There are several ways of describing the strength of an acid solution. If the label says 50% sulfuric acid(V/V), it can be read as "50% sulfuric acid, by volume." If the label says 50% sulfuric acid(W/W), it can be read as "50% sulfuric acid, by weight." Referring to the periodic table, sodium has an atomic weight of 23, and chlorine has an atomic weight of 35.4. Since we know that the formula for table salt is NaCl, we can add 23 and 35.4 to get 58.4. A 1 Molar solution of sodium chloride has 58.4 grams of NaCl dissolved in one liter of water. If the label says 50% sulfuric acid, and that's all it says, you really don't know if the ingredients were measured by weight or by volume. One liter of concentrated sulfuric acid, added to 10 liters of water, would be labeled "10% sulfuric acid(V/V)." You will notice that there is some heat generated when mixing sulfuric acid with water. This is normal and expected. If you were to add one liter of sulfuric acid to one liter of water, the temperature might get high enough to melt a plastic container. However, when making up 10% sulfuric acid, the rise in temperature would be less than 35 degrees F.

Good morning KM, thanks! We NEEDED that rain, and still need another two or three more like it. You've gotten significantly more this year than So Cal has. You're welcome! Werner is a poly and flowers repeatedly all year here. He is strongly multiflora (as are virtually all roses of his coloring) so chlorosis issues may raise their ugly heads if not circumvented. He's also quite fertile so hips will form from every flower, requiring dead heading. Werner doesn't "climb", but arches or mounds, which may be able to be massaged into the type of shape you have in mind. Pictures can be quite deceiving, which is why I wanted to make sure you had an idea how large SJ could get. Mostly she's thornless, but as with many which share the trait, occasionally wood is formed which demonstrates the abilty to be prickly. Her sisters have, so far, not demonstrated that ability, oddly enough. A number of my seedlings are listed on HMF under my Breeder Page. They have to have "hung around" for a long time or have demonstrated something amazing (at least to me!) about themselves before I list them there. Mr. Moore has a Breeder Page there, too. To access the Breeder Pages, click on the Breeder tab on the left menu, then enter the last name of the person you seek and search. Mr. Moore created a number of roses which were very low prickle count to prickle free. One of the benefits of using Little Darling is how easily she reduced or eliminated the prickle load. Her daughter, 1-72-1, was one of his favorite breeders and threw many quite smooth 'babies'. Because he wanted people to pick up and handle his minis, he came to appreciate the lack of prickles. It is a trait I've always appreciated and commented on frequently we he would walk me through the breeding houses. It appeared because of my "harping on" smooth canes, he came to appreciate it more. While I've thankfully not had infections due to prickles, I have closely resembled special effects from gore-horror films on many occasions and it isn't 'fun'. Lack of prickles is a trait I strive for and value in seedlings. Wouldn't it be wonderful to offer a line of totally prickle free roses so people with small children, or those who resist roses because of the prickles could comfortably, safely enjoy them? It's the wrong color for your request, but Mr. Moore's Softee may work for what you want. He never promoted this rose because he felt it rather too difficult to produce in quantity. It's a very nice little rose, but ease of propagation was one of his prime goals, and its being less than easy to root he considered a "failure". It is thornless (completely!), flowers incessantly, isn't really "climbing" but builds into a soft, leafy mound of a plant with fairly elongated canes. You could probably shear it as you would a myrtle or other denser, soft shrub, to keep it as you want it. If you're feeling adventurous, Werner should root fairly easily...Kim Here is a link that might be useful: Softee

I was citing the chart "Acid and Pectin in Fruits and Jam Vegetables" from "The Jamlady Cookbook." However, as she notes, there are so many varieties and differences in growing conditions, pH levels can be quite variable. Also, of course, the ripeness of the fruit is a factor in the pH. You're fortunate that the blueberries you've been working with have been higher-acidity, just as here in the PNW strawberries are higher in acidity and can set just fine without commercial pectin or over-cooking, though many sources say strawberries can only be set with added pectin. Cornell's Northwest Center for Food Entrepreneurship says "A pH range of 2.8 to 3.3 is needed to set the gel depending on the nature of the pectin. The most common cause of gel failure is insufficient acid." Carol

here are the full instructions, found at foodinjars.com Slow Cooker Blueberry Butter makes approximately 3 1/2 pints of butter 8 cups of pureed blueberries 2 cups sugar 1 lemon, zested 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg "Put the pureed blueberries in a slow cooker. Place a lid on the pot and turn it on to low. After about an hour, give it a stir. At this point, you want to use something to prop the lid a bit. I found that laying a wooden spoon across the rim of the cooker and then placing the lid on gave it just enough room to let the steam evaporate. My blueberry butter spent about six hours in the slow cooker (from 5:30 p.m. when I got home from work, until 11:30 p.m. when I canned and processed it). At the beginning of hour five, I added the spices and the sugar, removed the lid completely and turned the heat up to high, in order to speed the cooking down. Once itÂs cooked down sufficiently*, pour into jars (leave a good 1/2 inch of head space), wipe rims, apply lids and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Eat on fresh scones and store unopened jars in a cool, dark place. *When the cooking process is done, you can puree with an immersion blender or (carefully) in a regular blender, for a smoother product." Linda Lou - I did not heat it to a boil (was in the crockpot), I had set the timer for th 10 min recommended, but didn't get them out immediately, and no, I didn't let them sit before removing them... Should I open the jars and bring it to a boil, and then process again? I just processed them last night, so wouldn't think they were bad yet... thanks