No sweetmeats can either look well or taste well unless the fruit and the sugar are of the best quality. As in all other branches of cookery, it is false economy to provide bad or low-priced ingredients. It has of late years been difficult to obtain very good sugar at any price, so much is adulterated with flour or ground starch. In the common powdered sugar the flour is so palpable that we are surprised at its having any sale at all; and the large quantity required to produce any perceptible sweetness renders it totally unfit for sweetmeats, or indeed for any thing else. The best brown sugar is better than this, having clarified it with white of egg. To do this, allow to every pound of sugar the beaten white of an egg, and a half pint of clear cold water. Having poured the water on the sugar, let it stand to melt before it goes on the fire. Then add the white of egg and put in on to boil. When it boils, carefully take off the scum as it rises, and add when it is boiling hard another jill or quarter pint of water for each pound of sugar. Remove it from the fire when the scum ceases to rise, and let it stand for a quarter of an hour to settle. Strain, and bottle it for use. The best brown sugar thus prepared will make a good syrup; and good marmalade, when white sugar of the best quality is not to be obtained. But for the nicest sweetmeats use always, if you can, the best double-refined loaf.

In warm weather there is nothing better for a preserving fire than a portable charcoal furnace placed out in the open air; as in a room with the doors or windows shut the vapor of charcoal is deadly, and never fails to produce suffocation. Of whatever the fire is made, it should be clear and steady without smoke or blaze. Never use copper or bell-metal for either preserving or pickling. For all such purposes employ only iron, lined with what is called porcelain or enamel, but is in reality a thick strong white earthen, first made at Delft, in Holland. This lining will crack if the kettle is placed over a blaze, which it should never be. All sweetmeats should be boiled with the lid off. If covered, the steam having no means of escaping, returns upon them, and causes them to look dark and unsightly. When done, put the sweetmeats warm into jars or glasses, and leave them open a few hours that the watery particles may evaporate, but have them all pasted and closely covered before night. Do nothing to render your preserves hard, or firm, as it is called. It is better to have them soft and tender. The old custom of steeping them for days in salt and water, and then boiling them in something else to remove the salt, is now considered foolish, and is seldom practised.

Put up jellies and small sweetmeats in common tumblers, laying on the surface of each a double cover of white tissue paper cut exactly to fit, and then put on another cover of thick white paper pleated and notched where it descends below the edge, using always gum tragacanth paste, which you should keep always in the house, as it requires no boiling; and if in making it, a bit of corrosive sublimate (not larger than a cherry-stone) is dissolved with the ounce of gum tragacanth and the half pint of warm water, in a yellow or white-ware mug, and stirred only with a stick, the paste will never spoil, and if kept covered, will be found superior to all others. No metal must touch this cement, as it will then turn black and spoil.

Keep your sweetmeats always in a dry place. But if after a while you see a coat of mould on the surface, you need not throw them away, till you have tried to recover them by carefully removing every particle of mould, filling up the jars with fresh sugar, and setting them, one by one, in a bottle of water, and in this way boiling them over again. But if they have an unpleasant smell, and you see insects about them, of course they must be thrown away. To purify jars, clean and scrape them, and wash them thoroughly with ley and water, or with a solution of soda—afterwards exposing them to the sun and air for a week or more.

Jellies.—We have already given directions for various fruit jellies in the chapter on Fine Desserts. They are all made nearly in the same manner, using the juice of the fruit, and sufficient sugar to make it congeal and to keep it. Jellies should always be bright and transparent, and therefore require the best and ripest of fruit and the finest of loaf sugar.

MARMALADE OR JAMS.—

Marmalade or jams are the easiest sweetmeats to make, and are useful for all sweetmeat purposes. They are all made nearly in the same manner; and to be very good, and to keep well, at least a pound of fine sugar should be allowed to every pound of fruit—the fruit being quite ripe, freshly gathered, and of the best kind.

For Peach Marmalade—Take fine, juicy free-stone peaches. Pare them; cut them in half; remove the stones, and let them be saved and the kernels extracted to use as bitter almonds. Cut up the peaches, and allow for each pound a pound of sugar. Lay the peaches (with all the sugar among them,) in a large pan or tureen, and let them rest for three or four hours. Boil the peaches and sugar together in a porcelain kettle (without a cover) for half an hour, skimming and stirring well. When it becomes a thick smooth mass it is finished. Put it up in glass jars, and leave it uncovered till cool; but not longer. The flavor will be much improved by boiling with the peaches and sugar one or two handfuls of the kernels, blanched and pounded; or else a bunch of fresh peach leaves, to be removed afterward.

Quince Marmalade is made in the same manner—first carefully removing all the blemishes. Allow a pound of sugar to a pound of quinces. They must boil longer than peaches. All marmalades must be cooked till the form of the fruit is quite indistinguishable, and till it mashes into a thick smooth mass. Quinces should be allowed to remain on the trees till after the first frost, which greatly improves them. Persimmons and wild grapes are not eatable till they are touched by the frost.

Tomato Marmalade.—Make this when lemons are ripe and plenty. To every two pounds of tomatos allow two pounds of sugar, and the grated yellow rind and the juice of one lemon. The worst way of using lemons for any purpose is to merely slice them. Depend on the slices for flavoring, and they are wasted; the taste being scarcely perceptible. They should always be first rolled under your hand, which increases the yield of juice. Then grate off from the outside the yellow rind only (the white part of the rind is worse than useless,) and having cut the lemon, squeeze the juice through a tin strainer to exclude the seeds, which otherwise would be troublesome to pick out. The yellow rind and the juice are all you need want of a lemon for any purpose of flavoring. Scald the tomatos to make them peel easily, and mix the sugar thoroughly with them. Boil them slowly for an hour in a porcelain kettle, skimming carefully, and stirring well after each skimming. Then add the lemon grate and the juice, and boil the marmalade another half hour, or till it is a thick smooth mass.

Pumpkin Marmalade.—Take a fine ripe high-colored pumpkin. Cut it up. Empty it very clean of the seeds and strings; take off a thick paring. Slice the pieces small and thin, and weigh them. To each pound of pumpkin allow a pound of powdered sugar, and the grated peel and the juice of one large lemon. Pumpkin sweetmeats require a high lemon flavoring. Boil the pumpkin alone, till quite soft. Then mash it in a cullender till the water is pressed out, and the pumpkin left dry. Afterwards put it into a porcelain kettle, mix with it the sugar and lemon, and boil it again till it becomes a thick jam. Cantaloupe marmalade is made in the same way with lemon and sugar—also marmalade of ripe figs.

Plum Marmalade.—Choose plums that are fully ripe. Allow to each pound a pound and a half of sugar. Scald them till the skins peel off easily, and extract all the stones. Lay them in the sugar for two or three hours or more, and then boil them till they become a thick smooth mass. Green-gages the same.

Raspberry Jam.—To every quart of fine ripe raspberries allow a pound of best loaf sugar, powdered. Put them together into a broad white-ware pan, and let them rest for two or three hours. Then boil them in an uncovered porcelain kettle, taking off the scum carefully. When no more scum rises, mash them, and boil them to a smooth thick marmalade. When cold, put it up in half pint tumblers, and cover them with rounds of double tissue paper, cut exactly to fit, and then with thick white paper dipped in brandy.

Strawberry Jam.—The strawberries must be quite ripe, and very fine. Allow to each quart a pound of powdered loaf sugar. Put them into a large white-ware pan; a layer of sugar and a layer of strawberries alternately, finishing with strawberries on the top. Let them rest in the sugar and juice three or four hours. Then boil and skim them till they become very thick and smooth. When cold, put them up in tumblers, with double tissue paper over the top. Blackberry jam is made in the same manner.

Gooseberry Jam.—Top and tail the gooseberries, which must be thoroughly ripe, and with thin skins. They require to every pound of fruit a pound and a half of sugar of the best sort. Mash them with a wooden beetle, and put them with all the sugar into an uncovered porcelain kettle, and boil and skim them. When half done add more sugar, and continue boiling till they are a very thick marmalade. When cold, cover the tumblers with brandy paper.

Pine-apple Marmalade.—Take the best and ripest pine-apples; remove the leaves, and split each pine-apple into four pieces, and cut out the core from the centre. Stand the pieces upright in a deep dish, and, with a large coarse grater grate down all the flesh of the fruit, as it is called. To every pint of grated pine-apple allow a pound of powdered loaf sugar, and put them together in a large tureen. Let them rest two hours. Then transfer the whole to a porcelain kettle. Leave it uncovered; and boil, skim, and stir, till it becomes a very thick marmalade. When cool, put it up in glass jars. It is a very nice sweetmeat, particularly for shells or tarts.

Grape Marmalade.—Take a sufficiency of fine grapes, thoroughly ripe. Having picked them from the stems, mash them with a wooden beetle, and then press them through a sieve. To every pint of the pulp allow a pound of powdered sugar, well mixed in; let it stand an hour or two. Then boil it, uncovered, in a porcelain kettle, skimming and stirring well, till it is very thick and smooth. When cool, put it up in small marmalade pots of white-ware with lids, and paste a band of thick white paper round each, at the small crack where the cover fits on. A good marmalade for the backwoods may be made of wild grapes and maple sugar.

Cherry Marmalade.—If you cannot procure morellas, (the best of all cherries for sweetmeats) use the large Virginia or carnation cherries. Black cherries are unfit for cooking. Stem and stone your cherries, saving all the juice you can. Allow a pound of powdered loaf sugar to every pint of cherries. Boil the fruit and the sugar together, uncovered, for an hour, skimming and stirring. When cool, put it in white-ware marmalade pots and paste the lids.

Orange Marmalade.—Quarter some large ripe oranges, and remove the rind, the seeds, and the strings or filaments, taking care to save all the juice. Put the pulp, with the juice, into a porcelain kettle, and mix with it an equal quantity of strained honey, adding sufficient powdered loaf sugar to render it very thick and sweet. The honey alone will not make it sweet enough. Boil it uncovered, and skim it till very thick, smooth, and clear. Taste it, and if necessary add more sugar, and boil it longer. When cold, put it up in tumblers or white-ware marmalade pots, and cover it securely. This marmalade is exquisite, and very superior to any other.

Orange Milk.—Take four dozen large ripe juicy oranges, and roll them under your hand. Cut them in two; remove the seeds, and squeeze the juice into a large clean stone jar. Have ready four pounds of the best double-refined loaf sugar, dissolved in a gallon of French brandy. Pour it into the jar that contains the orange juice; stir the mixture well, and add the yellow rind of the oranges, pared so thin from the white as to be transparent, and divide it into bits. Cover the jar, and let it stand four days, stirring it frequently. Then take a gallon of new unskimmed milk, (the morning's milk of that day,) boil it alone, and when it comes to a hard boil pour it into the mixture of orange, sugar, and brandy. Cover it closely, and let it stand till quite cold. Then strain it into another vessel through a linen jelly bag. Bottle it immediately, and seal the corks. It improves by keeping. To use it, pour it out in half tumblers, and fill up with ice water, or serve it round undiluted in small cordial glasses, after ice-cream. It is much admired, and in orange countries may be made in large quantities. Lemon milk is made in the same manner, having a larger proportion of sugar.

Fruit in Syrups.—Make a syrup in the proportion of half a pint of water to every pound of sugar, and a pint of the juice of any sort of fine ripe fruit. Boil and skim it till very clear, but not till it congeals or jellies. Then bottle it, and cork the bottles. As the fresh fruit comes again into season, select the finest, largest, and ripest. For instance, half fill a white-ware preserve jar with fine fresh strawberries, and fill up from a bottle of strawberry syrup; or ripe raspberries with raspberry syrup; currants, with currant syrup, &c. Cover them closely till wanted for immediate use.

PRESERVED CITRON MELONS.—

Take some fine citron melons; pare, core, and cut them into slices. Then weigh them; and, to every six pounds of melon, allow six pounds of the best double refined loaf sugar, and the juice and yellow rind (grated very fine,) of four large fresh lemons, and a quarter of a pound of root ginger.

Put the slices of lemon into a preserving kettle, and boil them half an hour or more, till they look quite clear, and are so tender that a broom twig will pierce through them. Then drain them; lay them in a broad pan of cold water, cover them, and let them stand all night. In the morning tie the root ginger in a thin muslin cloth, and boil it in three pints of clear spring or pump water till the water is highly flavored. Then take out the bag of ginger. Having broken up the sugar put it into a clean preserving kettle, and pour the ginger water over it. When the sugar is all melted set it over the fire, put in the grated yellow peel of the lemons, and boil and skim it till no more scum rises. Then put in the sliced citrons, and the juice of the lemons; and boil them in the syrup till all the slices are quite transparent, and so soft that a straw will go through them; but do not allow them to break. When quite done, put the slices (while still warm,) into wide-mouthed glass or white-ware jars, and gently pour on the syrup. Lay inside of each jar, upon the top of the syrup, a round of white paper dipped in brandy. Put on the lids of the jars, and tie leather over them.

This will be found a delicious sweetmeat; equal to any imported from the West Indies, and far less expensive.

PINE-APPLES PRESERVED.—

Take six fine large pine-apples, as ripe as you can get them. Make them very clean, but do not, at first, pare off the rind or cut off the leaves. The rind and leaves being left on while boiling will keep in the flavor of the fruit. Put the pine-apples whole into a very large and very clean iron pot. Fill it up with cold water, and boil the pine-apples till they are so tender that you can pierce them through the rind to the core, with a splinter skewer or a twig from a corn broom. Then take them out of the pot, and drain them. When they are so cool as to be handled without inconvenience, remove the leaves, and pare off the rind. Cut then into round slices about half an inch thick, extracting the core from the centre as to leave a small round hole in every slice. Weigh them, and to each pound of fruit allow a pound of double refined loaf sugar, broken up and powdered. Cover the bottom of a large dish or dishes with a thick layer of the sugar. On this place a layer of pine-apple slices; then a layer of sugar; then a layer of fruit, and so on till the slices are all thickly covered, finishing with a layer of sugar at the top. Let them stand twenty-four hours. Then drain the slices from the syrup, and lay them in wide jars. Put all the syrup into a clear porcelain kettle, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. Then pour it hot upon the pine-apple. While warm, cover the jars closely with white paper cut to fit, and dipped in brandy; and then tie on a piece of bladder. There is no better way of preserving pine-apples, or that retains the flavor so well.

Quinces may be preserved in the same manner.

PRESERVED LEMONS OR ORANGES.—

The fruit must be perfectly ripe, of the best quality, with a smooth rind and fine color. Cut out from the stem end of each, a piece not quite the size of a quarter dollar, and with a small knife scoop out all the inside, keeping the rind as whole as possible. Put the pulp and juice into a large bowl, and clear it from the strings and seeds. Lay the skins in a tureen of cold ice water, and change it twice during the day, (fresh water and fresh ice); and at bedtime put ice only. Next morning boil the skins slowly in a porcelain kettle with plenty of water, keeping them well covered. Continue to boil till they are tender all through, and can easily be pierced with a splinter skewer. Then drain them, and lay them in cold water immediately. Take care to boil with them the small round pieces that come out of the top. Make a thick jelly or marmalade of the pulp and juice of these, and some additional fruit, allowing to a pint of juice a pound of loaf sugar. When the jelly has been boiled till clear and firm when held in the air, fill with it the skins so as to swell them out into a good shape. Replace the small circular pieces that have been cut off the top of the fruit, and tie them on securely with packthread, so as to keep in the jelly. Next make a thin syrup, allowing to a pound of broken-up loaf sugar half a pint of fresh juice, and the beaten white of an egg. Boil and skim it till no more scum rises. Then having put the oranges into large glass jars rather more than half full, pour the syrup on them, filling up to the top.

To Green Small Lemons or Limes.—Boil them first in a little hard water, placing them in a porcelain kettle with a thick bed of fresh vine leaves under them and a thick cover of vine leaves over them. Boil them till green and tender in two or three waters, putting entirely fresh vine leaves whenever you change the water, and persisting till they are well greened. Then make holes in the stem end, and extract the pulp, strings, and seeds, and proceed as directed in the last receipt. The skins, as soon as empty, being laid in cold water, and then filled and shaped out with lemon jelly, and the jars filled up warm with lemon syrup. Or by putting a larger portion of sugar, and boiling the syrup longer, you may candy it all over the surface of the fruit.

Green limes are preserved in the above manner, filling the skins with lemon jelly. To candy the syrup use a double portion of sugar, and boil it till it bubbles and sparkles in the kettle.

PEACHES PRESERVED.—

Take the finest ripe free-stone peaches. Pare them, cut them in half, and remove the stones. To every pound of peaches allow a pound of double refined loaf sugar, and half the white of an egg (slightly beaten) with half a pint of very clear soft water. Put the sugar into a porcelain preserving kettle, mix it with the water and white of egg, and when it has entirely dissolved, set it over the fire, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise, which will be very soon, if the sugar is as good as it should be. There is no economy in using inferior sugar for sweetmeats, as much of it will be lost in skimming and sediment. In the mean time, boil in a little sauce-pan a bunch of fresh green peach leaves that have been cleared from all dust; or a handful of broken-up peach kernels. When the flavor is well extracted, strain this water and mix it with the syrup. Then put in the halved peaches, and boil them (uncovered) till quite clear and soft, but not till they break. While warm, put them up with the syrup in glass or white-ware jars.

Apricots are preserved in the same way.

Preserved Green Gages.—Get the largest and ripest green gages, or egg plums. Scald them in boiling water to make them peel easily; the skins of all sorts of plums becoming very hard and tough when preserved. Remove the stems; they are no ornament, and render them troublesome to eat. Make a syrup in the usual way, allowing to each pound of plums a pound of the finest loaf sugar, half a pint of water, and half a white of egg. When well skimmed and boiled put in the plums, and boil them gently till quite clear and soft, but not till broken. All plums may be done in this manner. If not as ripe as possible, they will require to each pound of fruit a pound and a half of the best sugar.

BRANDY PEACHES.—

Take large juicy free-stone peaches, not so ripe as to burst or mash on being handled. Rub off the down from every one with a clean thick flannel. Prick every peach down to the stone with a large silver fork, and score them all along the seam or cleft. To each pound of peaches allow a pound of double-refined loaf sugar, broken-up small, and a half pint of water mixed with half a white of egg, slightly beaten. Put the sugar into a porcelain kettle, and pour the water upon it. When it is quite melted give it a stirring, set it over the fire, and boil and skim it till no more scum rises. Next put in the peaches, and let them cook (uncovered) in the syrup till they look clear, or for about half an hour, or till a straw will penetrate them. Then take the kettle off the fire. Having allotted a pint of the very best white brandy to each pound of peaches, mix it with the syrup, after taking out the fruit with a wooden spoon, and draining it over the kettle. Put the peaches into a large tureen. Let the syrup remain in the kettle a little longer. Mix the brandy with it, and boil them together ten minutes, or more. Transfer the peaches to large glass jars, (two thirds full,) and pour the brandy and syrup over them, filling quite up to the top. When cool, cover them closely, and tie some bladder over the lids.

Green Gages—Are brandied in the same manner. Also, large egg-plums. Pears also, having first peeled them. To pear sweetmeats always add lemon rind grated, and lemon juice.

PRESERVED TOMATOS.—

This is an excellent and popular sweetmeat, when flavored well with lemon, which is indispensable to making it palatable. Also, it should be well penetrated with sugar, therefore it is best not to attempt preserving tomatos whole. The best time for doing them is in the height of the lemon season. The most convenient for preserving are those with smooth even surfaces. If fluted or cleft they are difficult to peel when scalded, as the skins do not strip off so easily. Having weighed the tomatos, (which must be full-grown and quite ripe) allow to every two pounds, two pounds of the best brown sugar, a large spoonful of ground ginger, and the juice and grated yellow rind of one large ripe lemon, rolled awhile under your hand. Having scalded and peeled all the tomatos, and mixed with the sugar a little beaten white of egg, put them into a porcelain-lined preserving kettle, (uncovered,) and add, gradually, the sugar. Boil the tomatos and sugar slowly together, till the scum ceases to appear. Then add, gradually, the lemons, (peel and juice,) and boil slowly for an hour or more. The tomatos must all have bursted, otherwise they will not keep, from the sugar not getting sufficiently into them. When done, take them off the fire, and transfer to glass jars the tomatos with their syrup.

For yellow preserves take yellow tomatos, scald and peel them, and prick each with a silver fork. Lay them in a porcelain preserving kettle with plenty of fresh vine leaves under and over them. Boil them with the vine leaves till they become a finer yellow. Then wash out the kettle and boil the tomatos, as above, with the white sugar, and add the lemon.

Green Tomatos Preserved.—Take green tomatos when they are full grown, but have not yet begun to turn in the least red. Scald and peel them, and lay them in a porcelain kettle with plenty of fresh vine leaves at the bottom. Cover them thickly with another layer of vine leaves at the top. Boil them very slowly with the vine leaves till they have all turned yellow. Then take them out, and spread them on large dishes. Wash the kettle, put in fresh vine leaves under and over the tomatos. They should become a fine green with the second boiling in vine leaves; otherwise repeat the greening. Then take them out, wash the kettle again, and return the tomatos to it with a pound and a half of white sugar to each pound of tomatos. Boil and skim, till all is clear and nice. Then add the grated yellow rind and the juice of one large lemon to every pound of tomatos, and boil slowly an hour longer. All the tomatos should burst, that the sugar may thoroughly enter the inside. Before you cover the jars, stir into each an additional quarter or half pound of powdered sugar. Green tomatos require a high flavoring of lemon, as they have no peculiar taste of their own.

PRESERVED QUINCES.—

Take the largest and ripest yellow quinces; after they have remained on the trees till the first frost. Wipe them clean, and boil them whole till they are tender all through, and can be easily penetrated with a splinter skewer. Save and strain the water in which they were boiled. When cool, pare and core the quinces, and carefully remove the blemishes. To every pound of fruit allow a pound of the best double-refined loaf sugar. Make a syrup of the water in which the quinces were boiled, allowing half a pint of this water to every pound of sugar. When melted, set it in a porcelain kettle over a moderate fire, and boil and skim it till no more scum appears. Then put in the fruit, either whole or quartered, or cut into circular slices about half an inch thick; and boil it uncovered. When the quinces are quite clear and soft, (but not the least broken) take them out, and spread them on large flat dishes. Afterwards transfer them to large glass jars, rather more than half filled; pour the syrup warm over them; and when cool cover the jars, and tie pieces of bladder over the covers. You may boil, by themselves, the cores and parings, in as much water as will cover them well, till they are entirely dissolved. Then strain them through a linen bag, and while hot stir in as much powdered loaf sugar as will form a thick jelly. If the quinces have been preserved whole, fill up with this jelly the holes left by the cores; or if sliced, spread the jelly over the slices. Quinces soon become very hard and tough, unless they have been well boiled by themselves, before putting them into the sugar. Merely scalding or coddling them is not sufficient. If you have not jelly for filling up the holes, substitute marmalade. To keep quinces well, requires plenty of rich syrup.

PRESERVED CRAB-APPLES.—

Take the finest Siberian crab-apples, which being always red, and having a pleasant acid, are the only sort now used for preserving. Rub each crab-apple with a dry clean flannel, and then prick every one in several places with a large needle to prevent their bursting. To every pound of fruit allow a pound and a half of double-refined loaf sugar, and a pint of water. First make a syrup of the sugar and water, boiling it in a porcelain kettle, and skimming it till perfectly clear. Put in the crab-apples, adding for each pound the juice and grated yellow rind of a large lemon. The lemon is indispensable to this sweetmeat. Simmer them slowly in this syrup till tender all through, so that they can be pierced with a twig of broom-corn; but do not allow them to break. When done, put them up warm in glass jars more than half full, and the syrup over them. You may heighten the fine red color with a little prepared cochineal—that is, cochineal powder kept in a bottle after being boiled with alum and cream of tartar.

Bellflower Apples or Large Pippins—May be preserved whole in the above manner. They look handsomely on a supper table, covered all over with a thick meringue or icing flavored with lemon or rose, and spread smoothly over every apple with a real rose-bud stuck in the top of each. You may color the icing a beautiful pink, by mixing with it a little prepared cochineal.

PRESERVED CHERRIES.—

No cherries are worth preserving except morellas, or the large Virginia red, or carnation cherries. Stem and stone them carefully, saving the juice; and strew them thickly with powdered white sugar. To a quart of cherries allow a pound of the best loaf sugar. Make a syrup, allowing half a pint of water to a pound of sugar. Boil and skim it, and when the scum has ceased to rise put in the cherries and their juice, and give them a slow boil up. Put them up warm in glass or white-ware jars, and tie bladder over the lids.

FINE PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES.—

Have ready two sorts of strawberries, one half being of the largest and finest scarlet sort, (not too ripe,) the other smaller and less expensive, but quite ripe and perfectly fresh and nice. Put the smaller ones into a porcelain kettle, having allowed three quarters of a pound of double-refined loaf sugar to every quart of fruit. Boil the sugar and small strawberries together; skimming well, and stirring down to the bottom after every skimming, and mashing it to a jam. When done, set it to cool in a large pan; wash the kettle clean, or take another one, and make in it a clear syrup, allowing to each pound of the best loaf sugar a small half pint of water. When melted set it over the fire, and boil and skim till the scum ceases to rise. Put the large strawberries in this, and give them one boil up. If boiled too long they will break. As soon as they have come to a boil take them (one at a time,) with a silver tea-spoon, and lay them separately on large flat dishes. Then mix the syrup with the jam thoroughly together, and boil it a quarter of an hour. Put the large strawberries, one at a time, into glass jars, (more than half full,) and fill up to the top with the hot jam. When cool lay a round of brandy paper on the surface, and secure the lids by tying pieces of bladder over them.

STRAWBERRIES IN WINE.—

Put a small quart of fine large scarlet strawberries into a glass jar, having sprinkled among them a quarter of a pound of the best loaf sugar. Fill up the jar with madeira or sherry. They are served at parties in small glass saucers, heaped on the top with whipped cream, or with white ice cream. What is sold by many confectioners as strawberry ice cream, has in reality no strawberries about it; as may be known by its beautiful rose color, such as strawberry juice never produces, particularly after being preserved with sugar. This fine delicate pink tinge comes in reality from alkanet. Most of what is called strawberry cordial, is in reality alcohol colored with that elegant dye.

STRAWBERRY WINE.—

Fill four glass jars holding each a quart, with fine ripe strawberries that have been hulled or picked clean. Cover them; set them in a large kettle of cold water, and place it in a moderate heat till it gradually comes to a boil. Then let it boil but five minutes. Cork the jars, and seal them closely before you take them out of the water. Use the cement of two-thirds resin and one-third beeswax. Keep the jar for four weeks in a dry cool place. By that time you will find the strawberries with a thick white scum at the top, and a clear juice at the bottom. Pour it into clean bottles, through a funnel with a fine straining cloth. Cork the bottles, but do not drive the corks hard down, lest the bottles should burst if too tight. Arrange the bottles on the kitchen mantleshelf, where they may have some heat from the fire. You will see when a vinous fermentation takes place. It may continue a week. When it has entirely subsided, and is very clear, strain off the liquid from the sediment into fresh bottles, and cork them tightly. When you put them away, lay the bottles on their sides. This is a delicious cordial, and requires no brandy in it.

Preserved Gooseberries.—Top and tail the gooseberries, which should be of two sorts, and as ripe as you can get. The best kind quite ripe, large, and of a light amber color. Wash the others, and boil them in a porcelain kettle with barely water enough to keep them from burning. When they are soft and broken, mash the pulp through a sieve, or squeeze it through a linen bag. Measure it, and to each pint allow a large pound of powdered loaf sugar. Boil the sugar with the pulp, skimming and stirring it till it begins to jelly. Then put in the large gooseberries, and give them one boil up. When done take them out separately, and spread them on a large flat dish. Continue to boil the syrup a while longer, till you find it congeals well on holding out a spoonful in the open air. Then put the large gooseberries into jars, and pour the syrup over them while still hot and liquid. Put them up warm.

Raspberries—May be preserved as above, reserving the finest for putting whole into the jelly. The large white raspberries make a fine sweetmeat, done whole in jelly or jam of white currants.

Black currants should always be made into jelly or jam. They require less sugar than other sweetmeats, (a quarter of a pound less) their juice being naturally very thick.

COUNTRY PLUMS.—

Gather your plums when perfectly ripe, and ready to fall from the trees. Split them with a knife, and remove the stones. Spread them out on large dishes, so as not to touch, and set them in the hot sun on a sunny roof or balcony; taking them in every evening before dark, and not putting them out till after the dew is off in the morning. Repeat this for three or four days. Then pack them down in stone jars with a large quantity of the best brown sugar, a layer of plums and a layer of sugar alternately, (sugar being at the bottom and top) and cover the jars closely. Let them remain undisturbed till February or March. When opened, you will have plenty of rich syrup among them. They make good spring pies, and will be prized for family use at that season.

Country Grapes.—The little wild grapes have a very pleasant taste after the first frost in the autumn, and should not be gathered till that time. Until frosted, they are too sour to eat. To keep them all winter, strip them from the stems and put them in stone jars with layers of good brown sugar, till the jars are three parts full. Then fill up to the top with West India molasses. They will make good winter pies, when cranberries, dried peaches, and dried apples are scarce.

Persimmon Jam.—Do not gather persimmons till late in the fall, when they are well sweetened with the frost. They are unfit to eat till all the leaves are off the trees, and till they are ripe enough to mash. Then pack them in jars with plenty of brown sugar. Maple sugar will do. In the back-woods they will be valued. When cooked they will be improved by the addition of a little sweet cider.