The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-06-26

water until tender; then pack in
sugar from twelve to twenty-four
hours.
Peaches are best for preserving
whennot very ripe. They should be
peeled, packed in sugar and allowed
to stand over night or twelve hours,
and then, if a very firm peach is not
used, the syrup should be drained
off and boiled a few minutes before
the fruit is put into it. Some prefer
to harden the tender fuits by taking
them from the syrup after they have
boiled clear and putting them in the
sun for several hours. This is the
old fashioned way of making pre-
r V and is an excellent one, as
too much cooking destroys the fla
vor of some fruits also makes them
dark cOlored.
To Pre8erUe PJWmS.-Take half
ripe plums prick each n with a
large needle, to prevent them burst
ing in the hot syrup or becoming too
soft. Boil them three minutes pour
off the water and add one pound of
sugar to one of fruit boil until the
syrup is thick.
Apple PreSerUeS.-Make asyrUp of
white sugar and water let it boil
two or three minutes in q flat pan.
Select large, firm apples and peel and
slice them, leaving in the core; or,
cut them in dice half to th~ree-fourth
inches square; drop in enough to
cover the top of the syrup boil
slowly until transparent lay them
out on a fat dish and set in the sun /;
pour more apples in the syrup and
continue as before until all the
syrup is used up. Then make a fresh
syrup, enough to cover the apples
and after it has boiled a few minutes,
put the summed apples in and boil
them fifteen minutes. Put in jars ;
pour syrup over them and seal. This
requires one pound Of sugar to a
pound of fruit, using half to boil the
apples in and half to make the last
syrup.
Peach PreserUeS.-Select large
cling-stOne peaches, white OF yellow,
almost ripe and perfectly firm. Peel
and cut in halves pack in earthen
vessel, in alternate layers of fruit
and sugar, n pound of each. Let
them stand from twelve to twenty
four hours. Pour off the syrup and
boil five minutes then put in the
peaches and boil until transparent.
Take them out of the syrup and pack
in jars. If the syrup is thin, boil
down until there is just enough to
cover the fruit. If ripe peaches are
used, the syrup should be made and
well boiled before the peaches are
put in, and the peaches should be
preserved as soon as peeled.
watermelon Bind PreSerUes.-Peel
carefully, take the meat out close
and cut in any shape fancied. To
one gallon of water add one pint of
lime let the lime settle then drain
off the water pour this water over
the prepared rinds. Let stand twelve
hours then boil in very weak alum
water for thirty minutes. Drain,
cover with fresh water and boil until
the alum is all out and the rind is
clear. The water must be changed
If the alum was used strong, as
every bit of the alum must be out
of the rind before preserving. When
fresh, drain well, pack in sugar pound
for pound let remain in the
twelve hours; then boil until the
rind is clear. If the syrup is too
thick add a little water and flavor
with anything desired. If ginger is
preferred, a strong tea should be
made of the ginger and the rinds
boiled in it before being packed in
sugar.
Fig E'TeseTCes.-Take figs nearly
ripe pour yer them, boiling hot,
weak I've, or lime water; let them
remain in it for half an hour then
drain and rub off the figs with a
coarse towel. Put them in clear
water and boil ten or fifteen minutes.
or until tender. Place them in a
cOlander to drain for ten or fifteen
minutes then pack them in sugar.
using three-fOurths of a pound of
sugar to one pound of figs. Let them
stand over night then boil until
the 6rS are tranCDa wont. 17o