Preliminary Hints And Observations

As the art of preserving garden stuffs and fruits from being injured or spoiled by keeping, is a matter of some consequence to the superintendant of the kitchen, it will be necessary to observe, that every species of the vegetable tribe must be kept in dry places, as damp places will not only cover them with mould, but also totally deprive them of their fine flavour. The same thing will hold good with respect to bottled fruit; but take care, while you endeavour to avoid putting them into damp places, you do not put them where they may get warm, as that will equally spoil them. When you boil any dried vegetables, be sure that you allow them plenty of water.

To Keep French Beans All The Year

Gather the beans on a very fine day, and take only those that are young and free from spots. Clean and dry them, put a layer of salt at the bottom of a large stone jar, and then a layer of beans ; then salt, and then beans, and so on till the jar is full. Cover them with salt, tie a coarse cloth over them, put a board on that, and a weight to keep out the air. Set them in a dry cellar; and when taken out, cover the rest close again. Wash those taken out very clean and let them lie in soft water twenty-four hours, shifting the water fre-quently ; and when boiled, do not put any salt in the water.

The Dutch Method Of Preserving French Beam

Take a thousand French beans, when in full season, cut them slanting, and as thin as possible; then procure a stone jar sufficient to contain them; in which deposit alternately a layer of beans, and then of common table salt, observing that the proportion of salt must be, for every thousand of' beans, about four pounds. When the jar is full, Jet it stand' to the following day, and then press them down well till the water overflows, and the harder they are pressed the better. Cover them with a cloth within the jar, tight down upon the beans, over which place a trencher the size of the inside of the jar, and then a heavy weight on the top. It will be proper now and then to take off the cloth and wash it clean, when it must be put on again, as before-mentioned. By these means the beans may be preserved for a considerable time. When dressed, let the quantity chosen be steeped the night before in cold water. In the morning they must be well washed in two or three fresh waters, and put into boiling water, letting them boil hard till they become tender, for which half an hour will be sufficient. Take them off the fire, and stew them with a little butter, when they will be fit for the table.

To Keep Grapes

When the grapes are cut from the vine, take care to leave a joint of the stalk to them, and hang them up in a dry room, at a proper distance from each other, that the bunches may hang separate and clear of each other ;. for the air must pass freely between them, or there will be danger of their growing mouldy and rotten. The Frontiniac grape is the best for this purpose, which, if managed properly, will keep to the end. of January at least.