WHOLE-FRUIT PRESERVATION 281 



dessert in the course of a month, or they will keep in excellent condition for 

 two years or longer. 



Pears. — As regards these, any variety with solid flesh — such as Easter 

 Beurr^, Beurrd Bosc, and Vicar of Winkfield — will answer the purpose well 

 (I prefer the latter to any others). The pears must not be fully ripe (only fully 

 grown and partly ripened). They must be cut in halves or quarters, according 

 to size, peeled, the cores removed, and placed in a pan of water to which a little 

 lemon juice has been added, until all are ready. Place some syrup (rather weaker 

 than for the peach) in a pan to boil ; lay in ten peeled pears, and gently bring to 

 boiling point. Let them simmer until a little tender; then take the pan off the 

 stove and place the fruit carefully in a bowl or basin with the syrup they were 

 boiled in, and of which sufficient must be placed in the bowl to float them. 

 Place the bowl of fruit on one side in a cool place until next day, when the fruit 

 must again be placed in the pan and a little more candied sugar added to the 

 syrup. Simmer all up again, and replace in the bowl as before. Early next 

 morning the pears and syrup in which they have been simmering must be placed 

 in bottles and finished off in the same way as mentioned for the peaches ; or 

 they may be bottled as recommended for cherries, but in this case white brandy 

 is recommended in preference to the darker sort ; also, it is well to add a little 

 more sugar. 



