Take some fine large pears, either eating or baking, but those for eating must not be too ripe; they are fit for this purpose when the pips are black. Throw them into a pan of water, with two ounces of alum; put them on the fire, and scald them until tender; take them out, and throw them into cold water; pare off the rind very thin and even; prick them several times with a fork or pin to the core, and scald them again until they are quite soft, or until the head of a pin or straw will pass through them; a little lemon juice may be added to the water in the second boiling, or with the syrup; when they are finished blanching, throw them into cold water; when cold drain them from this, and put them into a thin syrup at the small thread; give them two or three boils in this; skim, and put them in an earthen pan; the next day drain off the syrup, and add more sugar, and reduce it another degree; boil your pears in it, as before, and repeat the process for four days, finishing with the syrup at the large pearl. Keep them in covered pans for use.