FRUITS IN THE KITCHEN 



PRESERVING PLUMS. 



Spiced Plums. — To every pound of 

 plums take i lb. sugar, i teaspoonful 

 cloves, one teaspoonful cinnamon, ^ 

 teaspoonful nutmeg and Y^ cupful cider 

 vinegar. Prick the skins of the plums 

 with a fork so they will not burst. Tie 

 the spices in a thin muslin bag. Heat 

 the sugar and vinegar, skim, put in ihe 

 spices and plums ; cook until tender, 

 but do not allow them to break. Seal 

 airtight while hot. 



Plum Apple Jelly. — Wash the plums, 

 put into a porcelain kettle with water 

 just to cover them and boil until tender. 

 Pour into a jelly bag and let drain. 

 Wash the apples, put into a porcelain 

 kettle and boil until thoroughly tender, 

 then put it into a jelly bag and let drain. 

 Do not squeeze them. To i pint of 

 the plum juice and i pint of the apple 

 juice add 2 pints of sugar. Boil the 

 juice 10 minutes, then add the sugar, 

 which should have been heated in the 

 oven, and boil 10 minutes longer. 

 This can be tested by dropping in a 

 saucer and placing in a cool place ; if it 

 does not spread but remains rounded it 

 is cooked enough. Roll the glasses in hot 

 water and fill them with the jelly while 

 hot. Sprinkle powdered sugar upon 

 the jelly and cover the glasses with 

 thick writing paper, brushed over on 

 the inside with the white of an egg and 



turned down on the outside of glass. 

 This work should be done while the 

 jelly is quite hot and it will not mold. 



Plum Butter. — Take the plums and 

 the apples that are left from the jelly 

 and press through a sieve. Take a pint 

 of each and boil slowly for half an hour 

 and then add i pint of sugar and boil 

 ten minutes longer. .Seal air tight. If 

 preferred, pint for pint of sugar and 

 pulp may be used ; when this amount 

 of sugar is used it is not necessary to 

 seal the butter air tight. 



Spiced Plum Butter. — Prepare the 

 pulps of plums and apples as in the 

 foregoing recipes. Take 7 pints of 

 plums, 7 pints of apples, 8 pints of 

 sugar, I pint of cider vinegar, 2 ounces 

 of allspice, 2 ounces of ground cinna- 

 mon and I ounce of ground cloves ; 

 boil altogether 40 minutes. Spiced 

 plum butter is very nice with roast 

 meats. 



Scalded Plums. — Wash the plums and 

 put in a stone jai ; cover with boil- 

 ing water. Place a cloth and weight 

 on top. They will keep well. Do not 

 be alarmed at the heavy scum that rises 

 on top Just lay it back and take out 

 your plums, being sure to replace it. 

 This is a simple way to keep plums for 

 winter use. — American Agriculturist. 



THE MODEL PEACH ORCHARD. 



In my mind's eye the model peach 

 orchard would be that in which the trees 

 were twelve feet apart each way, and the 

 trees never allowed to reach more than 

 eight feet in height and seven feet in 

 greatest diameter of top, with heads 

 branching out within six to twelve inches 

 of the ground ; and then every inch of 

 them should be clothed with foliage and 

 fruit to their summits. They should be 

 cultivated, fertilized (if they need it), 



thinned and pruned on the most radical, 

 intensive system. But a peach or any 

 other fruit tree cannot grow good fruit 

 for any length of time, if fruit and foliage 

 are crowded together at the extreme end 

 of a branch without any foliage for the 

 six or nine feet ; nor can the little bunch 

 of crowded foliage on the end of such 

 branches supply the necessary strength 

 of branch, stem and root sufficient to 

 keep up strength and vigor. 



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