222 THE AMERICAN PEACH ORCHARD 



"It is wise to commence testing after 15 minutes' boiling. 

 To do this, take out one teaspoonful of the boiHng jelly, pour 

 it into the bottom of a saucer, and stand it in a cold place for 

 a moment; then scrape it one side with a spoon — if jellied, 

 the surface will be partly solid; if not, boil a few minutes 

 longer, and try again. As soon as it jellies, roll the tumblers 

 quickly in boiling water, then fill them with the boiling liquid. 

 Stand aside until cold and firm (about 24 hours). Then, if 

 you have jelly-tumblers, put on the lids; if not, cover with 

 two thicknesses of tissue paper, and paste the edges of the 

 paper down over the edges of the tumblers. Then moisten 

 the top of the paper with a sponge dipped in cold water. This 

 moistening stretches the paper, so that when it dries again 

 it shrinks and forms a covering as tight and smooth as blad- 

 der skin. 



"I do not recommend jelly being covered with brandied 

 paper, as in my hands it has never been satisfactory. The 

 jelly, in cooling, forms its own air-proof covering, and if the 

 top of the tumbler be well secured, it is all that is necessary. 

 Keep in a cool, dark place." 



PRESERVED PEACHES 



Peaches make splendid preserves. Mrs. Lincoln's 

 Cook Book tells how to do it thus : 



"Pare the peaches ; or remove the skins by plunging the 

 peaches into boiling lye (two gallons of water and one pint 

 of wood ashes). When the skins will slip easily, take the 

 peaches out with a skimmer and plunge them into cold water; 

 rinse in several waters, and there will be no taste of the lye. 

 Weigh, and add three-fourths of a pound of sugar to each 

 pound of fruit. Halve them, and use some of the pits, or 

 leave them whole — as you please. The stones improve the 

 flavor. Make a syrup by adding as little water as possible 

 to the sugar — about one cupful to each pound of sugar. When 

 it boils, skim till clear, then add the peaches, and cook until 

 transparent." 



GREEN PEACH PRESERVES 



The writer has not tried it, but he has often heard 

 of making preserves of green peaches, and he there- 

 fore thinks It safe to introduce the directions given 

 in a French cookbook. It is said that the fruit can 



