The new practical housekeeping

Peaches and pears are properly cooked when they can be pierced with a silver fork." Use the wire spoon for lifting the larger fruits from the syrups and a silver fork to help place in the cans, which should be done closely and compactly but carefully, filling around the sides first, turning the inside halves of the fruit outward. Put in as much fruit as possible and then fill up with the hot syrup, first tying on the little cheese-cloth strainer heretofore described, which catches all loose particles of fruit and makes a clearer syrup. Berries should be cooked from five to fifteen minutes, according to the ripeness of the fruit. When done place the can-filler in the can, fill to within a half inch of the top with hot fruit, always pouring into the center, and using for this purpose the bright tin dipper (if a pitcher, or cup is used it must first be heated to prevent cracking), then place on a hot platter, remove to table, wipe off upper parts and put on the rubber rings ; be sure these are perfect and close-fitting, throwing away all that are imperfect; let stand two or three minutes, or till other cans have been filled, when the fruit will have shrunk away a little ; fill almost to top with the hot syrup, or if you have none, boiling water from the teakettle will do.. Now carefully insert a silver knife into the cans, putting it in at the sides so as not to bruise the fruit, let it touch the bottom, and push gently around to remove the air bubbles, slowly pressing and withdrawing from all sides until the bubbles cease to come up ; seal at once, first filling to overflowing so that when the covers are screwed down the syrup squeezes out around the edge, taking care when canning berries or tomatoes that none of the seeds overflow and are left on the rubber rings under the covers. Many insert a spoon in cans before filling and use the spoon to remove the air bubbles ; in canning berries this answers very well, but the knife is better, especially . for peaches, pears and all the larger fruits, as it is not so liable to bruise them and slips in easier around the sides. In the two-quart cans a round wooden stick may be used for this purpose, neither knife nor spoon being long enough. Wipe off the cans with cloth wet in hot water and also inside of covers, in sealing, first screw on the covers as closely as possible with the hand, and as the cans cool turn down with the can-tightener, which always comes with the cans, this is a great help as it is impossible to screw covers on perfectly tight with the hands. Care must be taken to have the rubber ring show an even surface all round, for if it slips back at any point air will be admitted. When this is found to be the case take off the cover, find a ring to fit perfectly and re-seal (it may be necessary to add more syrup, which must squeeze out again as cover is tightened). Remove the cans from the hot platter and place where no current of air will strike them, wringing out a towel from hot water on which to stand them. When other can©' are filled remove these to another part of table and set those filled last on the towel. After all are canned re-tighten the tops ; this retightening is very important and the tops must be turned down again, and again, the glass contracting as the fruit cools.