ng should be very slow, however, as hard, rapid boiling will
break up the fruit, and much of its fine flavor will be lost in the
steam.

Cooking the sugar with the fruit at the time of canning, is not to be
recommended from an economical standpoint; but fruit thus prepared is
more likely to keep well than when cooked without sugar; not, however,
because of the preservative influence of the sugar, which is too small
in amount to prevent the action of germs, as in the case of preserves,
but because the addition of sugar to the water or fruit juice increases
its specific gravity, and thus raises the boiling point. From
experiments made, I have found that the temperature of the fruit is
ordinarily raised about 5 deg. by the addition of the amount of sugar
needed for sweetening sub-acid fruit. By the aid of this additional
degree of heat, the germs are more certainly destroyed, and the
sterilization of the fruit will be accomplished in a shorter time.

Another advantage gained in cooking sugar with the fruit at the time of
canning, is that the fruit may be cooked for a longer time without
destroying its form, as the sugar abstracts the juice of the fruit, and
thus slightly hardens it and prevents its falling in pieces.

The temperature to which the fruit is subjected may also be increased by
the same method as that elsewhere described for sterilizing milk, the
covers of the cans being screwed down tightly before they are placed in
the sterilizer, or as soon as the boiling point is approached, so that
the steam issues freely from the can. See page 396. If this method is
employed, it must be remembered that the cans should not be removed from
the sterilizer until after they have become cold, or nearly so, by being
allowed to stand over night.

Use the best sugar, two tablespoonfuls to a quart of fruit is
sufficient for most sub-acid fruits, as berries and peaches; plums,
cherries, strawberries, and currants require from five to eight
tablespoonfuls of sugar to a quart. Have the sugar hot, by spreading it
on tins and heating in the oven, stirring occasionally. See that; it
does not scorch. Add it when the fruit is boiling. Pears, peaches,
apples, etc., which contain a much smaller quantity of juice than do
berries, may be canned in a syrup prepared by dissolving a cup of sugar
in two or three cups of water. Perfect fruit, properly canned, will keep
without sugar, and the natural 'flavor of the fruit is more perfectly
retain