In season: July and August.

The Barberry or berberry is of three kinds - the common red, the stoneless, and the sweet. The barberry makes an excellent preserve, and is a pretty breakfast or dessert dish. (See plate).

A Pretty Dish Of Barberries

Select the finest barberries, taking the largest bunches to preserve whole. Divide the fruit, pick half of them off their stems; put them into a preserving pan with sufficient water to make a syrup; boil them till they are soft; then strain off the juice, and to every pint of syrup put a pound and a half of pounded loaf sugar. Boil and skim it well, and to every pint of this syrup put half a pound of barberries tied in bunches. Boil them in it till they look clear, then put them in glass bottles for use, tied down with paper dipped in brandy. When you wish to use them make a mound of fresh moss and stick them over it by their stems. This dish is used for ornamenting a supper or breakfast table.