The household (of the Detroit free press)

For peaches, gages, etc., allow the same amount of sugar as for raspberries. Pare peaches, and can whole or in halves, as preferred. Prick plums and gages with a large darning needle to prevent their bursting. In canning pears, pare and drop at once, into cold water, as this prevents their turning dark. Always use a porcelain-lined kettle, and stir either with a silver or wooden spoon — never an iron one. Currants are nice mixed with an equal weight of raspberries, and pears are improved by adding quinces or lemon-peel. If equal quantities of quince and apple are canned together, it will taste as if quinces entirely. To clarify sugar for canning break a pound of loaf sugar in small pieces, put it into a two-quart copper pan, with half a pint of water and the white of one egg, and stir it well with an egg whisk. Have a cup of cold water ready and throw in a little when the sugar begins to rise in the pan. Let it rise three times and then skim it until it is clear, throwing in a little cold water every time it begins to rise. Then strain it through a flannel bag, and after it is cool bottle it until needed for use. It is said by scientists that cane sugar, when added to boiling fruit, is converted by the heat into grape sugar, which has far less sweetening power than cane sugar. Therefore they advise housekeepers to sweeten their fruits, not when they are canned, but when they are brought on the table for consumption. The first step in canning should be to test the cans thoroughly, and see if any leak or are cracked. If the cans leak send them to the tinners and see that they are properly mended, but it is poor economy to use tin cans, for if they corrode, or the tin happens to be eaten off, there is great danger of poisoning, so, after all, glass cans are the cheapest. Never use defective cans, but keep them for storing things in the pantry or cellars ; and in buying them take care that they are free from flaws or blisters, or they are apt to break when canning. Selfsealers are very convenient, but the heat hardens the rubber rings which are difficult to replace, so that in a year or two they are unfit for use. For this reason many prefer those with a groove around the top for sealing with putty. Putty may be bought ready for use, and is soon made soft by holding it in the hand. In using it should be worked out in a small roll, and pressed into the groove with a knife, care being taken to keep it well pressed down as the can cools. The putty can then be removed with a knife when ready to use the fruit. The second step is to place two jars in a dish with a folded towel saturated with cold water under them. Put a silver spoon in each jar, Use a can-filler (which is a tin with sloping sides and no bottom, fitting into the top of the jar), and a ladle of a small pitcher, if you have no can-filler. When the fruit is ready, fill the jar full, move the spoon around to let out the air, and remove it ; then fill the jar to overflowing