The wire basket is a saver of time and strength (fig. 1). The fruit to be peeled is put into the basket, which is lowered into a deep kettle partially filled with boiling water. After a few minutes the basket is lifted from the boiling water, plunged for a moment into cold water, and the fruit is ready to have the skin drawn off.
A strong wire sieve is a necessity when purées of fruit are to be made (fig. 2). These sieves are known as purée sieves. They are made of strong wire and in addition have supports of still stronger wire.
A fruit pricker is easily made and saves time (fig. 3). Cut a piece half an inch deep from a broad cork; press through this a dozen or more coarse darning needles; tack the cork on a piece of board. Strike the fruit on the bed of needles, and you have a dozen holes at once. When the work is finished, remove the cork from the board, wash and dry thoroughly. A little oil on the needles will prevent rusting. With needles of the size suggested there is little danger of the points breaking, but it is worth remembering that the use of pricking machines was abandoned in curing prunes on a commercial scale in California because the steel needles broke and remained in the fruit.
[Illustration: FIG. 4.--Wooden vegetable masher.]
A wooden vegetable masher is indispensable when making jellies and purées (fig. 4).
[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Glass cylinder (A) and sirup gauge (B).]
A sirup gauge and glass cylinder (fig. 5 A and B) are not essential to preserving, canning, and jelly making, but they are valuable aids in getting the right proportion of sugar for fruit or jelly. The sirup gauge costs about 50 cents and the cylinder about 25 cents. A lipped cylinder that holds a little over a gill is the best size.
Small iron rings, such as sometimes come off the hub of cart wheels, may be used instead of a tripod for slightly raising the preserving kettles from the hot stove or range.
To make a flannel straining bag, take a square piece of flannel (27 by 27 inches is a good size), fold it to make a three-cornered bag, stitch one of the sides, cut the top square across, bind the opening with strong, broad tape, stitch on this binding four tapes with which to tie the bag to a frame.