The expense each year of new tin covers or new tin cans is no more than the purchase of new rubbers and the replacement of broken glass jars.  Furthermore, one big advantage of tin over glass is that tin cans can be cooled quickly by plunging them into cold water immediately upon removal from the canner, and thus the cooking is stopped at the proper moment.  The product is consequently better in form and flavor than when the cooking is prolonged, as it must be in glass jars.  Many women like the large openings of cans because they can make better packs than when using narrow-necked jars.

If you do not care to bother with the soldering you can purchase a safe and simple device that will do the work for you.  This device is called a tin-can sealer.  With a sealer no soldering is necessary.  Even an inexperienced person, by following directions carefully, can seal a can as well as an experienced one.  The sealed cans look exactly like those purchased at the store.  Two or three cans a minute can be sealed with this device.

This is the way to operate a can sealer:  Prepare the fruits and vegetables as for any canning, following directions formerly given for cold-pack canning.

After the fruits or vegetables have been properly prepared, blanched and cold-dipped if necessary, place them in sanitary, solderless cans.  Put water or sirup on, according to directions.  Put the top on the can and place the can in the sealer.

Raise the can into the chunk by swinging the raising lever at the bottom of the machine against the frame.  Turn the crank, rapidly at first, with the right hand, and at the same time push the seaming-roll lever very slowly with the left hand until it will go no farther.  This is one of the most important steps in the use of the machine.  Continue to give the crank several turns after the seaming-roll lever has gone as far as it will go.  This completes the first operation or seam.

Continue turning the crank with the right hand, and with the left hand pull the seaming-roll lever until it will go no farther in this direction.  After this has been done give the crank several more turns, and the second and final operation is complete.  Bring the seaming-roll lever back to the middle position and remove the can.  The can is then ready for sterilization.

Before sealing a new lot of cans or after changing for a different size of can, one or two of the cans about to be used should be tested for leaks.  If this is done and the cans stand the test it will be unnecessary to test the remaining cans of that same lot.  The following is a simple and safe test: 

Put one tablespoon of water into an empty can and seal.  Have on hand a vessel containing enough boiling water to cover the can.  Set aside and, as soon as bubbles disappear from the surface, immerse the can in the hot water.  This heats the water in the can and creates a pressure within the can.  Keep the can under the surface for two minutes, and if by that time no bubbles rise from the can the can has been sealed air-tight.