.40 a dozen if 100 cases are bought. If less than 100 cases are ordered they are $1.50 a dozen. The cans that you have to solder yourself run just about the same price, Number 2 being $3.60 in 500 lots and $3.80 in 100 lots. Number 3 are $4.70 in 500 lots and $4.90 in 100 lots. The buyer must pay express or freight charges on both sealers and tin cans. PREPARING OLD CANS FOR REFILLING Formerly, after using a tin can once we threw it away; but men with brains, realizing this waste, have come to our rescue, and as a consequence we can now use a can three times--that is, if we have a sealer. The sealer that seals our cans will also open them for us, so it becomes our winter can opener. With this can opener we can use our tin cans three times, buying each year only new tops, which cost less than good rubbers. Cutting and Reflanging Tin Cans. Cutting off the can the first time. First lift the spring pin in the top piece, push the lever from you, drop the spring pin between the stop of the first operation roll and the cutting-roll stop. Place the can in the sealer, push the can-raising lever against opposite side of frame. Turn the crank and gently push seaming-roll handle from you until you come against cutting-roll stop, and the top of your can is cut off. Reflanging. Remove standard can base and in its place put in the reflanging base, lift the spring-pin and bring seaming-roll lever to the original position. Drop the spring pin between the stops of the first and second operation rollers, place the can in the sealer, open end down, push raising lever round until the can engages with the chuck, turn the crank and at the same time gradually push raising lever round against the frame. The can is now ready for use again. Resealing. The can is now three-sixteenths of an inch shorter than originally. Remove the reflanging base, put one of the narrow washers on the top of the can-raising lever, then the standard can base, and the sealer is now ready. Proceed as with the original can. Cutting the Can the Second Time. Proceed as at the first time, only be sure to cut off the opposite end. The can may be cut open and reflanged only twice, once on each end of the can body. In cutting and reflanging the second time, leave the three-sixteenth-inch washer under the can base and reflanging base. Resealing the Second Time. Remove reflanging base and put the second three-sixteenth-inch washer under the standard can base and proceed as directed under resealing. THE SOLDERING OUTFIT The soldering equipment required includes a capping iron, a tipping copper, soldering flux, a small brush, a porcelain, glass or stoneware cup in which to keep the soldering flux: sal ammoniac, a few scraps of zinc, solder, a soft brick and a file. Soldering Flux. Soldering flux is a solution of zinc in crude muriatic acid. It is used for cleaning the irons and for brushing the tins and lead surfaces so as to make it possible for the melted lead to adhere to the tin. To Make the Flux. Purchase at the drug store ten cents' worth of crude muriatic acid. Place this in a porcelain, stone or glass jar. Add as much zinc in small pieces as the acid will thoroughly dissolve. The flux is always best when it has stood from twelve to sixteen hours before using. Strain through a piece of cloth or muslin. Dilute with a little water, about half and half. This will make the soldering flux. When using keep the flux well mixed and free from dust and dirt. Tinning Capping Iron. Purchase five or ten cents worth of sal ammoniac at the drug store; clean iron with file or knife. Mix a little solder with the sal ammoniac. Heat the capping iron hot enough so that it will melt the solder and convert it into a liquid. Place the iron in the vessel containing the mixture of sal ammoniac and solder. Rotate iron in the mixture until the soldering edge of the iron has become bright or thoroughly covered with the solder. All particles of smudge, burned material, and so forth, should be removed from the iron before tinning. Tinning the Tipping Copper. The tipping copper is tinned in very much the same way as the iron. Sometimes it is desirable to file the tipping copper a bit so as to make it smooth and to correct the point. Heat the copper and rotate the tip of it in the mixture of sal ammoniac and lead until it has been covered with the melted lead and is bright as silver. The copper should be filed nearly to a sharp point. Capping a Tin Can. Use one tin can for experimenting. By capping and tipping, heating the cap, and throwing it off and simply putting another cap on the same can, you can use this one can until you become proficient in capping. When capping the full packs arrange the cans in rows upon the table while the capping and tipping irons are heating in the fire. Take a handful of solder-hemmed caps and place them on all cans ready to be capped. Place a finger on the vent hole, hold cap in place, and run the brush containing a small amount of flux evenly round the solder-hemmed cap with one stroke of the hand. Do this with all cans ready to be capped. Then take the capping iron from the fire. Insert in center the upright steel. Hold the capping iron above the cap until the center rod touches the cap and holds it in place. Then bring it down in contact with all four points of solder-hemmed cap and rotate back and forth about three strokes. Do not bear down on capping iron. A forward and back stroke of this kind, if properly applied, will perfectly solder the cap in place. Remove capping iron and inspect the joint. If any pin-holes are found recap or repair with copper. It may be necessary to use a piece of wire lead or waste lead rim from a cap to add more lead to the broken or pinhole places of a cap. Tipping a Tin Can. Take flux jar and brush. Dip brush lightly in flux and strike the vent hole a side stroke, lightly, with brush saturated with flux. Use the waste solder-hemmed cap rim or wire solder. Place point of wire solder over vent hole. Place upon this the point of the hot, bright, tipping copper. Press down with a rotary motion. Remove quickly. A little practice will not only make this easy, but a smooth, perfect joint and filling will be the result. The cans are now ready for the canner. The handwork is all over, for the canner will do the rest. Precautions. Do not fill tin cans too full. Leave a one-eighth to one-quarter inch space at the top of the can and see that the product does not touch the cover. If any of the product touches the cover the application of the hot iron produces steam, which may blow out the solder, making it impossible to seal the can. RULES FOR STERILIZING Remember all fruits and vegetables are prepared for tin cans exactly as they are for glass jars and the period of cooking or sterilizing is the same. The following rules will help to avoid difficulties in the operation of the various canning outfits: For hot-water-bath outfits, whether homemade or commercial. 1. Support the cans off the bottom sufficiently to permit the circulation of water under and round the cans. 2. Have the water cover the tops of the cans by at least one inch. The heat and pressure must be equal on all parts of the cans. 3. Count time as soon as the water begins to jump over the entire surface. Keep it jumping. 4. On removing the cans throw them into a sink with running cold water or plunge them into a pail of cold water. 5. If the cans are laid on their sides the false bottom is not necessary. For steam-pressure and pressure-cooker canners the following precautions should be observed: 1. Lower the inside crate until it rests on the bottom of the steam-pressure canners. In the case of the pressure cooker put the rack in the bottom of the cooker. 2. Have the water come to, but not above, the platform. 3. Tin cans can be piled one above the other. 4. When the canner has been filled fasten the opposite clamps moderately tight. When this has been done tighten each clamp fully. 5. Have the canner absolutely steam-tight. 6. Allow the pet cock to remain open until live steam blows from it. 7. Close the pet cock. 8. After the gauge registers the correct amount of pressure, begin counting the time. 9. Maintain a uniform pressure throughout the process. 10. When the process is completed allow the steam to escape gradually through the pet cock. You can lift the pet cock slowly, using a pencil or a knife. This can be done only with tin cans. If glass jars are used the canner must be cooled before opening the pet cock. Blowing the steam from the pet cock is likely to cause a loss of liquid from the partly sealed glass jars. 11. Throw the tin cans into cold water. 12. If tin cans bulge at both ends after they have been completely cooled, it indicates that they are spoiling and developing gas, due to bacteria spores or chemical action. These may be saved if opened at once and resealed or resoldered and processed again for ten minutes. The following table will help you in estimating how many cans of fruit and vegetables you will obtain from a bushel of product: NUMBER OF CANS A BUSHEL FILLS NO. 2 CANS NO. 3 CANS Windfall apples 30 20 Standard peaches 25 18 Pears 45 30 Plums 45 30 Blackberries 50 30 Windfall oranges, sliced 22 15 Windfall oranges, whole 35 22 Tomatoes 22 15 Shelled Lima beans 50 30 String beans 30 20 Sweet corn 45 25 Peas, shelled 16 10 CHAPTER X INTERMITTENT CANNING OR FRACTIONAL STERILIZATION In some parts of the United States, particularly in the South, such vegetables as corn, beans, peas, squash, spinach, pumpkin, etc., are canned by what is known as the fractional sterilization, or the so-called Three Days Process. Southern canning experts have had trouble with certain vegetables, such as those named, when they canned these vegetables in the wash boiler by the cold-pack or one period method. They say that the climatic conditions are so different in the South that what is possible in the North is not possible in the South. The vegetables are prepared, blanched, cold-dipped and packed as in the cold-pack method and the filled cans or jars are processed in the wash boiler or other homemade outfit a given length of time three successive days. After each day's processing the cans should be cooled quickly and set aside, until the next day. The method is as follows: Process or sterilize glass jars for the required number of minutes on the first day, remove from canner, push springs down tightly as you remove the jar from the canner. On the second day raise the springs, place the jar in the canner, process or boil for the same length of time as on the first day. Remove from the canner and seal tightly. Set aside until the third day, when the process should be repeated. For this canning a good spring-top jar is good, although the Mason jar type of top will serve for one year; after one year of use it is advisable to fit old Mason jars and similar types with new tops. If using the screw-top jars, such as the Mason, do not disturb the seal at the second and third processing unless the rubber has blown out. This method is only necessary when depending upon boiling water or condensed steam to do the work. A steam-pressure canner or pressure cooker is used in the South and many other places to avoid bothering with vegetables three successive days. The steam canner or pressure cooker soon pays for itself in time, energy, and fuel saved as the vegetables may be canned at high pressure in one processing. The following time-tables are those used in the South and will tell you exactly how long to blanch and process all products. The preparation of vegetables and fruits is the same as in the one-period method, but the time of blanching and sterilizing differs as the time-table indicates. TIME-TABLE FOR PRODUCTS IN GLASS (Hot-Water Canner) Tomatoes | BLANCH | LIQUOR | SIZE | PROCESS OR | | | JAR | BOIL ----------------------------------------------------------- | 1 min. | No water |Quart | 30 min. | | | | Tomatoes | 1 min. | No water | Pint | 25 min. | | | | String beans | | | | (very young |3-5 min. | Brine[1] |Quart |1 hr. 15 min. and tender) | | | | | | | | Sweet potatoes| Cook ¾ | 2 |Quart | 3 hrs. | done |tablespoonfuls| | | | water | | | | | | Sauerkraut | | Brine[1] |Quart | 40 min. | | | | Baby beets | Cook ¾ | Hot water |Quart |1 hr. 40 min. | done | | | | | | | Baby beets | Cook ¾ | Hot water | Pint |1 hr. 20 min. | done | | | | | | | Soup mixture |Boil down| |Quart | 1½ hrs. | thick | | | | | | | Apples | 1 min. | No. 1 sirup |Quart | 15 min. | | | | Berries | 1 min. | No. 1 sirup |Quart | 13 min. | | | | Figs | | No. 3 sirup |Quart | 30 min. | | | | Peaches |1-2 min. | No. 2 sirup |Quart | 25 min. | | | | Pears | 1 min. | No. 3 sirup |Quart | 25-35 min. | | | | Cherries | | No. 3 sirup |Quart | 30 min. | | | | [Footnote 1: Brine is made of 2½ ounces (1/3 cup) of salt to 1 gallon of water. To make sirups recommended, boil sugar and water together in proportions given below: Sirup No. 1, use 14 ounces to 1 gallon water. Sirup No. 2, use 1 pound 14 ounces to 1 gallon water. Sirup No. 3, use 3 pounds 9 ounces to 1 gallon water. One pint sugar is one pound.] TIME-TABLE FOR PRODUCTS IN GLASS The following vegetables should be processed the same length of time on each of three successive days: | | |SIZE |PROCESS OR BOIL ON | BLANCH | LIQUOR |JAR | EACH OF THREE | | | | SUCCESSIVE DAYS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Corn |2 min. on cob|Water, salt |Pint | 1½ hr. | | and sugar | | | | | | Garden peas|1 to 4 min. |Water, salt |Quart| 1½ hr. | | and sugar | | | | | | Asparagus |1 min. |Brine[1] |Pint | 1 hr. and 20 min. | | | | Asparagus |1 min. |Brine[1] |Pint | 1 hr. | | | | Lima beans |2 to 4 min. |Brine[1] |Pint | 1 hr. and 25 min. | | | | Okra |3 min. |Brine[1] |Quart| 1½ hr. | | | | Okra |3 min. |Brine[1] |Pint | 1 hr. and 15 min. | | | | Squash | |Cook done |Quart| 1¾ hr. | | | | Squash | |Cook done |Pint | 1 hr. and 25 min. | | | | Pumpkin | |Cook done |Quart| 1¾ hr. | | | | Pumpkin | |Cook done |Pint | 1 hr. and 25 min. | | | | Spinach |4 min. |Brine[1] |Quart| 1½ hr. | | | | Spinach |4 min. |Brine[1] |Pint | 1 hr. and 15 min. [Footnote 1: Brine is made of 2½ ounces (1/3 cup) of salt to 1 gallon of water.] TIME-TABLE FOR PRODUCTS IN TIN (Hot-Water Canner) | | |NO.|EXHAUST|PROCESS |BLANCH | LIQUOR |CAN|MINUTES|OR BOIL Tomatoes |1 min. | No water | 3 | 3 | 25 min. | | | | | Tomatoes |1 min. | No water |10 | 5 | 1 hr. | | | | | String beans |3-5 min. | Brine[1] | 3 | 3 1 hr. | | | | | String beans |3-5 min. | Brine[1] |10 | 3 | 2 hrs. and | | | | | 20 min. | | | | | Sweet potatoes |Cook ¾ |2 tablespoonfuls| 3 | 3 | 3 hrs. | done | water | | | | | | | | Baby beets |Cook ¾ | Brine[1] | 3 | 3 | 1½ hrs. | done | | | | | | | | | Soup mixture |Boil down| | 2 | 3 | 1 hr. | thick | | | | | | | | | Apples |1 min. | No. 3 sirup | 3 | 3 | 8 min. | | | | | Berries |1 min. |No. 4 sirup | 3 | 3 | 10 min. | | | | | Berries |1 min. | No. 4 sirup |10 | 3 | 32 min. | | | | | Figs | | No. 4 sirup | 2 | 3 | 25 min. | | | | | Peaches |1 min. | No. 4 sirup | 3 | 3 | 20 min. | | | | | Pears |1 min. | No. 4 sirup | 3 | 3 | 20 min. | | | | | Pears |1 min. | No. 4 sirup |10 | 3 | 35 min. [Footnote 1: Brine is made of 2½ ounces (1/3 cup) of salt to 1 gallon of water. To make sirup recommended, boil sugar and water together in proportions given below. Sirup No. 1, use 14 ounces to 1 gallon water. Sirup No. 2, use 1 pound 14 ounces to 1 gallon water. Sirup No. 3, use 3 pounds 9 ounces to 1 gallon water. Sirup No. 4, use 5 pounds 8 ounces to 1 gallon water. Sirup No. 5, use 6 pounds 13 ounces to 1 gallon water. One pint sugar is one pound.] TIME-TABLE FOR PRODUCTS IN TIN The following vegetables should be processed the same length of time on each of three successive days: | | |NO.|EXHAUST|PROCESS OR BOIL ON | BLANCH | LIQUOR |CAN|MINUTES|EACH OF THREE | | | | |SUCCESSIVE DAYS