MISCELLANEOUS. 159 



celain till it begins to thicken. Finish drying in shallow 

 dishes till it is of the consistency of jelly andaboutone tenth 

 of its first measure. Pack it in glass or earthen, and it 

 ■will keep during the summer. It can be diluted for sauces 

 or beverages. It is useful for picnics and camping parbies, 

 or where fresh fruit is not easily obtained or canned fruit 

 is too cumbrous to carry. 



DRIED FRUITS. 



Since the days of canning, drier! fruit has fallen into un- 

 deserved disrepute, and it is a pitj', since drying preserves 

 the flavor of many fruits better than any other process of 

 preservation. 



Inferior fruit can be made into jellies and jams, unripe 

 fruit may be stewed and preserved, but fruit for drying 

 must be of the first quality and thoroughly ripe. 



Paring-machines are fheap enough to come within reach 

 of every family, but they should be used only upon apples. 

 In sections of the country where this fruit does not keep 

 well it is a good plan to dry a few in the fall. A3 for berries 

 an J other fruits, there are many who have not time to can, or 

 who have no cool closet room for jars, to whom dried fruit 

 will be a luxury. 



Apples dried. — Drop pared apples Into cold water to 

 prevent discoloration, out into eighihs and dij- an frames 

 covered with cheese-cloth or eoar->e netting. They should 

 be supported on posts in the sunshine, away froiQ flijes and 

 dust, a id carefully covered. Turn over the pieces every 

 day, and when thoroughly dry store in paper bags where 

 they are away from the reach of insects. 



In stewing dried apples pick over the fruit, wash in two 

 waters, and cook in boiling water half an hour. By thig 



