—Procure one hundred medium-sized, sound, and fully ripe pears, fit to eat in their natural state; peel them carefully keeping them in their original form, then split in halves, and cut out the cores and seeds. Fill ten lightning-glass jars with the pears, and pour over five quarts of syrup ([No. 1339]), covering them tightly the same as for the peaches ([No. 1340]), placing them likewise in the saucepan, but boiling for fifteen minutes instead of ten. When lifted from the pan, proceed precisely as for the peaches. The best time to purchase the fruit is from August 25 to September 26.
1342. Preserved Apples.
—Select sixty medium-sized, fine, sound, ripe Newtown pippins, the best time for this being from October 1 to December 1. Peel and core them with a corer, then cut them into quarters, and divide them equally into ten glass jars as for peaches ([No. 1340]). Fill them up with the syrup at thirty degrees, then cover tightly, put them in the saucepan exactly the same as for the peaches, and boil for fifteen minutes instead of ten. Take from off the fire, and finish the same as for the peaches, putting them away in the same temperature.
1343. Preserved Egg-plums.
—Have two hundred medium sized egg-plums, ripe enough to break easily from the stones; wash them carefully, drain, then divide them equally into the ten quart lightning-jars. Fill them up with the thirty-degree syrup ([No. 1339]), cover tightly, and arrange them in the pan precisely as for peaches ([No. 1340]). Boil them for eight minutes instead of ten, then take from the stove, and finish preparing them exactly as for the peaches. The best time to procure these is from August 5 to September 1.
1344. Preserved Green-gages.
—Procure two hundred and fifty fine, ripe green-gages, selecting those which break easily from the stones; wash them well in cold water, drain thoroughly, then divide them equally into the ten patent glass jars, exactly as described for peaches ([No. 1340]). Fill up with five quarts of thirty-degree syrup ([No. 1339]), and finish preparing them the same as for peaches, but boiling them only for eight minutes instead of ten; put them away the same as the other fruits. The best time to procure green-gages is from August 1 to September 1.
1345. Preserved Strawberries.
—Always purchase the berries from June 7 to July 20, when residing in New York. Have fully the equivalent of ten quarts of well-picked and thoroughly washed, ripe, sound, and perfect strawberries, drain them well. To have these well selected it will doubtless require twenty-two to twenty-five quart baskets of unpicked fruit. When well drained, fill the ten quart lightning-glass jars with the berries, and pour in the thirty-degree syrup ([No. 1339]), but using it hot instead of cold. Cover them tightly, and proceed precisely the same as for peaches ([No. 1340]), only boiling them five minutes instead of ten, and putting them away the same.