In making jam of very ripe juicy fruit, a portion of jelly may be taken from it which will improve the jam, taking care to have sufficient syrup to jelly round the fruit. Each quart of fruit and two pounds of sugar will admit the removal of half a pint of jelly without injury.

Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, and currants: put an equal weight of loaf-sugar and fruit; put the fruit in a preserving pan; bruise it a little and put it on the stove; stir it carefully to keep it from sticking to the bottom and sides of the pan. Let it boil before adding the sugar, and if there is plenty of juice from the fruit, so that there is no danger of it burning, let it boil a quarter of an hour before adding the sugar; it must boil half an hour afterwards. Skim on to a sieve, and add that which runs through to it. Try the stiffness of the jelly by putting a little on a plate and setting it in a cool place; if it becomes stiff when quite cold, it has boiled sufficiently; if not stiff, boil it until it is.

The scarlet or mulberry strawberries are the best for preserving; they must be quite ripe and dry: to three pints of strawberries allow halfapintof red currant jelly. For gooseberry jam, take the small dark hairy sort named Crystal, or a large bright hairy sort called the Warrington. Smooth gooseberries do not do well in preserving.

Lisbon sugar answers very well when the jam is wanted for immediate use, and in large families where it is much used. Put six pounds of Lisbon sugar to seven of fruit. Gooseberries and black currants should be boiled an hour; if not stiff in that time, boil it longer.