$2 Download. Canning Preserving Pickling. 1921 – 216p

The Science of Canning and

Preserving,

The art of canning and preserving food in some

form or another is one which has been practised since

the early days, and is almost as old as history itself.

Ho\vever, in those days they did not know the " rea sons

why and wherefore," which have only of recent

years been revealed to us by Science. Long before

people had any knowledge of germs or microbes it

was discovered that fruit and vegetables could be

readily kept for an almost indefinite period in a heavy

solution of sugar, or in a strong acid or vinegar, and

thus resulted the pickles of various kinds, and the

compositions, pound for pound, of sugar and fruit,

which we call preserves, jams, marmalades, and jellies.

CAUSE OF FOOD DECAYING.

The decay of foods of all kinds is due to certain

minute organisms or germs, which have the power of

producing certain chemical changes. They belong to

the lowest form of plant life, and are so small that

they cannot be seen by the naked eye or without the

aid of a microscope. The air we breathe, the water

we drink, all fruits and vegetables, are teeming with

these minute living plants. There are a great many

kinds of these germs, and, although some ol tliem do

great harm, the great majority of them are beneficial

rather than injurious.