OF 
Wey > ip repeated Inftances, will preferve them through- 
_____ out acconfiderable Part of the Winter ; and keep 
them with their natural Flavour. 
Grapes are not of the Nature. of thofe Fruits 
that fpoil upon the Branches with over Ripenefs. 
Our Seafons do not favour them fo much: but 
the Danger they are expofed to moft, is that of 
Frols. ee | ve 
Cold takes an Effe& upon their Juices, that 
prevents their keeping. ot | ee 
Upon thefe two Principles, that Grapes will 
feldom fuffer by over Ripenefs; and that they 2 
are in great Danger from Frofts, depends the 
Article of gathering them properly, which is the 
firft Step toward their Prefervation. | 
The Ripenefs of Grapes is known by their 
Tranfparence on the Bunch, as well as by their. 
Softnefs and mellow Flavour in the Mouth. 
They fhould be gathered when ripe; there- 
fore if it happen in any favourable Seafon, that 
the later Kinds ripen thoroughly before the 
_ Frofts, they muft be cut for preferving when 
fo ripened. 
The late Grapes are the proper Kinds for pre- 
-ferving. As foon as the Frofts come on, the - 
others intended for the fame Ufe mutt alfo be 
gathered; and the following.Preparation made 
for them. ) | 
Get two or three found wooden Boxés of 
a Foot deep, and about the fame Breadth. Let 
the Length be according to the Quantity of 
Grapes intended to be preferved in them. 
Sift very fine a good Quantity. of Wood- 
Athes that have been well burnt; thofe from a 
Baker’s I have always found anfwer beft. | 
Let both the Boxes and the Afhes be perfectly 
dry, but not hot; and then {pread over the Bot- 
tom of each Box fome of the Afhes, to cover 
it four Inches deep. ‘eee 2 : 
_ This being done go out, and in the Middle of 
- a dry Day gather fome of the beft of. the 
Bunches of Grapes. Examine them, and pick 
off the geeen Berries; and any that are eaten by 
Infects, or decayed: then lay the Bunches Side 
by Side upon the Bed of Ashes in the Box. Lay 
the Length of the Bunch the crofs Way of the 
Box. : 2 
As foon as the Bed is covered with them fift 
_ on more of the Afhes, and let them run in be- 
tween Berry and Berry upon every Bunch, where 
they ftand feparate. When the whole are thus 
inter-laid, fift over them more of the Athes till 
the Box is full. Then fet it in a dry Place, .but 
out of the Reach of any Heat from the Fire. | 
In this Manner let the feveral Boxes be filled ; 
> 
and I have thus eaten Grapes very good: in the 
Month of February. 
The Quinces and Medlars will now require to 
be cleared from the Trees, anda proper Method 
is to be confidered to preferve them. Thefe are 
not Fruits that keep well for a long Time, but 
they may be preferved, and even improved for 
4 
GARD 
sf vi P Sie evoke TSEC een 
_muft be wiped one by one, 
-and this will bring on a gentle Heat, 
| eating in feven Days, the Generality will not be 
inorder till, about a Fortnight 3.and many will 
} continue good after this three or four Weeks. 
ENING. 
ee a ida 
fome Weeks by a Proper Management. ° 
- Quinces as foon as gathered muft be carefully 
looked over: if any are decayed in Part, thefe 
muft be feparated;.and if there be an 
-woollen Cloth. 
When thefe have fweated a little while, they. 
| and laid on Shelves 
at a Diftance from each other. i Ppt 
Medlars, when all are gathered for the laft. 
Time from the Trees, muft be mellowed bys 
other Means. - os ee kas 
| Hitherto the Table, we fuppofe, has been 
fupplied by the beft and ripeft freth gathered for. 
that Purpofe; but of the Remainder now pulled, 
the greateft Part will be auftere and hard. 
Prepare for thefe a Bed of wet Bran in the fol- 
| lowing Manner. 
Cover a broad Shelf with Bran two Inches. 
deep, and fprinkle over it warm River Water till 
it is thoroughly moiftened, but not made into a 
Pafte. Upon this lay the Medlars, one by one, 
placing the Bottom downwards, and letting them _ 
not touch one another. °* 
When'the Shelf is covered, ftrew over them * 
fome more fine Bran, dry, and perfectly free 
from Lumps. Sopot aes 
This fhould fall between them every where to 
fill up Crevices ; and when they are thus brought ~ 
level to the Top, as much more is to be fifted 
| on as will cover them two Inches deep. Sprinkle 
on this fome more warm Water, and make it 
damp 3 but not fo much as the former. 
Thus let them lie a Week before they are 
touched. The Bran and the ‘Water will ferment, , 
which will 
ferve in the Place of the Sun-Beams, ata Time ~ 
when they have no longer Power. ‘The Fruit. 
will mellow thus better than on the Tree; and I 
have found them always milder tafted, fofter 
throughout, and freer from Rottennefs, = 
- Though there will be fome of them ft for 
Some who ufe this Method of ripening Med- 
Jars, pile up many Layers of them in a Box, with | 
Bran between ; but I have not found that anfwer, 
They grow rotten inftead of mellowing, and the 
greateft Part of them are never eatable. 
At the fame Time that a Part of the Medlars 
are thus haftened to ripen in the Bran, let fome 
more of them be laid upon a Floor covered with 
dry clean Straw. 
- Let thefe be kept feparate from one another, 
and fome more Straw thrown over them. 
They will come to Maturity more gradually — 
than the others, and will be fit for Table when | 
they are paft their Goodnefs. 
CH A’? 
