Chapter M: E. James: ‘How to Decorate our Ceilings, Walls, and Floors.’ (3)

(_e_) Walnut.--Take 6 half-sieves of green walnut shells, put them into a tub, mix up well with 2-3 lb. common salt; let them stand for 6 days, frequently beating and mashing them, till the shells become soft and pulpy, then, by banking it up on one side the tub, at the same time raising the tub on that side, the liquor will drain clear off to the other; then take that liquor out. The mashing may be repeated as often as liquor is found. The quantity will be about 6 qt. When done, let it be simmered in an iron boiler as long as any scum rises; then bruise ¼ lb. ginger, ¼ lb. allspice, 2 oz. long pepper, 2 oz. cloves; let it slowly boil ½ hour. When bottled, let an equal quantity of spice go into each bottle, cork them tight, seal them over, and put them into a cool, dry place for one year before they are used. (C. G. J.)

Lemon.--Grate the rind from 1½ doz. lemons, taking care only to remove the extreme outer coating, leaving the white well covered with a tinge of yellow. Cut them in quarters, but do not let the knife go quite through them, leaving just enough at the bottom to hold the quarters together; rub ¾ lb. bay salt equally over them, and spread them out on a dish. Place this in a cool oven, and let them remain there until the juice has dried into the peels. This, if preferred, may be done in front of the fire, but it must be done very gradually. When the juice is so absorbed, put the lemons in a large jar, with somewhat less than 1 oz. mace, the same of grated nutmeg, half the quantity of pounded cloves, 3 oz. peeled garlic, and ¾ breakfastcupful mustard seed bruised a little and tied in a muslin bag. Over all this pour 3 pints boiling vinegar, close the jar well, and stand it near the fire for 4-5 days, shaking it up every day. Then tie it up and let it remain for 3 months to take off the bitter taste of the peels. At the end of this time turn the whole out on to a hair sieve, moving it about to get out the liquor; let it stand a day, and then pour off the fine part and bottle it. The other part must stand for 3 days more, and it will refine itself. Pour it off and bottle it, let it stand again and bottle it, till the whole is refined. It may be put in any sauce, and will not spoil the colour. If for white sauce, 1 teaspoonful is enough, or 2 for brown sauce. Should cream be used in the sauce, the pickle must be put in before the cream or other thickening is added, or it will probably cause it to curdle.

Mixed Pickles.--1 gal. vinegar, sixpennyworth turmeric, 2 oz. black pepper ground, 2 oz. long ditto pounded, 1 oz. cloves pounded, 4 oz. flour of mustard, 3 oz. mustard seed, whole cayenne to your taste, 2 oz. ginger pounded fine, white cabbage cut in slices, quantities of horseradish scraped, ½ pint garlic, 1 pint shallots, 2 doz. large onions cut in quarters, a cucumber, a cauliflower, a few French beans, and a few radish pods, plenty of capsicums. Lay them in a red pan. You cannot put too much salt about them. Let the vegetables remain 3 days in salt, then strain them out and shake them. Lay them on a linen cloth in the sun to dry, then put them into your jar near the fire. Then boil all your spice with the vinegar, and pour it on boiling off the fire. They will be fit to use in 2 months. For an ordinary family ¼ of the above, with half the vegetables, will be found sufficient to make at a time.

Mushrooms.--Take the smallest and roundest button mushrooms, throw into cold water, and rub each separately with a piece of flannel dipped in salt to clean them thoroughly; put them again, as you proceed, into fresh cold water, and finally into a pan with a handful of table salt scattered over them on a moderate fire, covering them close that the steam may not escape, for 10 minutes, or until they are thoroughly hot and the water is drawn well out of them; pour them on a sieve, and quickly dry them well between the cloths; let remain covered up from the air till they are cold; place in clean dry glass bottles with a little mace, and fill up with distilled or white wine vinegar, adding to each bottle a teaspoonful of salad oil; cork and seal them up so as to exclude air.

Nasturtiums.--Gather within a week after the blossoms have fallen off; take a gallon of them, and throw into a pail of salt and water, cold, in which to keep them, changing the water 3 times at least, 3 days and nights; lay in a sieve to drain, and rub perfectly dry between cloths; boil for ten minutes 1 gal. white wine vinegar, 1 oz. each of mace and nutmeg, 2 oz. white peppercorns, 4 sliced shallots, and 4 oz. common salt; skim well, and when nearly cold, pour the whole over the fruit placed in jars, and tie close.

Onions.--Take the smallest clear silver onions; after peeling, immerse in cold salt and water, and let lie for 10 days, changing the pickle daily; drain on a sieve, put into a jar, pour newly-made brine of salt and water boiling hot over them, and let stand closely covered, until cold; repeat the scalding with new pickle, and, when cold and well drained, put in bottles or jars, with a slice or two of the best ginger, a blade of mace, and a bay leaf; fill up with distilled vinegar, and be sure to add salad oil to float on the top; tie close, and seal down.

Piccalilli.--Slice up a closely-grown, sound-hearted white cabbage and a sound white beetroot, with a cauliflower divided into several small branches, a few clear gherkins, some radish-pods, and kidney beans; lay in a sieve with two or three handfuls of common salt scattered over, and expose to the sun or fire for 4 days; when you think all the water is extracted from them, put them into a large stoneware pan, mixing well, and scattering plenty of good sound mustard seed amongst them as you go on; to each gallon of best vinegar, add 3 oz. peeled and sliced garlic, and 1½ oz. turmeric; boil, skim well, and pour the liquor while hot over the vegetables; let them lie 10 days, at least, with strong paper tied over, near a fire, until they have become a fine yellow colour, and have imbibed a fair quantity of the vinegar; then boil 3 qt. best white wine vinegar, 1½ oz. each of white pepper and mace, and ½ oz. each of long pepper, nutmegs, and cloves, for 10 minutes; skim well, and pour all over the pickles; tie the jar with bladder and leather.

Samphire.--By persons living near the sea it is usually preserved, when freshly gathered, in equal parts vinegar and sea water, or even sometimes in the water only; but when brought inland it should be steeped 2 days in brine, then drained, and put into a stone jar, covered with vinegar, and having a lid, over which put a thick paste of flour and water, and set it in a very cool oven all night, or in a warmer oven till it nearly but not quite boils. Then let it stand on a warm hob for ½ hour, and allow it to become quite cold before the paste is removed; then add cold vinegar if any more is required, and secure as other pickles.

Tomato.--(_a_) Gather 4 doz. tomatoes when turned, but not too ripe. Lay them in salt and water for 2 days, changing them twice; drain them, and dry them in a coarse cloth; put them in a pickling jar. To 1 gal. vinegar add 1 oz. ginger, shred, 1 oz. whole pepper, ½ oz. cloves, 1 pint mustard seeds, and 2 tablespoonfuls mustard flour, curry powder, turmeric, 2 oz. garlic, 2 oz. shallots, shred, 1 oz. bay salt, and a little common salt. Half of the spice to be strewed in the jar, and the other half to be boiled in the vinegar, and to be poured hot over the tomatoes; then let them be covered close with a flannel, and a weight at the top to keep in the steam, and let them stand in the chimney corner for 2 days, but not too near the fire. The vinegar must be boiled up twice more, and poured over the tomatoes as before. When quite cold fill up with more vinegar previously boiled, so that the tomatoes are covered and tied up with bladder.

(_b_) Cut some green tomatoes in slices, sprinkle them with salt, and let them stand 12-15 hours, drain, and put them in a saucepan over the fire with fresh water, changing it until all the salt is washed out. When thoroughly scalded and partially cooked, drain them again and put them into a boiling hot syrup, made with 1 pint vinegar, 3 lb. sugar, ½ oz. cinnamon, ¼ oz. cloves, simmer them in this until tender, then carefully lift them out and put them into jars, reduce the syrup and pour it over them. After a day or two boil up the syrup again, pour it afresh over the tomatoes, and when cold tie them down carefully.

Vinegar.--(_a_) To every gal. water put 2 lb. coarsest West India sugar; boil and skim this. Pour the mixture into a common clean washing mug, and, when sufficiently cool, take 4 pints from it into a basin, and stir well into it ½_d._ worth good fresh yeast if 3 gal. vinegar are to be made, or in that proportion, and set the basin, near a fire, covered with a cloth, to get it to work. When this end is obtained, put it back to the larger quantity from which it came, and which ought to be still lukewarm; stir well round with a wooden preserving spoon, and cover the mug with a cloth, and in a few hours, or by next morning (if made in an evening) the mixture will be found in full work. Let it stand one week from the day it was made, then carefully skim the barm off it, and put it into a barrel or mug in a warm place in winter, or in the sun in summer. It will be fit for use in 4-6 months, and then bottle off for use. As soon as you have bottled off a making of vinegar, immediately begin again, as the jelly-like “mother,” called the vinegar plant, formed on the surface by the time it is ready for bottling, helps the making of the next vinegar. Add it on pouring the mixture into the barrel or closed mug.

(_b_) Make vinegar from a vinegar plant by mixing ½ lb. coarse brown sugar and ½ lb. treacle with 5 pints water, stirring it until all the sugar is dissolved; then laying the fungus on the top, and covering it with thick brown paper tied down. In 6 weeks (or a little longer in cold weather), the liquid is turned to vinegar, and must then be strained off and bottled, and a fresh mixture made for the plant. It must be put in a white ware vessel--a washstand basin is very suitable, as the vinegar corrodes the yellow glazed ware, and is injurious. The plant does not get useless if kept “going,” but improves by growing thicker.

(_c_) Best of all, buy Beaufoy’s vinegar, and run no risk of subsequent fermentations.

Vinegar, Primrose.--To 18 qt. water add 6 lb. moist sugar; boil and stir it very well. Let it stand until it is just warm, then add 1 peck primroses with their stalks, and a little yeast. Let it stand all night, then put it into a cask, bung it up, and allow it to remain for 2 months. Then give it a little air, and let it stand 2-3 months longer. Then taste, and, if not sour, let it stand till it is. It must be placed in a warm situation: a great deal depends on where it is kept.

Vinegar, Raspberry.--Put 1 lb. very fine raspberries in a bowl, bruise them well, and pour upon them 1 qt. best cider vinegar; next day strain the liquor on 1 lb. fresh ripe raspberries, bruise them also, and on the following day do the same, but do not squeeze the fruit, or it will make it ferment, only drain the liquor as dry as you can from the fruit. The last time pass it through a canvas bag, previously wetted with vinegar to prevent waste. Put the juice into a stone jar with 1 lb. sugar to every pint of juice; the sugar must be broken into lumps, stir it, and when melted, put the jars into a saucepan of water, let it simmer a little, skim and remove from the fire. When cool, bottle off.

Vinegar, Tarragon.--Gather full-grown shoots of tarragon the day before they are wanted. Fill a ½ gal. jar with as many as it will hold without pressing them down; add 3 cloves and the thin rind of 1 lemon, and fill up the jar with white wine vinegar; leave it, tightly corked, exposed to the sun for 2-3 weeks, then strain off the vinegar, wringing the tarragon in a cloth, filter it through paper, and bottle it.

Walnuts.--Take 50 large walnuts gathered before the shell is hard; folding them separately in vine leaves, place them in a jar amidst plenty more leaves, so that they do not touch each other; fill up so as to cover them with best pale vinegar, and tie down closely that the air may be excluded; let stand 20 days; then pour off the vinegar and wrap the fruit again in fresh leaves, and fill up the jar again with fresh pale vinegar, standing 14 days longer; take off the leaves, put them in a jar, and make a pickle of white wine vinegar and salt that will float an egg, in which simmer for ¼ hour ¼ oz. mace, ½ oz. each of cloves and nutmeg, and 2 heads of garlic, peeled and sliced; pour hot over the walnuts; tie close with bladder and leather.

_Preserving with Sugar._--This embraces the whole range of jams and jellies, which closely resemble each other. In all cases the fruit must be fully ripe, gathered quite dry, and freed of stems, &c., but stone fruits should not be stoned. The chief differences consist in the proportion of sugar required and the duration of the boiling, which latter should always be done in a copper pan. The scum must be removed as it rises in boiling. For the most popular jams the quantities and times are as follow:--

Black currant 1 of fruit to 1 of sugar; 10 minutes
Raspberry 1 ” ” 1 ” ½ hour
Strawberry 1 ” ” 1 ” 20 minutes
Gooseberry 6 ” ” 4 ” 2 hours
Red currant 1 ” ” 1 ” 10 minutes
Blackberry 1 ” ” ½ ” 1 hour
Cherry (stoned) 2 ” ” 1 ” till stiff

Keeping Jams.--A not unfrequent cause for their becoming mouldy is that the jars in which jams are kept are sometimes not perfectly dry when the jam is put into them. The jam-pots put away from last year will necessarily be dusty, and require washing; and with thoughtless servants it but too often happens that they will wash the jars the same day the jam is made. They may imagine they have dried them with a cloth, but probably a slight dampness still remains which would be quite sufficient to cause the best-boiled preserve to turn mouldy, even if afterwards kept in a dry place. Have jars washed the day before they are used, have them washed in very hot water, and, after drying with a cloth, have them put down in trayfuls before the kitchen fire, to do away with the possibility of damp. The jars should then be set aside in the kitchen until the next day, covering them with cloths to keep out the dust. For making common jams, such as red and black currants, raspberries, gooseberries (and strawberries when not to be preserved whole), allow ¾ lb. loaf preserving-sugar to every lb. of fruit after it has been picked from the stalk. The fruit must be picked on a dry day, and should be ripe, but not bruised or injured. Set the fruit on the hot plate or fire in a large copper preserving pan, which must, of course, be as bright and clean as possible; let it cook gently, until it is hot through and the juice begins to run out, then add the sugar gradually (this must have been previously crushed, but need not be pounded); keep stirring with a long-handled wooden spoon, when it comes to the boil let it remain boiling for ¾ hour, then try if it will set by putting a few drops on a cold plate, and when this condition is arrived at, pour it off into jars prepared as described. Some jams do not take so long to boil as others, so it is as well to begin to try whether they will set after they have been boiling ½ hour. Many people carefully take off all the scum as it rises, but it is quite unnecessary; if properly boiled, and constantly stirred, it will all disappear before the jam is ready to be poured off, preventing the great waste caused when it is skimmed. Care must be taken to stir constantly during the whole process. After filling the jars, let them stand till next day, when they must be tied down and set in a dry, cool place to keep.

Bottling Fruit.--Have ready some wide-necked glass bottles, with good-fitting corks and some wax to cover the corks with, in order to prevent any air from entering. The wax is prepared thus: 1 lb. common rosin, ¼ lb. beeswax, ¼ lb. tallow; pound the rosin fine, and cut the beeswax into shreds; put the rosin, wax, and tallow into an old tin, and melt the mixture gradually over the fire; boil it gently for 5 minutes, stirring it well with a smooth, flat stick. It must be kept hot enough to run easily while being put on the corks. Fill the bottles with fruit, and set them in a boiler of warm water (not hot) up to their necks, without letting any water enter the bottles; have some warm syrup ready, made in the proportion of ¼ lb. loaf sugar to 1 pint water, boiled 10 minutes, and then allowed to cool until lukewarm; fill the bottles with this syrup, and let it cover the fruit, just leaving enough space for the cork to fit in. The bottles must not be corked. Set the boiler on the fire; a little straw should be placed on the bottom of the boiler to prevent the bottles from cracking. When the water has boiled for 10 minutes, take one bottle out at a time, cork it at once, and run the wax all over the cork, spreading it evenly with the flat stick, being careful to cover every part, lest the air should enter, and so peril the safe keeping. Gooseberries will require 10 minutes’ boiling; and raspberries, strawberries, and currants about 5 minutes. Plums must have ¼ hour if large. Whatever fruit is done in this way must be thoroughly heated through, and then rendered air-tight. Should there be a flaw in the glass bottle, it will probably crack while in the boiling water; but these unpleasant accidents have to be put up with. This mode of bottling fruit is very good when the fruit is required to be kept as whole as possible. Another method is to allow ¼ lb. sugar to each lb. of fruit. Put the sugar in a preserving pan, with sufficient hot water to moisten the bottom well and help the sugar to melt. When all the sugar is melted, put in the fruit, and let it boil rapidly for 10 minutes; if raspberries or small fruit, 5 minutes is enough. It does not need skimming. Have some hot jars or bottles ready, and pour the boiling fruit into the hot bottles; cork directly each one is filled, and wax it over, or paste 3 layers good paper over each bottle. When dry, these 3 layers of paper will be equal to parchment, and are sure to exclude the air. The reason why the fruit must be put into the bottles boiling hot is because the heat expels the air contained in the bottles, which must be secured immediately they are filled, else the air will rush in directly they begin to cool. Having the bottles in a bath of hot water before filling them with the hot fruit prevents the glass cracking. The bottles need not be dried, but a good shake must be given to free them as much as possible from the water. For green gooseberries or rhubarb, it is better to use ½ lb. sugar to 1 lb. fruit.

Apple Ginger.--2 lb. Ribstone or other hard apples, pare, core, and cut them into 8 pieces, put them into cold water whilst doing this to preserve their colour; make the syrup of 3 lb. white sugar, a little water, and 4 oz. tincture of ginger (not Oxley’s). Put in the apples and simmer very slowly until transparent. The pieces of apple should be kept whole. It will keep for a year.

Apple Jam.--Select good baking apples, which cut in round slices into a brown milk-pan, taking out the cores; to every 1 lb. apples add 1 lb. brown sugar; to the panful add the juice and peel of 4 lemons, ½ lb. whole young ginger, and 1 oz. cloves. Let all stand till next day, when boil. The slices become of an amber colour, and perfectly clear when sufficiently boiled.

Apple Jelly.--Choose apples with red skins, wipe, and cut into quarters, do not peel them. To each lb. fruit put 3 pints cold water, bring to a boil, then boil rapidly for 30 minutes. Strain, and to every pint juice allow 1 lb. loaf sugar, return to the pan, and again boil rapidly for 30 minutes.

Apple Marmalade.--(_a_) Peel, core, and thinly slice, good cooking apples (apples that cook to a smooth pulp easily); allow ¾ lb. loaf sugar to 1 lb. apples; put the sugar in a preserving pan (a tin or iron saucepan will turn them black), with ½ teacupful water to 6 lb. sugar; let it gradually melt, and boil it for 10 minutes. Then put in the sliced apple, and a few cloves, cinnamon, or lemon peel, to flavour if liked. Boil rapidly for an hour, skim well, and put in jam-pots. It should be quite a smooth pulp, clear, and a bright amber colour. Will keep good for 12 months. (_b_) Another way, to look like orange marmalade: Choose hard apples that do not cook to a soft pulp, such as russets; core, but do not peel them; make a syrup of 3 lb. loaf sugar to 1 pint water, and boil it rapidly for 20 minutes to make it syrup. Put in the apple thinly sliced, and boil quickly for an hour; flavour as preferred. This marmalade bears a great resemblance to orange marmalade in appearance, if the right kind of apples are chosen. Sufficient syrup should be made to ¾ cover the apples. Stir frequently.

Barberries, Preserved.--(_a_) Put them into a jar in layers, a good sprinkling of salt between each layer. (_b_) Take some bunches of barberries and tie several together; make a syrup with ¾ pint water to every lb. sugar, clarify it with white of egg. When quite clear throw in the bunches of fruit, and boil quickly until the fruit looks quite clear. Put them into jars, pour the syrup over them, and when cold tie them down.

Beetroot, Preserved.--Peel, trim, and slice in rather thick slices, some beetroots, fill some wide-mouthed jars about ¾ full with them, then add ½ oz. pounded sugar, 3 or 4 cloves, and either ¼ oz. coriander seeds or ½ oz. carraway seeds to every 1 lb. beetroot; fill up the jars with boiled vinegar, fasten them down with bladder.

Blackberry Jam.--For this it is necessary that the fruit should be quite ripe and perfectly dry when gathered. After picking from the stalks, weigh it, and allow ¾ lb. crushed white preserving sugar to every lb. of fruit. Set them together over a slow fire, stirring with a wooden or silver spoon to prevent burning at first, before the juice begins to run from the berries. The stirring must be almost constant during the whole process, as for any other sort of jam. After coming to the boil, it will be about ½ hour before it jellies, which must be ascertained by putting a very little from time to time on a cool plate. Some people very carefully take off the scum as it rises, but it is not really necessary; if constantly stirred, it will all disappear in the process of boiling, avoiding the waste caused by skimming, while the jam itself keeps equally well. When done, pour it off into jars, taking care that they are quite dry; let them stand till next day, cover the jars with paper, and put them by to keep in a cool, dry place. Another way is to mix ¼ lb. any good cooking apples, weighed after paring and cutting up, to every lb. blackberries; the sharper the kind of apple the better, but they must be ripe. More sugar is required when done in this way, 1¾ lb. sugar to every 2 lb. fruit. The grated rind and strained juice of lemons are also used with blackberries instead of apples, the larger proportion of sugar being allowed, and one lemon (small) to every 2 lb. berries. Some people object very much to the small seeds in this jam. These may be avoided by rubbing the fruit through a sieve as soon as it is sufficiently cooked to admit of it; it must then be put back into the preserving pan to boil till it sets. In this way, supposing the jam to be made of blackberries alone, half its own weight of sugar will be enough when weighing the uncooked fruit, as so much is afterwards lost by removing the seeds.

Blackberry Jelly.--(_a_) Put the fruit in the oven, and press it through canvas when tender. Allow rather more than ¾ lb. lump sugar to 1 lb. fruit syrup, and boil ¾ hour. This jelly is much improved by using equal quantities of bullaces and blackberries. The acid flavour of the bullace takes away the flatness of the blackberry. Put the jelly into moulds and cover with papers in the usual way. It is more likely to turn out well after being kept a month or two than at first.

(_b_) Boil together a quantity of apples cut small and blackberries that are thoroughly ripe, in the proportion of 1 lb. blackberries to ½ lb. apples. When boiled quite soft and pulpy, strain through a hair sieve and reboil, with ½ lb. loaf sugar to each pint juice, about ½ hour. ¼ pint water to every 4 lb. fruit may be boiled with it to advantage.

Black Currants, Bottled.--Fill some bottles as full as you can with the currants, add as much cold water as they will hold; then put them in a boiler filled with cold water, and let them boil until the fruit sinks in the bottles. Then take them up, cork them while hot, and paste thick brown paper over them.

Black Currant Jelly.--To 1 lb. picked and washed black currants add 1 gill water. Set this in a preserving pan, which should be of copper. Bruise the fruit well with a wooden spoon; afterwards take off the preserve and strain through a hair sieve. To each 1 lb. fruit allow 1 lb. white sugar. Boil 10 minutes.

Carrot Jam.--Well wash and scrape all black bits off some carrots; cut only the red part outside into pieces; put in a pan, with water to cover, and boil till it will rub through a hair sieve. To 4 lb. pulp allow 4 lb. loaf sugar, ¼ lb. bitter almonds blanched and chopped fine, the rind grated and the juice strained of 4 lemons, and 6 tablespoonfuls brandy to make the jam keep. Let the sugar and pulp boil up thoroughly, and then simmer for 15 minutes; skim and stir all the time. When cold, add the other ingredients, and stir all well together 2 or 3 times; then pot and cover with gummed paper.

Cherries, Bottled.--Gather the cherries on a dry day; be careful that they are not over-ripe or cracked at all. Fill the bottles or jars quite full with the cherries, and put them to stand in a boiler or large saucepan of cold water, and keep the jars covered closely; boil slowly until the fruit has sunk in the jars and the skins begin to crack; then lift one by one off the fire, and immediately fill quite full each jar with boiling water. Tie down twice with bladders, and put them in a dry place until required. Put them where they will not be disturbed, as if moved they ferment. If glass bottles are used care must be taken when filling with boiling water that they do not crack. Be particular to have all you need before taking the jars out of the water, and the kettle of water boiling fast, as the great secret in bottling fruit is in filling up the bottles and tying them down as quickly as possible.

Cherries, Dried.--Stone large sweet cherries with a small pointed skewer no larger than a quill toothpick, breaking them as little as possible; throw them into a boiling hot syrup, made with 1 small teacupful water to 1 lb sugar. Scald them in this syrup for 10 minutes, but do not allow them to boil, or they will break; remove them from the fire, pour them into a pan, and cover them till next day. Then draw off the syrup, boil it up, skim it, and pour it back upon the cherries. Do this for 3 days successively. On the fourth day drain the cherries on a cane sieve till entirely free from excess of moisture; then lay them on wire sieves, and dry them by slow heat for several hours until, when touched, they do not stick to the fingers. When cold, sprinkle sugar over them, and pack in layers between white paper. If too much heat is used in drying them, they will be dark and unsightly.

Cherries, Preserved.--Take equal quantities sugar and cherries, cut off the stalks from the cherries, wipe them clean with a soft cloth, and strew over them a little finely-powdered sugar; boil the sugar with 1 pint water to every 3 lb. sugar, clarify it with whites of egg, strain it, and then boil it to candy height. The next day boil up the cherries with the syrup for 5 minutes, and let them remain in the syrup for 24 hours; strain off the syrup, boil it again to the second degree, and pour this over the cherries. The next day boil up the sugar to the third degree, dip each cherry separately in the syrup, and put them on a sieve in a warm place to dry.

Cherry Jam.--For this use ripe fruit, but carefully reject any which is bruised or over-ripe. The Kentish is the best for this purpose, having a pleasant acid taste; other kinds are too sweet for the quantity of sugar necessary in preserving fruit. To every lb. stoned fruit add ¾ lb. loaf sugar well broken; it will require stirring occasionally from the first, and continuously after it once comes to the boil, after which it must continue boiling for ¾ hour; then try a little on a cold plate to see if it sets or jellies; if it does, pour it off into jars, and set in a cool dry place till the following day, when it should be covered down for keeping, if not, continue boiling until it will so set. It will not require skimming during the process of boiling, the scum will all boil away. The easiest way of stoning cherries is to tie a little loop of iron wire about the shape of a hairpin, on to a stick the length of a pencil; bind the two ends firmly to the stick, leaving the loop standing up about 1 in. long, and slightly bent forward. With this the stones are easily extracted.

Citrons, Preserved.--Put them in strong salt and water in a jar, with a cabbage leaf to keep them down; tie a paper over them, set them in a warm place till they are yellow, take them out, and set them over the fire in fresh water, with a little salt and a fresh cabbage leaf; take care they do not boil; if they are not a good green change the water (and even fresh leaves will help to green them), and make hot and cover them as before; when they are a good green take them off the fire, let them stand till they are cold, then cut them in two or make a hole at the end, to take out the seeds and soft part, and put them in cold water. Let them stand 2 days, but change the water twice each day to take out the salt, then make a syrup, and put it cold to them; boil it once in 2 days for 3 weeks. For the syrup: 1 lb. loaf sugar, ½ pint water; set over the fire; when well boiled and looking clear, take it up; when cold, throw it over the citron.

Crab-Apple Jam.--To every lb. of fruit put the same quantity of preserving sugar. Having melted it with a little light wine, put it on the fire and let it boil well; when it has been skimmed clear and is boiling, put in the fruit with a few cloves; let all simmer together till the fruit begins to break, when it is done. The fruit should be rubbed dry and the stalks removed before it is put into the sugar.

Crab-Apple Jelly.--Remove the stalks from the apples and cut them in half, put them into a preserving pan, and boil till the fruit is perfectly soft; do not stir it. When soft, pour off the water, and to every pint allow 1 lb. sugar. Put it into another pan, and let it boil slowly for ½ hour, taking off all the scum that rises. It should by this time be clear. Fill your glasses or jars with it. Now take the fruit and mash it; rub it through a coarse tammy; to every lb. allow 1 lb. sugar and ½ pint water. Let it boil slowly till it thickens, then put it into bowls. When used cut it in slices.

Crab-Apples, Preserved.--Gather them just before they are fully ripe. Put a quantity of them into a pan of boiling water, and barely scald them. As soon as one of the skins begins to crack remove them from the fire, and strain them through an earthenware colander; they may then be very easily peeled. In the meantime make a thin syrup, and, having peeled the apples, place them in jars, and pour the syrup over them quite hot. As they rise to the surface they must be pushed back, so as to keep them all under the syrup. Let them remain uncovered till the following day, when they must again all be poured out into the colander, placing the syrup in the stewpan with more sugar, to ensure its being thick. Boil and skim it well, return the fruit to the jars, and again pour the hot syrup over it. Let them still remain open; and the next day, if the fruit seems soft enough, and the syrup sufficiently thick and clear, they may be considered finished, and they may be tied down with bladder; if not, repeat the process a third time, and keep for another day. About a week after they have been tied down it is well to examine them, and, should they show any signs of fermentation or mould, the syrup must again be boiled down as before. The core is never removed from Siberian crabs; it has in itself a most delicate flavour, which improves the whole preserve.

Cranberries, Preserved.--Gather the fruit in clusters, before it is quite ripe. Pick away any dead leaves and injured berries, and keep the clusters in strong salt and water, in jars well covered. Look to them occasionally, and when the pickle begins to ferment change it. Cranberries thus preserved will retain their flavour and quality for many months.

Cucumbers, Preserved with Ginger.--Take small cucumbers, and large ones that will cut into quarters, the greenest and most free from seeds; put them in a jar with strong salt and water, covered with cabbage leaves; tie a paper over them, and keep the jar in a warm place till they yellow; wash them out, and put them over the fire in fresh water, a little salt in it, and a fresh cabbage leaf over them; cover the pan very close, and take care they do not boil. If they are not a fine green change the water and make them hot again. When a good green, take them off the fire, let them stand till cold, then cut them in halves or quarters; take out the seeds and soft parts; put them in water, and let them stand 2 days; change the water twice a day to take out the salt. Take 1 lb. white sugar, ½ pint water, set it on the fire, skim it clear, then put in the rind of a lemon, and 1 oz. ginger with the outside scraped off. When the syrup is pretty thick, take it off, and, when cold, wipe the cucumbers dry and put them in; boil the syrup once in 2-3 days for 3 weeks, and strengthen if required, for there is more fear of them spoiling at first. The syrup must be quite cold when put to the cucumbers.

Damsons, Bottled.--Fill the bottles with damsons, and add to each bottle ½ lb. castor sugar. Put the bottles in cold water in a large pan on the fire, where they must remain for ½ hour after they have begun to boil. When boiled, let them cool, cork down tight, and tie bladder over the corks, and keep in a very dry place. Care should be taken that no bruised fruits are put in. Whilst the bottles are on the fire, hay should be put between them to keep them from breaking.

Figs.--Weigh the fruit, and have an equal quantity of sugar, the peel of 1 large lemon, and a little ginger. Lay the figs in cold water for 24 hours, then simmer them till tender; put them again into cold water, and let them remain for 2 days, changing the water every day. If not quite soft simmer again, and replace in cold water until next day. Take their weight in loaf sugar, and with ⅔ of it make a syrup, in which simmer the figs for 10 minutes. In 2 days take the third of the sugar, pounded fine, and pour the syrup from the figs on it. Make a rich syrup with the peel of the lemon and a little raw ginger, and boil the figs in it, then mix all together and put into large jam pots. The figs may be cut in half, if preferred, after they have simmered until soft.

Ginger, Preserved.--Put the ginger for 2 weeks every night and morning into boiling water. Take off the outside skin with a sharp knife. Boil the ginger in water till quite tender; slice it. Prepare a syrup of 1 lb. sugar to ½ pint water. Clarify it, and put the ginger in it. Boil it till clear. Leave it to cool before putting it into jars.

Gooseberries, Bottled.--Pick off the soft brown outside part at the top of each gooseberry, but be most particular to leave the hair-like fibre which it surrounds; cut the stem close, and if any one gooseberry breaks open reject it, as a single broken one might spoil a whole bottleful. Put them into wide-mouthed bottles (pickle bottles suit very well), fill them up with cold water, and place them standing in a fish-kettle or any large, flat-bottomed pot; also filled with water as high as the necks of the bottles, over a very slow fire, where they are to remain until they come to a gentle boil and begin to change colour; then take them out of the pot, and let them stand until they become cold, when the bottles are to be filled up with olive oil, and they need not be corked. Look at them from time to time, and fill up with fresh oil, as some may evaporate. Keep the bottles on a shelf in a dry place, for damp spoils them, and when wanted for use, have them washed in water and soda by putting them into a colander, and then a shower of fresh water at the end, just to take off any soda which might remain.

Gooseberry Jam.--(_a_) Allow ¾ lb. lump or white crystallised sugar to each lb. gooseberries; a few spoonfuls of water must be put at the bottom of the preserving pan and care taken that the fruit does not burn. Pot ½ hour after the jam boils; keep it well stirred.

(_b_) For every lb. picked gooseberries, put ¾ lb. sugar and 1 pint water in a bowl or pan; when dissolved, place it on the fire. Beat the white of an egg well up, and stir into it when boiling: when on the point of boiling over check it by pouring in a little cold water. On its rising up the second time, take it off, and place it on one side to allow the black scum to rise, which must be taken off carefully with a skimmer. Pour the liquor away quickly, leaving the sediment at the bottom; add your fruit in the syrup, simmer gently until the fruit looks clear, break it with a wooden spoon, put the jam into pots, and cover up.

Gooseberry Jelly.--Take 1-2 gal. fruit when green, and a little more than 1 qt. water to each gal. gooseberries. Boil till quite a pulp, strain through a jelly bag of coarse flannel; when strained add to every pint of juice 1 lb. loaf sugar. Boil till set.

Grape Jam.--(_a_) The grapes must be ripe. Wash them well, then stew them until they become a soft pulp, and pass them through a sieve. Weigh, and to every lb. add an equal quantity of sugar. Boil for 20 minutes, stirring well.

(_b_) A delicious preserve from unripe grapes can be made in the following way: They should be carefully picked, and all that are at all injured should be rejected. To 1 lb. grapes add ½ lb. sugar; no water but what hangs about them after they have been washed. Put the grapes into a preserving pan, then a layer of sugar, then a layer of grapes. Boil on a moderate fire, stirring it all the time to prevent its burning, and as the grape stones rise take them out with a spoon, so that by the time the fruit is sufficiently boiled the stones will have all boiled up and been taken out.

Grape Jelly.--Take some bunches of common outdoor white grapes, unripe will answer the purpose; rinse them in a plentiful supply of water, strip them from their stalks, and put them in a preserving pan; set them over a moderate fire for about 2 hours, or till they burst freely. Strain them through a colander or sieve, and to every lb. of pulp and juice, add 1 lb. sugar; boil them about ½ hour. Each shape will require ½ oz. gelatine; wet the moulds, and set them in a cool place. It makes a pretty dessert dish, being a light green, and tastes like greengage if managed well. Care must be taken to use either a silver or wooden spoon, and an enamelled or a copper preserving pan is important to preserve the colour.

Guava Jelly, Imitation.--This is made from medlars. It takes a great number of medlars to make a small quantity of jelly, as they contain so little juice. Put the medlars, which must be ripe, into a preserving pan with just enough cold water to cover them. Let them cook gently until they are quite soft, then put them into a jelly bag, and let the juice drain off gradually; this will be a long process, as they must not be squeezed, or the jelly would not have the clear brightness of guava jelly. It is a good plan to leave them to drain all night. To every pint of juice allow 1 lb. best white sugar, pounded. Boil them together in a preserving pan, stirring constantly with a silver or wooden spoon to prevent burning, and carefully removing the scum as it rises. It will probably take about ½ hour to boil, but it must be tested by dropping a little from time to time on a cold plate; when it jellies it is done, and must then be poured off into small jars or moulds, care being taken that they are not only clean, but perfectly dry. The next day tie them down in the usual way, and keep in a dry cool place. When this is properly made it resembles guava jelly very closely, both in colour, flavour, and consistency.

Hip Jam.--Collect the hips from the rose bushes when ripe, boil them in water until they become soft enough to be easily crushed, and press them through a very fine sieve. Take an equal weight of sugar to that of the fruit, boil the hips, when pulped through the sieve, thoroughly with sugar, and put the jam into a large stone jar. It is liable to ferment a good deal, and therefore requires space. When taking any out for use, mix and stir it up well with a little white wine, and add sugar to taste if required. This jam is excellent, either for eating alone as a sweatmeat, or for making sauce.

Hip Marmalade.--Gather hips, when perfectly ripe, wash them, and boil them in water, in the proportion of ½ pint water to 1 lb. fruit. When quite tender, pass them, water and all, through a sieve fine enough to keep back all the seeds. To each lb. pulp put 1 lb. refined sugar, and boil until your marmalade will jelly well. When a little cooled, pour it into jelly glasses or small jars, with a few small pieces of preserved ginger in each glass. Cover while hot.

Hips in Sugar.--For this, gather hips as soon as they have become red. Boil them gently until tender (but they must not be allowed to break) in sufficient water to cover them. Cut the stalks even, and a small piece from the blossom end of each berry, and with a pointed penknife or quill carefully remove all the seeds. Allow 1 lb. sugar and a little cinnamon to each lb. prepared hips. Put the sugar in a preserving pan, with just sufficient water to dissolve it--as little as possible, as the syrup should be very thick and clear. When the sugar is melted, put in the fruit, and boil gently until it is done and the syrup becomes thick; let it cool a little, and then put it carefully in glasses. It is important that the shape of the fruit should be preserved, and the largest berries obtainable should be used. A little lemon juice may be added to the above syrup if liked.

Hips in Vinegar.--Gather from the dog rose some of the largest berries you can obtain, as soon as they are quite red, but not over-ripe; cut the stalks even, leaving a short piece on each berry, wash and put them in a stewpan with as much boiling water as will cover them well. Boil gently until they are quite tender, but not at all broken. Drain the water from them, but do not throw it away. As soon as the hips are cold, cut a small piece from each at the blossom end, and with a pointed penknife or quill remove all the seeds, taking care not to break the fruit. For a syrup for 2 lb. berries allow 1 pint good vinegar, ½ pint of the liquid in which the fruit was boiled (which should be strained in muslin), 2 lb. loaf sugar, ¼ oz. cinnamon, and ¼ oz. cloves. Put all these in a preserving-pan, stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved, let the syrup boil for 15 minutes, then put the hips in, and boil for 20 minutes, or until the syrup is rich and thick. Store, spice and all, in small jars or glasses, and cover like any other preserve. This will keep good for 2 years and more. It is a delicious substitute for red currant jelly with game or roast mutton, and is also good for colds in the throat or chest.

Lemon Marmalade.--Take any number of lemons; 6 make a nice quantity. Slice them very thin, only putting out the seeds. To each lb. sliced fruit add 3 pints cold water; let this stand 24 hours. Then boil it until the chips are tender, pour into an earthen bowl, and allow it to remain until the next day. Then weigh it, and to every lb. boiled fruit add 1½ lb. of lump sugar, boil the whole together until the syrup jellies and the chips are rather transparent; in taking out the pips be careful to leave all the white pith in, as that goes towards making syrup.

Lemon Peel, Candied.--Cut the lemons into quarters lengthwise, remove the juicy part, and throw the peels into strong salt and water, to soak in it for about 6 days. The brine should be strong enough to float an egg. At the end of the time take them from the salt and water, and throw them into cold water, where they should remain for 1 hour; remove them from this, and place them in a copper preserving-pan with as much fresh cold water as will cover them, and let them boil until quite soft. Try if they are done with a silver fork; if it will go in easily they have boiled long enough. Place them on a large hair sieve to drain the water from them, and during the time make a syrup in the proportion of 1 lb. loaf sugar to 1 qt. water; let them boil together until forming a thin syrup, in which boil the peels for about ½ hour, or until they look clear. Some more sugar must now be boiled with only just as much water as it will absorb; there must be enough of this made to just cover the peels when they are put into it. Again boil them, and continue boiling until the sugar begins to candy; they must then be taken out and again drained; before they are quite dry place them in large dishes, when a little very finely powdered sugar must be shaken over them. Set the dishes in a warm place for the peels to dry. They may then be stored away for use. While the boiling is going on the syrup will require constant stirring with a new wooden spoon to prevent burning.

Limes, Preserved.--(_a_) Take double the weight of crushed loaf sugar to the weight of limes. Boil the limes in water gently until the rinds are sufficiently tender to be easily penetrated with a silver fork; the water should be changed 2 or 3 times. When soft enough, drain the water from them, and cut them with a sharp knife into very thin slices, remove the pips, and put the slices of limes into a deep jar. Make a syrup, allowing 1 qt. water to every 5 lb. sugar, and let it boil gently until you can see the bottom of the preserving-pan, by which time it will be clear; stir frequently, using a silver spoon for the purpose. When ready, pour this syrup boiling hot over the limes, and let it remain for 2 days. On the third turn it all out into a preserving-pan, and let it boil for about ½ hour, or until it jellies. Then pour off into jars, and the following day, when quite cold, tie them down as you would any other preserve. Tangerine oranges would be done in the same way; but ¾ lb. sugar would be enough to 1 lb. fruit.