The "Queen" cookery books: Pickles and Preserves

touching nothing but glass anywhere, the only difference lying in the method of sealing, which is extremely simple in every case. In the Climax the wide mouth is fitted with an india-rubber band outside it, on which a strong glass top fits, being made absolutely air tight at the last by a fire- gilt metal cap, which screws down over all, firmly pressing down the glass top into its place, over the elastic ring. These bottles can also be had with a small vent-hole in the glass top for use in preserving when the fruit has to be cooked after bottling; it can then be closed with a tiny bit of cork, and a drop of wax dropped over this before the outer cap is screwed on. The May Queen bottle differs from this by replacing the screw cap by a wire bail, the ends of which fit into sockets on the bottle neck, and are locked into place by means of a lever. The Lightning bottle cap varies a little from both of these. It has a wire bail and lever, but after the glass cap has been fixed in position over the rubber band, the end of the bail is passed over the top, fitted in between two glass studs on the cap, and the lever is pressed down till it locks the bail, and so keeps the lid in an air-tight condition. To open the jar, the lever must be raised, and the bail pulled towards the lever, off the cap. This last kind is, I believe, the most generally popular. The prices of all three are most moderate, and :f any difficulty is found in procuring these most excellent preserving bottles, a stamped envelope with the enquirer’s address will obtain from Messrs. Ry lands’ the name of the nearest agent. These save an immensity of trouble in the covering, and being glass afford every opportunity of observing the condition of the preserves. These jars are equally available for pickles, preserved fruit or vegetables, jam, &c. For pickling have a good supply of stoneware jars (carefully avoid all glazed ones, which are affected by the vinegar used in pickling) ; also small kegs, for preserving French beans, &c., which must be scrupulously clean, and should be well scalded out, thoroughly rinsed, dried, and then aired for a day or two before use. If you go in for home-made wines you will need two or more tubs, one of which used for fermenting, should be finished with a tap at the bottom to let off the clear liquid, and a rim round the top, on the inside, to keep back the skins, stalks, &c. of the material used. Be especially careful of your sugar, which for preserving, must be pure cane, if decent results are to be obtained. Inferior sugar is no economy, for though the first cost be less, the frequent failure it causes, more than makes up for the trifling extra outlay involved by the purchase of the better class of sugar. As a matter of fact no better object lesson on the (de) merits of the craze for cheapness at all cost, can be found than the result of so-called economical (we beg pardon, cheap) preserve-making 1 If much preserving be done, it will be found most economical to buy the sugar in large quantities, as in this way naturally the prime cost is much reduced, the only question being its storage, and here comes in the difficulty of that “ cool, dry place ” always THE STILL-ROOM. '7