SUGAR FOR JAM-MAKING.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."3
Bin,—The Food Controller will make a grave mistake if he refuses to allow a supply of sugar -for home-made jam. Any ,experienced housewife can tell him that fruit deteriorates rapidly in transit and even by handling, and raspberries, currants, and other .small fruits that would be absolutely unmarketable if sent away can be made into wholesome jam at home. Many tons of fruit were wasted last year in this neighbourhood, for people had not enough sugar to preserve it. As one farmer told me, " You could not give it away," much less pay for picking and carriage. Why add to the congested traffic by sending fruit from consumers to manu- facturer and back again P No doubt the scheme of last year had many drawbacks. There was a great deal of fraud, and many people obtained sugar on false pretences; but this might be avoided if the allotment of sugar for preserving were entrusted to local Committees of women who would -see the fruit before granting a permit to purchase sugar. If the scheme were started early enough, it would be possible to draw up a list of probable requirements so as to ensure the local supplies. We in Chester- field know something of local rationing, and I feel sure that it would be comparatively easy to ensure that only those who would really use sugar for jam-making should be supplied. As for the argument that it is unfair that people in the country should receive sugar when those in the town do not, I fail to see how it would benefit town-dwellers if we who have hitherto been more or less self-supporting should be compelled to join in the scramble for supplies. If it were made compulsory for each person who received sugar to sell twenty-five per cent. of their jam to the local Food Control Committee at a reasonable price, it would do more to increase the nation's supplies than the proposed diversion of the fruit to the jam-makers.—I am, Sir, &c.,
(Mrs.) HANNAH PORE,
Chairman of the Borough of Chesterfield Women's Food Economy Committee. Member of the Derbyshire Women's War Agricultural
Committee.
2 (human Gate, Chesterfield.
Previous page
