STATIC POMOLGGICAL SOCIETY. 53 



- The gooseberry with us ranks high with other berries and 

 occupies a large space on our preserving table. We consider the 

 Industry and DouTiing the best. Gooseberries are much better 

 cooked in the jars. It requires a little more work, but you will 

 be repaid for the extra trouble in the results obtained. While 

 the berries are cooking, prepare a heavy syrup, fill the jars full 

 and overflowing, put on good, new rubbers, seal tightly and you 

 will have not only good preserves for the tea table, but an excel- 

 lent relish to be served with meats. Use the same method in 

 canning the raspberry as the gooseberry. When cooked -in the 

 jars you retain tlie form, color and flavor; the syrup does not 

 require to be as heavy for the raspberry as the gooseberry, and 

 the beiTies need only to be thoroughly heated and sealed air- 

 tight. 



I usually use the cold process for preserving currants, using 

 equal parts of currants and sugar. Great care must be used in 

 preserving this way, that every berry be crushed; if even one 

 remains whole, fermentation will surely take place. I use a 

 silver fork and plate for this purpose, crushing only a few at a 

 time. If properly done they will keep indefinitely. I have cur- 

 rants put up in this way two years ago, and they still retain their 

 natural color and flavor. Blackberries and raspberries preserved 

 in like manner are very nice. For pears, use the following: 

 Pare the fruit and cut in halves, remove the core, throw into cold 

 water to keep from being discolored. Use one pound of sugar 

 to three pounds of fruit and a quart of water to three pounds 

 of sugar; when the syrup is boiling, take the pears from the 

 water and drop into the syrup; cook until they can be pierced 

 easily with a fork, fill the jars with the fruit and fill up to the 

 brim with syrup. Strain the syrup that it may look clear in the 

 jars. Plums are preserved in about the same way as other 

 fruits, sweeter varieties requiring about half a pound of sugar, 

 and the sour plums about three-quarters of a pound to a pound 

 of fruit. 



While it is generally understood that jelly can be made from 

 any kind of fruit juice, some of the jellies made from some kinds 

 of fruit will prove to be only a thick syrup, while the combina- 

 tion of some of the fruits will give excellent results. The fruits 

 which do not contain pectin, the substance which makes the juice 

 form a jelly, should be used with fruit which does contain it. 



