Weekly journal-miner., 1919-09-03

to g1Ve them stronger HdNOl. IlCdl- ed and packed in cans they will sel- dom be affected with fruit worms.
 Bartlett pears are best for drying and should be thinly peeled and cut in quarters, or in half if not too large. The core is left in. Pears dry rather slowly but are exceptionally good, better than the average canned pear. When they are cured but not hard they should be heated and packed in tins. I like tin cracker boxes for dried fruit. Dried pears are almost like candied fruit if properly done and are delicious as a sauce or for pies.
 Plums for drying should be rather firm and it is not necessary to peel them. I sometimes leave the pits in sweet plums that are like a prune but take them out of Damson and Egg plums Worms are more fond ot plums than of any other dried fruit T have found, so they should not only be carefully boxed but should be looked over once in a while.
 Cider and Apple Butter.
 We are asked every day now at Orchard Ranch if we have any apple butter on hand and if we are making cider yet. The two go together for the only real apple butter is made with sweet cider. We do not have the big old brass or copper kettles that swung over fire out of doors in the old days, so we have to make shift with smaller things on a stove Real apple butter is made with freshly pressed sweet cider in which good cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced. are stewed exactly as for apple sauce. Apple butter takes a lot ot i boiling and stirring, and while one person is watching the apples cook and stirring them frequently, we have another big kettle full of sweet cider which is boiled and boiled till 1t IS reduced one-half or more. It will turn red and sweet and drop thickly from the spoon like jelly. As the apples in the other kettle boil soft and the juice boils away we fill the kettle with the boiled cider and con tinue stirring and cooking till all IS thick and smooth as marmalade. We do not use sugar in real old-tlme apple butter nor do we like the spices which mask the poor quality ot store bought" apple butter. A very little cinnamon and clove, a touch of inutmeg-but most of the time nOth- ing at all but the incest sweet cider and good apples. To be sure, wind fall and cull apples may be used but they must have a good taste when raw or the butter will never have the best baNor, no matter how much 1t is spiced or sweetened. If sugar is used it should be the best brown sugar and not too much of it.
 Canning Sweet Cider.
 i When we are making cider-and we make very little because apples in Arizona are too valuable to be used that way-I boil down some of it to about half and can it boiling hot in half-gallon glass jars, seal them, and have cider for spring apple sauce or mince pies or for a delicious summer drink, mixed half and half with ice water. It makes good jelly too, and is fine to cook any dried fruit in.
 Good pumpkin cooked in boiled cider till thick and smooth, spiced and sweetened to taste, is the last word in pumpkin butter and the best foun- dation for pumpkin pies ever invented.
 Do You Know Jelly Boil?"
 All the past week we have been busy at Orchard Ranch making jelly T have almost dreamed jelly of nights-and it was good enough to dream about. The heavy rains this year have made all fruit watery and most of our visitors complain of their jelly not telling" quickly. This IS
 just because the fruit needs more cooking, or rather the juice after be- ing strained from the fruit should be boiled down a third at least before the sugar is added We have had the finest crab apple jelly for years, the
 fruit having an exceptionally good flavor this year, and mixed with plum juice in varying proportions we have gotten jellics that seem like guava and loquat.
 ! We have watched the jelly boil
 which all experienced housewives know-not the furious bubbling oI the juice i'll the middle of the pan
 which 1t shows at first when put 'c . cook, but the bead-like little bubDles that dance all over the surface wher the jelly is almost made, sign the good jclly-maker welcomes as evl- dence of success.
 hope many a Jelly-mal1er IS taking advantage of the wild grapes, cherries
 and elderberries which make such delicious jelly, especially if mixed with apple juice in proportion oi r about one-third for the grape and cherry. The clderberry will make fine jelly alone but little lemor 7 juice improves it.
 , I ap frequently asked how to make