A manual of home-making

The first method is to cover the surface with very hot melted paraffin. If the paraffin is sufficiently hot to make the brine boil when poured upon it, a smooth, even layer will he formed before hardening, making a p<H'fectly air-tight seal. Before adding paraffin the ftmtainei's should be set wiiere tliey will not he disturlicd until reatly for use, tis any attempt to move them afterw^ards may break the sea! and necessitate reseaUng. Paraffin has the advantage of ease in hamlling, and of being eiL^ily separated from the fermented vegetables when they are A MANUAL OF HOME-MAKING removed. Further, it can be used over again and thus the ex- pense is small in the long run, , If it becomes dirt^y it ciO be purified by licating very hot and straining through severat tltjek* nesses of cheese-cloth. One disadvantage in the use of paraffin is that the formation of gas l>elow the layer ^n\\ break tbe mal\ therefort% it should not he used until fermentation has oettWfL If the paraffin breaks, it should be removed^ reraelted, and repbi«fi The second method is to pack a Imrrel or keg full and lh<^ r^ place the head. Fill the barrel or keg as full as possible with tlie fresh material to l)e fermente<l and then adcl the round board and weights exactly as described on page 594. Let the ImutvI stand for 48 hours to allow part of the gas to escape* Then remove the l>oard and weight and head the barrel or kc^ tifi tight* Bore a small hole (aljout 3 2 i>i«^h) in the hoj^l and fill tbc^ barrel full with brine {niacle by dissolving % cup salt in I f^ Ion water) so that there is no air space. Allow the barrel to stand until the fermentation has atoppe<l, adding more brine at intervals to keep the container full. When bubbliog hm stoppt^i, plus the vent tight. If the barrel does not leakt fe^ mented products put up in thi.s manner will keep indefinitely. The third method is to use an f>il, like cottonseed oil, whieli floats on the surface and effectively prevents air from reaching the brine. Brine covered with a layer of cottonseed oil or aome other wholesome oil aljout J 4 inch thick will ket*p indefinitely. The only objection to liquid oils is the difficulty of getting at the preserved vegetables without getting them covered with the oil, which is difficult to remove. Before the vegetables are to be removed the oil should be skimmed or siphoned off from iha surface of the brine. If oil or paraffin is used to cover the brine, it is advisable, after fermentation is finishecb to adjust the amount of brine used and weights on the cover so that the brine comes up to but not over the cover. In thin casi* only the lirine expoee<l between the cover and sides need be oiled or paraffincHl, thus invi covering material. Experiments have shown that the following vegetables be preserved sruccessfully under home conditions by the I FOOD PRESERVATION 597 method of fermentation by dry salting: cabbage (sauerkraut), string beans, beet tops, and turnip tops, and it is probalile that others may be added to this list as a result of further experiments. Femmitation in acid brine.