This 1918 book aims to tell the "why" of the various methods of food preservation, to present labor saving methods and to give simple and explicit directions that may be easily followed. The material presented is designed primarily for the housewife and farmer, to assist them in preserving surplus farm products for their own use.

After providing a detailed explaination of food spoilage, WIlliam Cruess, in his 1918 volume, goes on to provide directions and recipes for the canning and preserving of a variety of food stuffs.