672. Cherries

To preserve cherries without boiling, take fine ripe Morello cherries; cut the stalks an inch from the fruit, and put them into wide-mouthed bottles; when full, put powdered loaf-sugar over the top, and pour in a little brandy. Cork and cement, or tie over with leather and bladder. They will keep all the winter through, and do very well for desserts.

673. To Bottle Damsons Or Gooseberries

Damsons should have attained their dark colour, but not be ripe. Be careful not to bruise them. Fill wide-mouthed bottles: shake them down so that you may get as many in as possible. To each bottle put a wine glass of good home-made wine, either ginger or raisin; no other sort is good. Tie them over with bladders, and put them to stand in a large pot with cold water to reach the necks of the bottles; put a fire under the pot, and let the water boil; when the bladders begin to rise and puff, prick them with a pin. As soon as the water boils remove the fire, and let the bottles remain there until they are quite cold. Next day remove the bladders, and put over the top a thick layer of powdered loaf-sugar and a spoonful of brandy; then cork them tight, and seal or cement them.

674. Gooseberries

The same rules do for gooseberries, but they should be full grown, and gathered when green.

675. Currants

Currants full grown, but not turned, may be preserved in the same way; cut the stalks off with scissors.

676. To Keep Codlins Several Months

Gather codlins at Midsummer of a middling size; put them into an earthen pan, pour boiling water over, and cover the pan with cabbage leaves; keep them by the fire till they would peel, but do not peel them; then pour the water off till both are quite cold. Place the codlins in a stone jar with a smallish mouth, and pour on them the water that scalded them. Cover the pot with bladder, and tie very close, and then cover it with coarse paper again. It is best to keep them in small pots, such as will be used at once when opened.

677. To Preserve Apricots In Jelly

Pare the fruit very thin and stone it; weigh an equal quantity of sugar in fine powder and strew over it. Next day boil very gently till they are clear; move them into a bowl, and pour the liquor over. The following day pour the liquor to a quart of codlin liquor made by boiling: and straining, and a pound of fine sugar; let it boil quickly till it will jelly; put the fruit into it, and give one boil; skim well and put into small pots.

678. A Very Nice Preserve Of Apricots

Choose the finest apricots when quite ripe; pare them as thin as possible, and weigh them; lay them in halves on dishes, with the hollow parts upwards; have an equal weight of good loaf-sugar finely pounded, and strew it over them; break the stones, and blanch the kernels; when the fruit has lain twelve hours, put it with the sugar and juice, also the kernels, into a preserving pan; let it simmer very gently till clear, then take out the pieces of apricots singly; put them into small pots, and pour the syrup and kernels over them. The scum must be taken off as it rises. Cover with brandy paper.

Greengages and egg-plums may be preserved in the same way.