Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/83

wiser to let them have something that is easily cleaned. Enamel is that, provided it is not allowed to burn. For those who cannot afford enamel, tin vessels, if they are tolerably new, are just as good. Some of the best looking and tasting jelly I ever saw was made in a kerosene tin. Its usual size is too long and awkward, so must be cut down, taking off a third. I saw one made and finished off very neatly the other day. When the tin was cut, instead of nearly turning over, and hammering the edges flat, a piece of ordinary fencing wire was first shaped into a square the exact size, then put over, and the edges turned neatly over it and hammered down. It looks difficult to do oneself, and a lady may cut and damage her fingers in the attempt. The job is to keep the wire in place until you get the tin curled over it. I was a long time trying to do it, and nearly gave it up in disgust, when I hit on the plan of boring a few holes in the edge, passing a wire or piece of string through and over the thick wire to keep it in place while I hammered it. The plan answered well, and enabled me to finish my pan. The wire around makes the pan much firmer, and the handle does not tear out so soon. Before leaving the subject of kerosene tins, I may as well mention a fish boiler I saw made of one. It was cut the other way, that is lengthways, the tin lying on its side. The wire can be used round it if liked, or the edges hammered down without. It makes a nice sized pan for anything. But the most novel use I ever saw one of these tins put to was for baking scones. I was caught in a storm one afternoon, and took refuge in a tent, where were a couple of men, who were working at a house. The woman was making scones when I entered, and just outside under a sheet of bark, she had a couple of kerosene tins standing on end over some red ashes. There were a few holes bored round the tins about half way up I think. As they became hot she baked her scones on them, and to my surprise they did beautifully, cooking in a very short time. I told her about the oil drum oven, and gave her directions how to set it. And next time I passed she had one in use. But to return to our subject. One of the most convenient preserving pans, when one cannot have the real thing, is a milk dish, block tin being the best. From preserving pans it seems natural to go to jars, bottles, &c., for holding the preserve. I don't think everyone knows how to cut down the ordinary bottle for this purpose. Get a blacksmith to make you an iron ring of half-inch iron, and the exact size of a common bottle. There must be a handle to the ring to hold it by. Now fill your bottle with water up to the size you want your jar. Make the ring red hot, and fit it over the bottle, which will crack off all round, leaving you a neat jar. Bottles cut this way are very convenient for use in the pantry to hold different things. There is a simpler way of cutting down bottles without the ring.