J. HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY. 371 



the making of preserves, and keeping mould from settling on 

 the jam. According to the old practice of leaving the pots 

 uncovered for several days, time was allowed for the germs 

 in the atmosphere to descend and settle on the jam, which 

 was a capital soil, and the result was a plentiful crop of mould. 

 She therefore advised the ladies in the section, when making 

 preserves, to cover up the pots while the sweetmeats were in 

 a heated condition. 18 A, August 25, 562. 



METHOD OF PREPARING FRUIT SIRUPS. 



Some rules for preparing fruit sirups given by a German 

 expert are perhaps worth a trial by our readers. To have 

 fruit juices fit for p reservation, it is necessary, in the first 

 place, to select fully ripe and undecayed fruit, and after mash- 

 ing the fruit it should receive an addition of five to ten per 

 cent, of sugar, and then be left to undergo a slight fermenta- 

 tion. Pectine is precipitated in consequence of the produc- 

 tion of alcohol, and the juice, after filtration, becomes perfect- 

 ly clear, and is much improved in flavor and color. Raspber- 

 ries, whortleberries, currants, cherries, etc., may be thus treat- 

 ed, but the delicate flavor of the strawberry requires some 

 modification of the process. In this, two pounds of carefully 

 picked strawberries (the wild strawberry of the woods is the 

 best) are put into a glass jar with two and a half pounds of 

 white powdered sugar, and occasionally shaken. The sugar 

 extracts the juke, and the berries shrivel to a dry pulp, and, 

 after filtering, the sirup is ready for use. Heating must be 

 carefully avoided, as it would at once destroy the fragrance 

 of the fruit. As to cherries, the so-called Morello is recom- 

 mended, and, by leaving the cracked stones in the pulp, a fla- 

 vor like that of bitter almonds will be imparted. To make 

 sirup of the fruit-juice prepared as above indicated, our author 

 advises us never to make use of any metallic vessels or spoons, 

 and always to take best refined loaf-sugar in lumps, five parts 

 of juice to eight parts of sugar constituting a good propor- 

 tion. The lumps of sugar are moistened with just enough" 

 water to cause them to dissolve readily, when the remaining 

 juice is added, and the whole is to be rapidly heated to boil- 

 ing, which, however, must only be continued for a few min- 

 utes. With good sugar no skimming is necessary, and filter- 

 ing through flannel or other woolen cloth, previously wetted 



