Our maiden who has successfully raised a bed of small fruits will desire to can or preserve any excess of them, either for home use, or to furnish herself with pin-money. The process is easily learned, and is something in which the true housewife takes great pride and pleasure.

To begin with, every thing about the implements of canning fruit or making jelly should be immaculately neat, and ready for use. Glass cans and tumblers should be freshly scalded, after pouring in a little cold water, with the elastics and tops fitted, and each laid with its jar. Large wooden spoons should be provided, and porcelain kettles freshly scoured. Use no tin, except a quart cup for measuring sugar: in this weigh one pound of it, and you will always know then just how full it needs to be. Weigh your kettles first without fruit, afterwards take that amount from the entire weight. If you begin with jelly, you will pick the currants some dry morning just as soon as they ripen : if possible, take the same or twice the quantity of raspberries, to soften the sharp flavor of the currants. Stem the latter. Throw both into your kettle, and boil till soft, breaking the fruit with a spoon ; squeeze, a quart at a time, gently through a crash bag, which must be turned and rinsed after each filling. To every pint of this juice allow one pound of nice white sugar, which spread out in shallow tin dishes on the back of the stove, or in the open oven. This you stir while it-heats, at the same time watching the juice, which you have put back into a clean kettle, skimming as it heats: when this has boiled just twenty minutes, and the sugar has grown very hot, turn the last into the juice quickly, and stir rapidly together. When the sugar has all melted, and the compound is just ready to boil, but has not really begun, take from the fire. Meanwhile, on a near table is a large pan in which are your jars or tumblers filled with very hot water, and surrounded by it also : between this and the jelly-kettle is a large plate. Empty one of your tumblers, and fill with the hot liquid at once; set on a platter in the window, and continue in the same way. If you have done every step as described, the jelly will form as it cools. If you prefer, Mason's jars can be used : these may need to stand open in the sunshine a day or two before sealing.

Other kinds of jelly are made by the same process. The juice of strawberries, raspberries, and cherries, is so thin that a package of Cooper's gelatine, dissolved in a little cold juice, and then added to three quarts of it, will be needed to give consistency. Apples and quinces can be treated like other fruit, often being cut up whole, so as to retain the jelly of the cores, and flavor of the skins. And, in making jelly of cherries or peaches, crack a few pits or kernels, and cook with the fruit in order to intensify its flavor. Except for berries which are very juicy, add a small teacup of water to a pound of fruit when set to boil. A teacup having a handle will be found convenient as a filler.

In all this process, a little experience will make our maiden quick, but not hurried, watchful, careful, and orderly.

When the jelly is cool and firm, it is to be covered with two thicknesses of tissue-paper the size of the top of the jar, and over this spread a layer of pulverized sugar half an inch thick. Then, by tying over all a paper saturated with thin flour-paste, it will keep - unless filched by mice or greedy fingers.

In canning, the same utensils and arrangements are needed. Pears, peaches, quinces, and apples are to be peeled, cored or pitted, and halved. The sugar measured must be one-third to one-half the weight of fruit, according to its acidity. This is to be set aside, if the fruit is hard, till the latter has been boiled, with a cup of water for every pound, until it begins to soften. Then add the sugar; let it come to a boil, and take from the fire after having been gently stirred. In small fruits, the sugar may be added at first; but, where fruit is already hard, that only serves to toughen it. In case it does not need boiling, make a sirup for the fruit, allowing a cup of water to each pound, with the sugar : when it comes to a boil, add the pears or quinces, and cook only till they are clear, or heated through. Currants, grapes cultivated and wild, berries of all kinds, cherries, and huckleberries can be treated in the same manner. Plums must be pricked, or the skins will peel off, and, unless very sweet, will need half their weight of sugar. By making a sirup first, fruit is less liable to break in pieces : if this is not dreaded, it can be cooked in layers of the measured sugar. Or heat fruit to boiling, and then add sugar.

In canning, the object of having every thing at hand is to allow no delay, as the air, which causes decay, is repelled by the heat. When, therefore, the kettle is lifted to the table beside the jars, which are in a pan or small tub of hot water, the fruit must be carefully put in, packing large pieces nice]y, with a silver spoon, and the sirup filled in till it runs over the top. Holding the jar with the left hand by a cloth wrapped around it, wipe, fit on the elastic, and screw on the top tightly as possible. Proceed till all are filled. Wipe the cans dry, and tighten the tops as they cool. Keep in the dark. If every thing was thoroughly heated, and each jar perfectly filled, there will be no danger of its working.

Fruit that is soft, or very ripe, makes excellent jam, thus: boil half an hour, or until it is perfectly soft and well cooked, mashing with a wooden spoon ; add three-fourths its original weight of sugar, and boil a half-hour longer. If spiced currants are desired, take the jam when well done, and add a pint of sharp cider-vinegar, a tablespoonful of cinnamon, a teaspoonful of ginger, and half as much cayenne pepper, to every seven pounds of the uncooked fruit.

Quinces are best relished in the form of marmalade. They are rubbed, peeled, cored, and boiled soft. Into this mixture is thrown the strained liquor in which seeds and cores have been steeped soft, in little more water than covered them. After rubbing them through a colander, they are returned to the kettle, and cooked half an hour in three-quarters their weight after peeling: if desired sweeter, use full weight. Keep in bowls or large-mouthed jars.

But our maiden may wish to dispose of old-fashioned preserves to some of her matron friends, or to use them occasionally in tarts herself. In that case she will prepare fruit precisely as for canning, save that she uses sugar with it, pound for pound. With every four pounds of sugar make a sirup by adding a half-pint of water and the beaten white of an egg. Boil and skim. Put in the fruit carefully, and boil from ten minutes to half an hour, according to its size. Strawberries and cherries may be strewn over night in an earthen vessel, between layers of sugar. The drained juice with its proportion of water serves for sirup. Large fruit must be treated as directed for canning; so, also, may melon and citron rinds, cut into small squares or fancy shapes, and cooked till translucent. Flavor with a sliced lemon and an ounce of fresh ginger-root to each quart of preserve. Even plum tomatoes are palatable by this means. If a change is desired, we may convert any kind of fruit into sweet pickle. This is done by taking two-thirds the weight in sugar, and packing both, in alternate layers, in the kettle, adding to every seven pounds of fruit a pint of sharp vinegar, a table-spoonful of cinnamon, and a few cloves. Let all come to the boiling-point, then seal in hot jars. If a thick sirup is wished, skim the fruit into jars, and boil the liquid until it is of the required consistency.

In calculating the profits of jelly-making, we see that much depends upon the juiciness of the fruit and the closeness with which the pulp is squeezed. One pint of fruit and one pound of sugar will make about three-fourths of a quart of jelly, costing about thirty-seven cents, or at the rate of half dollar the quart. To pay for time and labor, it should be sold for double that sum, with cost of jar added. Nearly the same estimate will apply to preserves, which are usually put up in cans.

In canning fruit, nearly seven quarts of uncooked fruit will fill three jars when cooked and sweetened, costing and selling for a little less. Here is an approximation toward the profit.

Dr.

To small fruits and sugar for preserves and jelly, per can . . $ .50

Cr. ■ By price of same..........$1.00

Total profit per can........$ .50

Dr. To small fruits and sugar for one quart can.....$ .35

Cr. By price of same..........$ .80

Profit per can..........$ .45

To the cost and price of each must be added the cost of the jar.

To the cost and price of each must be added the cost of the jar.