Belle de Septembre is a cling-stone. Damsons make good jam, the colour being a dark rich red.
Plum Jelly
Plums are rich in "vegetable jelly." 1. Boil alone for half-an-hour, then strain the juice through a fine sieve or cloth; add 2 lbs. of cane-sugar to each quart of juice, boil again for twenty minutes, pour into jars and glasses, cover at once. A firm, clear and bright jelly should result (Watson).
2. "During the preserving season I generally have a few pots of jelly made from each pan of preserves without spoiling my jams. I make currant, gooseberry, and plum jelly this way.
"For all common preserves I allow ¾ of a pound of loaf-sugar to each pound of fruit. The sugar must be broken small. Put the fruit and sugar into your pan, let the sugar melt, then boil quickly for twenty to thirty minutes. Skim carefully, take the pan off the fire, take from it three or four cupfuls of juice, or as much as you think can be spared without making your jam dry. Strain the juice through a small gravy sieve into small jars. This will be found to jelly well. In this way a nice stock of jelly can be procured, and no fruit is wasted." (From Weldon's "Menu Cookery Book," 1s., published by Weldon, 31 Southampton Street, Strand.)
FOOTNOTES:
[9] The dates refer to the time when the fruits were "ready" (ripe, fit for gathering) at the Chiswick Garden of the R.H.S.
[10] From Watson, vol. v. p. 369.
[11] For many useful details see Watson, vol. v.