Vermont Botanical and Bird Clubs 27 



bushels of them at "The Highlands," I bottled juice to combine later 

 with currant and apple juice in the proportion of 3 parts strawberry to 

 one of currant and two parts strawberry to one of apple. 



As is well known, in all jelly making the active principle called 

 pectin must be present and may be supplied by using apple juice made 

 from the pulp, skin and cores, or by using the white portion of orange 

 peel that has been allowed to stand and then boiled in water. If at any 

 time I have fruit juice that I wish to combine later with apple, I bot- 

 tle it and then make the jelly fresh when I want it, the flavor and 

 quality being then prime. This year I kept both apple and cherry juice 

 till Christmas when I made it up to be served with several different 

 Christmas dinners, the color being a sparkling, holly-berry red. In the 

 same way I have used the juice of the pin cherry, and that from choke 

 cherry when combined with an equal quantity of apple juice and 

 flavored with favorite spices, makes a delicious venison jelly. Thorn 

 apples, especially the fruit of macrosperma, the variety that grows so 

 abundantly here, combined with tart apple juice makes a product of 

 fine substance, and only surpassed in coloring by that made from 

 the high bush cranberry. The fruit of this latter must be gathered 

 before it is dead ripe and may be used alone or in combination. The 

 flavor is marked, some say hitter, but has long been regarded of 

 medicinal value, as well as has the elderberry which makes a wine- 

 colored, sweet jelly, or, if preferred, a spiced wine that mellows with 

 age and is good for invalids. 



The general rule for making wine from blackberries, grapes or elder- 

 berries is this: 



Cover fruit with cold water and let stand 24 hours. Crush and 

 strain, adding 3 pounds of sugar to 1 gallon of juice. Put it into wide- 

 mouthed jars and skim frequently for several weeks, next put into 

 cask till March and then strain and bottle. 



I have blackberry wine that has been kept for many years and 

 possesses a rich flavor as well as a tonic quality. Blackberry-apple jelly 

 is mild and pleasant and especially good to serve with sponge cake, 

 while raspberry-currant jelly made in the proportion of 2 to 1 reaches, 

 in my judgment, the highest state of jelly perfection. 



Plain raspberry juice sweetened to make a rich syrup may be bot- 

 tled and used as a refreshing drink with the addition of spring water. 

 If preferred, shrub or raspberry vinegar made by the addition of equal 

 quantities of vinegar, berries and sugar may be used instead. Barberries 

 cooked with sweet apples make a rich orange-red jelly which does not 

 require so much sugar as most other fruit juices. Frost grapes make 



