Newspaper Calls for Home Demonstration Agent To Teach Scientific Canning, 1916

“Scientific Canning,” from the French Broad Hustler, Hendersonville, N.C., September 21, 1916.

The time for untrained hands and minds is past, and today the only work that is really profitable and acceptable is that of those who have the proper training and have learned to do their work in a scientific manner.

The government and the individual State gives away lots of valuable information and a town or county is negligent in failing to give its people every advantage if it does not bring these helps to the people. The farm demonstrator and the scientific fruit and vegetable canner and preserver are great helps which should be brought in reach of those who need this association.

In a county in a neighboring state a very delightful occasion was made of the fruit and vegetable canning demonstration. This part of the farm and home work was particularly of interest to the women. So the women in the county seat invited all the tomato club girls to town that day and entertained in their homes those who lived too far to return. An expert from the agricultural college was invited to talk to them on the real science of canning and keeping fruit and vegetables. Then the county demonstrator showed them exactly how to can tomatoes and beans, etc., and preserve their natural flavor and food value. Also how to make jelly, just what chemical process the fruit juices must go through, making it all so clear that there need be no failure in jelly making.

One of the old house keepers said she had made jelly all her life but these new methods had taught her a great deal and she felt there was no occasion to fail now.

There were also arrangements made for selling the canned tomatoes and other produce the country people would put up. One woman’s club in town promised to buy so many dozen cans of tomatoes from these girls in their county. The girls were very much encouraged and went away not only inspired to do more and better work, but with a real knowledge of the work they were trying to do. So much for the help that can be given by the State if enough people are only enterprising enough to go after it and bring it in reach of those whom it will most benefit. Food stuff and all that is grown and prepared on the farm is needful to everybody and it is essential that these products be brought to the greatest perfection and anything that aids in their growth and preservation is a help to mankind.