Orange Preserves

Take any number of oranges with rather more than their weight in white sugar. Slightly grate the oranges and score them round and round with a knife, but not cut very deep. Put them in cold water for three days, changing the water several times each day. Tie them up in a cloth and boil them until soft enough for the head of a pin to peretrate the skin easily, and remove from the cloth. While they are boiling,, place the sugar over the fire, with 1 cupful of water to each pound of sugar. Let boil two or three minutes and strain through muslin. Put the oranges into the syrup and boil gently until it jellies and is of a yellow color. Try the syrup by putting some to cool. It must not be too stiff. If the syrup does not cover the oranges turn them so that every part may be thoroughly done.

Pine-Apple Preserves

Take perfectly ripe and fresh pineapples, pare and cut in slices an inch thick. Take an equal weight of white powdered sugar. Lay the sliced pineapple in a deep dish, alternating the slices with sugar sprinkled between them. Reserve ½ the sugar. Let the pine-apple stand until the next day, when the syrup may be turned from them and mixed with the remaining sugar, adding 1 large cupful of water for 3 or 4 pounds of pineapple. Boil the syrup. Skim and take from the fire. When cool drop in the pine-apple and simmer gently until tender. Keep in glass or china jars covered tight and in a cool place. At the least sign of fermentation, turn the syrup off, scald, and turn back hot on the fruit. If the preserves are canned and sealed hot, there is, of course, no danger of fermentation.

Raspberry Preserves

Weigh the berries, wash them and add 2/3 their weight in sugar. Boil five minutes. Skim and seal up hot. Do not let them burn. Raspberries and currants mixed make a very nice preserve.

Blackberry Preserves

Make same as Raspberry.

Strawberry Preserves

Pound for pound. Rinse the berries and put with the sugar in a preserving kettle over a slow fire until the sugar melts. Boil rapidly for twenty-five minutes. Take out the fruit with a perforated skimmer and fill a number of small cans 2/3 full. Boil the syrup five minutes longer. Skim. Fill up the jars and seal hot. Keep in a cool, dry place.

Cherry Preserves

Pit the fruit. Weigh, and to 8 pounds of cherries add 7 pounds of granulated sugar. Drain the cherries a little while. Pour off the juice and add to the sugar. Allow it to boil, and skim. Put in the fruit. Let cook slowly but steadily. When the fruit looks a little clear take out with a skimmer. Boil the syrup a few minutes longer, and turn over the fruit. Put in stone jars and tie securely when cool.

Elderberry Preserves

2 gallons of berries picked from the stem. 5 pounds of sugar. 1 pint of strong vinegar.

Stew down thick. They will keep without canning. Very healthful.

Cucumber Preserves, (Delicious)

Gather young cucumbers, about four inches long. Lay in strong brine one week. Wash. Soak twenty-four hours in clear Water, changing this four times. Line a bell-metal kettle with grape-vine leaves. Lay in the cucumbers with a little alum scat$ered among them. Cover with vine leaves. Fill the kettle with clear water. Cover closely. Let them simmer. As scon as they are well greened take out the cucumbers and drop in ice water. When perfectly cold, wipe, and with a small knife slit down one side. Dig out the seeds. Stuff with a mixture of chopped raisins and citron. Sew up the slit with a fine thread and weigh them. Make a syrup, allowing 1 pound of sugar to 1 pound of cucumber and 1 pint of water. Heat to boiling point. Skim. Drop in the fruit. Simmer half an hour. Take out. Spread on a dish in the sun and boil down the syrup with a few slices of ginger root added. When thick put in the cucumbers again. Simmer five minutes and put in glass jars, tying up when cool.