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McCORMICK MESSENGER, McCORMICK, SOITTH CAROLINA Thursday, July 23, 1942 Causes Of Food Spoilage Food spoils from two causes: First, all fruits and vegetables contain substances called enzimes. Up to a certain point these en zimes cause fruits and vegetables to ripen normally but if allowed to go on unchecked they cause spoilage or decay of the foods. The low temperature of cold stor age checks the action of enzimes and the heat of cooking or can ning destroys them entirely. TO prevent undesirable changes due to enzimes, fruits and “vegeta bles should be canned as soon as possible after they are gathered. "Two hours from garden to can” is a good rule. The second and more important cause of food spoilage is the ac tion of three groups of minute organisms that are present in the air, soil, water, and, in fact, on everything. They are yeasts, molds, and bacteria. Molds and yeasts are easily destroyed by heat in canning. Yeasts rarely cause spoilage in canned foods, and molds never do unless the container holding the food is faulty and permits the organisms to gain entrance from ihe air. Bacteria In killing bacteria by heat both the degree of temperature and the length of time it is to be applied are important. Whether foods are acid or non acid determines the degree of temperature and the length of -’‘me that is necessary to kill the bacteria. When foods are def initely acid, as, for example, fruits and tomatoes, all forms of bacteria * are killed within a reasonable time at the tempera ture of boiling water. With the nonacid foods, such as meats and com, peas, beans, and practically ft 11 vegetables, these ■ heat-resis tant bacteria can be killed with surety only at the high tempera- ures obtainable in the . steam pressure canner. The types of bacteria vary with the different foods, also with the -'‘ar, the locality, and the con ditions of production. Bacteria T?ay cause the following types of spoilage in canned foods. 1. Fermentation is one type of spoilage caused by bacteria. During fermentation, acid and gas are produced, causing the r ood to become sour or “cheesy.” Tin cans may budge or seals on jars may be broken by accumu lated gas. 2. Flat-sour spoilage is caused by bacteria that produce acid without gas. They, not notice able, grow best at temperatures about 130 to 140 degrees Fahren heit and sometimes cause spoil age in canned foods not properly cooled after processing or held at too high storage temperatures. 3. Another type of bacteria cause putrefaction in canned <ood. The growth of putrefactive bacteria is marked by gas pro duction, a bad odor, and the ^ftening of canned foods. Putre faction usually occurs in foods low a acidity, such as meats, peas, com. > 4. The most dangerous type of bacteria is the one which, pro duces botulinus spoilage. When the spores of botulinus bacteria are not destroyed in the canning process, they grow later and produce a toxin in the food. Since various cases of botulinus poison ing have been traced to inade quately processed foods, the Bureau of Home Economics, U. S. D. A., says: “The botulinus bacteria have been studied in order to find the temperature and conditions necessary for destroy ing them. They will not grow in salt solution when more than 9 per cent of salt is present. They are destroyed by processing at 212 degrees F. if the solution is sufficiently acid. With beans, com, peas, and other nonacid vegetables and meats, they may not be killed at the tempera ture of boiling water (212 degrees F.) unless the food is heated for 6 to 10 hours or even longer, but the time may be decreased very much if the higher temperature of the steam pressure canner is used. ~ “Since various agents, such as birds and winds blowing dust, m«y carry bacteria from one a' it cannot be ass icular locality bacte Trainee Air-Traffic Controllers Needed The U. S. Civil Service Com mission announced Monday that Its district offices would recruit airway and airport traffic con trollers at the trainee grade, pay ing $1,800 a year. Applications may be filed until further notice at district offices in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans, Seattle, and San Fran cisco. Citizens, 20 to 35 years, with general experience in the field of air-traffic control may apply, if they possess a current pilot’s certificate showing they are physically qualified for com mercial pilot rating. Applications for higher grades of air-traffic controller will no longer be ac cepted. Full information as to require ments, and application forms, may be obtained from the Secretary | of the Board of U. S. Civil Ser vice Examiners at first- or second- I class post offices or from the U. S. Civil Service Commission. xx Six Inch Sermon AND BY REV. ROBERT H. HARPER Noah: God’s Covenant With Mankind. Lesson for- July 26: Genesis 9:1-16. Golden Text: Gensis 9:15. After Noah and his sons came out of the ark, God promised them dominion over living things. When man was. created it was said that he should have such .dominion; after the flood there was added reason for it. Some suppose that man had been a vegetarian but that, after the flood had destroyed vegetation, man was allowed flesh. In the lesson we find certain instruc tions concerning food. Then the law of blood, it may be called, which * has operated through the ages, was laid down: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” Hillers usually meet death at the hands of others. Here again, as in Cain’s time, God declared the sancty of human life. As in the beginning, men were given the task of multiplying and replenishing the earth. Then God established his covenant with mankind and set the rainbow as the beautiful token of it. There is no evidence that the rainbow was then set for the first time in the sky. Certainly from the beginning the sun shining upon raindrops had made a rainbow. But at this time it was chosen among na tural objects as a token of God’s promise. In the past a rainbow had followed the storm; in the future it would signify that all storms to come would never more sweep away all living. So may the recurrence of the rain bow, spanning the sky, remind us of God’s love and care, that we may believe in him and love him, assured that we are safe in his keeping. -x- “One-of the advantages of the democracy under which we live jls that ‘We the people’ includes men and women who work in and with the soil.”—Richardson Wright, editor, House & Garden. “The soil ’ acidity problem in South Carolina is the limiting factor in determining a diversified system of agriculture.”—Dr. H. P. Cooper, director, South Carolina Experiment Station. teria. 5. Anyone of a number of other causes may be responsible for spoilage: a. Lack of cleanliness. Cleaning success depends upon clean food, clean equipment, clean methods, and personal cleanliness. b. Too long delay between steps /.n canning; canning too much at a time; food waiting too long in warm kitchen, especially if piled •in deep covered containers; filled jars waiting too long at lukewarm temperature before processing. c. Temperature too low, or ir regular, during processing period. d. Using too large jars or cans. Large containers heat more slow- Too dry pack. The presence acids in heat penetra- Storing jj iperature. k at too warm .slowly. Hot, humid days mean extra care of foods: to prevent spoilage in our homes. And since adequate refrigeration isn’t the sole neces sity in this campaign against waste here are some suggestions to keep in mind. First of all, market wisely. This means to watch the quality of your fruits and vegetables as well as the quantity. Don’t over stock.. Foods that you have in such excess of your needs must be properly stored to keep them in good condition. Second, be sure that you can store your foods in such a way as to preserve the maximum of vitamins and maintain their full flavor. Berries and other soft fruits such as peabhes and pears should be spread out on a platter. This permits more air to reach the fruit and prevents mold. Citrus fruits should not be packed tight ly but keep best in a covered con tainer. Chill melon in a closely covered container or wrap closely in waxed paper or a vegetable bag. Fruits need not be stored in the coldest part of the refrig erator. Meat and fish and poultry should be placed in the coldest spot of the ice box. Unwrap these products, wipe with a soft clean cloth if necessary, cover with waxed paper and place directly below chilling unit. Eggs keep best in a wire basket that permits circulation of air around them. Do not wash until ready to use. If the natural seal on the shell of an egg is destroyed, flavors may.' be ab sorbed. Milk and cream must be kept cold to prevent souring. Keep them on the shelf provided for tall bottles. Butter must be kept in a covered container to avoid absorbing flavors. s Store frozen foods unopened in their containers in the freezing compartment of the refrigerator. They must be used promptly af ter thawing. In order to save space in the refrigerator it’s a good idea to wash and trim such vegetables as lettuce and celery before storing them. Put them in the hydrator where they will remain fresh for days. Cover all left-over foods. If covered containers are not avail able cover closely with waxed paper or the commercial covers. By keeping foods covered you not only keep them in better con dition but you slow-up the for mation of frost on the freezing unit. It is important to defrost as soon as the frost is one-fourth inch thick on the freezing unit. Store foods in as small con tainers as possible, conserving space. Keep foods and contain ers away from sides of box in order to allow free circulation of air which means free circula tion of cold. TXT “Farm life and work continual ly present new situations. There is much • in rural living that challenges us to make the best better. We hear a good deal about farm homes with city ad vantages, but perhaps we ought to think more about city homes with farm advantages.”—C. W. Warburton, former director, Co operative Extension Work, USDA. r-t X t Home-owning farmers make better neighbors than do rolling- stone farmers. HOW TO CH£f t RHEUMATIC Paks In Bank, Legs, Ae :s QUICKLY-AGREEABLY-*' If achey. tired, painful muscles brc . *to work and play, heed nature's warning — Jit away. In finding welcome relief, thou.* > of users vouch for RUX COMPOUND ( •> .d), works from the Inside where the pains : • "Uy are! Pains are often relieved overnig So easy to use. Nothing to mix. All you d~' put a teaspoonful or two in a cup of water, i’his popular, dependable medicine sold fron >ast to coast by leading druggists. Insist o.i the Genuine RUX COMPOUND (liquid in i iwn- yellow package). 3 sises — get the thrif , Big size TODAY. Special at PEOPLES DRUG STORE Adv. THE WAR AND THE HOME FRONT Given enough time, and proper managament, we will win this war. Our manufacturers are capable of producing more war material than all the Axis na tions combined; and waves of bombers are not “coming over” every day to interfere with their production. We have the raw material to supply practically every need and the scientists to “synthetize” what we lack. With our allies, we have greater man power than the enemy; and facts —past and present—prove con clusively that the American soldier has no peer, in fact—no equal. So where is our danger? Right here at home, and its name is— “Runaway Inflation”!! We can no more have Military Victory and Runaway Inflation than we can have Prosperity and Depression; or a Stomach-ache and a Happy Holiday. Now it is a fact that the “Men in Washington” are just the same sort of Americans as we are. Above everything they want to win this war, and the rubbish which is printed and screamed to the contrary is just so much waste material. But there are count less interests, details^ groups, causes, involvements and con ditions pulling in so many dif ferent directions, that our Mana gers in Washington get just as confused sometime about. the main issue as we laymen do. The main issue right now is to STOP INFLATION. Jn fact it is the greatest of all the many is sues with which we are faced to day. How much good is it going to do the British to drive Rom mel out of Egypt if the United States has to quit because the Inflation problem gets away from us and completely wipes us out as a factor in this war? How much good for the Chinese to hold Chungking, or the Russians to stop Hitler? These nations are depending upon us to “tip the scales”, and win the war Runaway Inflation will “tip the scales” all right: it will tip them so far that the war will be over very quickly. And our side won’t be the winner! We can lose a hundred battles on land and on the sea and in the air—and still win the war. But we can’t lose the battle against Runaway Inflation and do so. Probably the most patriotic clqss in this country is the farm er class. The farmer owns the soil—it is in his blood. And certainly no one can reproach the American laboring man for lack of patriotism. And yet these two great groups are being blamed by mnay honest citizens for the present inflation danger— principally because there has been no “ceiling” put upon their “pro duction” while practically every thing else has been “controlled.” This is neither the fault of the American farmer or of the Amer ican laborer. He is fully aware of the danger to his country, his family and himself from Infla tion. It is the fault of those who are trying honestly to repre sent the farmer and the laborer but have a mistaken idea of the feelings and wishes of either. Maybe we laymen are not capa ble of approaching all the fine points of the Inflation problem which today face our Govern ment; but we do know that the President has been trying to check Inflation ever since it started. American Presidents, however, are not Dictators: They must obtain certain powers from congress congress must get its incentive from the wishes of the people. But congressmen are not neces sarily mind-readers, and there fore if we want them to STOP INFLATION—we must tell them so. If it is not stopped, it is going to be “just too bad” for all of us. Farm News Bright Spots Cherokee Cotton Contest Gaffney, July 18.—S. C. Strib- j ling, Cherokee farm agent, re ports a total enrollment of 31 contestants and a rather close contest is in prospect in the Cherokee county and the state 5- acre cotton staple improvement contest. Among the contestants are some of the “champion cotton growers” of the county, and their demonstrations are showing up well. In addition to the state and district prize, the contestants are eligible for county prizes totaling $100 made available by the Victor Cotton Oil Company at Gaffney. Through four Smith-Doxy cotton classification; groups, about one- third of the cotton crop of the county will be eligible for classi fication. Of 1400 samples which were classified for these groups in 1941, 97.3 per cent showed staple lengths of 1 inch or longer, and 85.6 per cent graded mid dling or better. Lime Meeting A. H. Ward, District Agent, H. A. Woodle, Extension Agronomist, Paul Williamson, Supervisor of T. V. A. Unit Tqst Demonstration Farms, and C. E. Foy, District Junior Administrative Officer of the A. A. A., met in the County Agent’s Office in McCormick with several of the leading farmers and representatives of the other Agricultural Agencies in the Coun ty to discuss the importance of lime, and the ways to get our farmers interested in the use and value of lime. Meetings will be called in all communities to talk lime and order lime. G. W. BONNETTE, County Agent. POLITICAL CARDS Beans Bring Money Orangeburg, July 18.—Orange burg county truck growers re ceived profitable returns from their bunch bean crop this spring, according to County Agent R. D. Suber. Approximately 75,000 crates of beans were sold on the Holly Hill market at prices averaging about 90 cents per crate. The production yield this season averaged 100 crates per acre, Mr. Suber said. This is another cash crop for farmers of the bean area of the county. For Congress Your support and influ ence in behalf of my Can didacy for Congress in the forthcoming Demo cratic primary will be highly appreciated. John C. Taylor ADS For SALE IN OUR NEXT ISSUE Saluda Cans Vegetables Saluda, July 18.—Practically 100 per cent of all farm families in Saluda county have gardens, says County Agent Claude Rothell. Lo cal sales of cans show that the largest volume of food products in recent years will be conserved this year. Community canneries at Saluda, Hollywood, and Ridge Spring are operating at full ca pacity. The Ridge Spring can nery served farmers to the extent, that 7,000 cans of asparagus were canned for family use. For “ Your support and influ ence in behalf of my can didaey for Governor * 1 " the forthcoming Dem - cratic primary will ’ ! highly appreciated. 0LIN D. JOHNSTON POLITICAL CARDS FOR TREASURER I hereby announce my candi dacy for re-election to the office of Treasurer of McCormick County, subject to the rules and regula tions of the Democratic party. I am very grateful for the splendid support given me in the past, and your continued influence and sup port in my behalf shall be highly appreciated. RUTH P. DUNCAN. FOR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES I hereby announce my candi dacy for House of Representatives from McCormick County, subject to the rules and regulations of the Democratic party. I greatly appreciate the many favors from you in the past, and shall highly appreciate your support and in fluence. W. T. STROM. FOR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES I hereby announce my candi dacy for re-election to the House of Representatives from McCor mick County, subject to the rules and regulations of the Democratic party. Your spport and influence shall be highly appreciated. HUGH C. BROWN. FOR AUDITOR I am a candidate for re-election to the office of County Auditor, subject to the rules of the Demo cratic party. I will appreciate your support and influence. C. W. PENNAL. FOR COTTON WEIGHER I hereby announce my candi dacy for re-election as Cotton Weigher at McCormick, S. C., sub ject to the rules and regulations governing the primary elections of the Democratic party. Your sup port heretofore is highly appre ciated, and if re-elected, I assure you efficient service as in the past. EDGAR R. PRICE. FOR GAME WARDEN I hereby announce my candida cy for re-election to the office of Game Warden for McCormick County, subject to the rules and regulations of the Democratic party. The continuation of your support and influence shall be highly appreciated. D. M. McGRATH. FOR GAME WARDEN I hereby announce my candi dacy for the office of Game War den for McCormick Cunty, sub ject to the rules and regulations of the Democratic party. I highly appreciate the support given me in past years and shall be very grate ful for your support and influence this time. W. O. GRAVES. FOR GAME WARDEN I hereby announce my candida cy for i&ame Warden of McCor mick County, subject to the rules and regulations of the Democratic party. Your support and influence shall be highly appreciated. W. W. M. LINDLEY. FOR MAGISTRATE I hereby announce my candida cy for Magistrate of the McCor mick Magisterial District, subject to the rules and regulations of the Democratic party. Your sup port and influence will be highly appreciated. J. BRUCE WALKER. FOR MAGISTRATE I hereby announce my candida cy for re-election to the Magis trate’s Office in the McCormick Magisterial District, subject to the rules and regulations of the Dem ocratic party. Your support and influence will be appreciated. H. C. WALKER. FOR MAGISTRATE I hereby announce my candida cy for Magistrate of the McCor mick Magisterial District, subject to the rules and regulations of the Democratic party. Your support and influence will be sincerely ap preciated. O. B. MINOR. FOR JUDGE OF PROBATE I hereby announce my candi dacy for re-election to the office of Judge of Probate for McCor mick County, subject to the rules and regulations of the Democratic party. I am indeed grateful for the support given me in the past and will highly appreciate your support and influence in the coming election. J. FRANK MATT1SON. FOR CONGRESS I hereby announce that I am a candidate to represent the THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT of South Carolina in the Congress of the United States and pledge myself to abid« by the rules and regulations )rOf the Democratic party. i i BUTLER B. HARE.