692 Reading-Course for Farmers' Wives. 



The large fruits must be cooked gently in the syrup until tender The 

 cooked pieces of fruit should be taken from the syrup and put into the jar 

 and the strained syrup poured over them. Put a piece of cheese cloth in 

 the funnel and pour the syrup through it into the jar. A syrup made 

 with one quart of water and two quarts of sugar is suitable for peaches, 

 plums and quinces. 



Pears, peaches, apples and sweet plums may be preserved in boiled 

 grape juice. Boil the grape juice in an open preserving kettle until it is 

 reduced one-third. Cover the fruit generously with the boiled grape juice 

 and cook gently until clear and tender. Put boiling hot into sterilized jars. 



Boiled cider may be used in the same manner for preserving sweet 

 apples and pears. Without sugar it gives a very tart preserve. Remem- 

 ber that the grape juice and cider must be perfectly fresh and szvect when 

 it is put on to boil. 



VI. JAMS. 



Jams are made with the pulp of the fruit and sugar. The finer the 

 fruit, the finer will be the quality of the jam. Gnarled and bruised fruit 

 may be used, if all the imperfect parts are cut out. Large fruit should 

 be washed, pared, cored and quartered. A great many people when mak- 

 ing jam with berries, do not remove the seeds. A very seedy jam is not 

 appetizing, besides so many small seeds make trouble in the digestive 

 tract. If the labor of removing the seeds is too great, do not use the 

 small fruits for jams. Better press out the juice and can it for drinks, 

 frozen dishes, and various other desserts. To make the jams, measure 

 the sugar and the prepared fruit, allowing one quart of sugar to two 

 quarts of fruit. Rinse the preserving kettle with cold water, that there 

 may be a little moisture on sides and bottom. Put in alternate layers of 

 fruit and sugar, having the first layer fruit. It does not matter how 

 thick the layer is, since the fruit is to be broken up fine during the process 

 of cooking. Heat slowly, stirring frequently and being careful to scrape 

 the bottom each time the mass is stirred. From time to time crush the 

 fruit with the spoon. Cook about two hours. When done, the jam 

 should be a smooth mass. There is always danger of the jam getting 

 scorched unless watched and stirred very carefully. If the kettle can be 

 set on a tripod or any iron stand, the danger of burning will be greatly 

 reduced. When the jam is done, put it in small sterilized jars. 



VII. JELLIES. 



Pectose and pectase always exist in the unripe fruit. As the fruit 

 ripens the pectase acts upon the pectose, converting it into pectin. It is 

 because of the pectin in the fruit that we are able to make jelly. Pectin 



