The new Annie Dennis cook book

syrup, does away with reboiling, and the fruit is less apt to ferment and mould. But where preserves are to be kept in self-sealing jars, less sugar may be used if the jars are, well sealed, and kept in a cool, dark place. White sugar is always best for preserving and making jelly — either the granulated or loaf sugar — as the brown sugar will affect the flavor. When too much sugar is used, or the syrup boiled too long, crystals of sugar form in the syrup and thin it, and then it is apt to ferment. In this case, if in glass jars, place the jar in water and heat until the preserves can be taken out; add the juice of a lemon and a half teacup of water to each gallon of preserves, boil a few minutes and again seal. The juice of preserves may be clarified with the white of an egg, as in jelly. Mix the white of an egg with the sugar before pouring in the water; let it boil up, and remove from the fire; pour in just a little cold water, repeat this two or three times, skim or strain through a flannej bag, and then add the fruit. Plums are preserved by piercing them with a darning needle, and pouring boiling syrup (made as for other preserves) over them seven or nine days in succession. Pineapples may also be preserved in this way; when you wish them very white, pour the syrup over them three days, then boil them for five minutes and seal. Quinces and pears harden when cooked in sugar; therefore I prefer boiling them in water until tender and packing in sugar for twelve or even twenty-four hours. Then it is not necessary to cook them so long, as they are well filled with the sugar, and the water is out of them and is easier evaporated from the syrup than from the fruit. When, however, one, prefers to make preserves after parboiling, without packing in the sugar, the syrup should be made in proportion of half pint of water to one pound of sugar ; and for pears or quinces, or other fruit, to retain the flavor, use the water that the fruit is boiled in. Some fruits have to be cooked first in a very thin syrup to keep them from breaking or getting too soft ; viz. : apples, plums, strawberries, etc. Peaches are best for preserving when not very ripe, and they should be peeled, packed in sugar and allowed to stand twelve hours and the,n, if a very firm peach is not used, the syrup should be poured off and boiled a few minutes before the peaches are placed in it. Some prefer to harden the tender fruits by taking them from the syrup after they have boiled until clear, and letting them stand in the sun several hours. This is the old fashioned way of preserving and is a good one, as too much cooking will destroy the flavor of some fruits and make them dark. Large quantities of preserves can be made at one time if a large shalllow vessel is used. A square poplar box, with copper bottom is the best preserving kettle for making large quantities of jelly, catsup, or pickles. It may be made any size desired. JELLY