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gently for 10 minutes, then put in the 
jars and seal. If the fruit is not entirely 
ripe, it may require a little longer time 
to cook. It should be so tender that it 
may be pierced easily with a silver fork. 
It is best to put only one layer of fruit 
in the preserving kettle. While this is 
cooking the fruit for the next batch may 
be pared. 
Pears 
If the fruit is ripe it may be treated 
exactly the same as peaches. If, on the 
other hand, it is rather hard it must be 
cooked until so tender that a silver fork 
will pierce it readily. 
Quinces 
4 quarts of pared, cored and quartered 
quinces. 
114 quarts of sugar. 
2 quarts of water. 
Rub the fruit hard with a coarse, 
crash towel, then wash and drain. Pare, 
quarter, and core; drop the pieces into 
cold water (See Selection and Prepara- 
tion of the Fruit—paragraph re Quinces 
and Pears). Put the fruit in the preserv- 
ing kettle with cold water to cover it 
generously. Heat slowly and simmer 
gently until tender. The pieces will not 
all require the same time to cook. Take 
each piece up as soon as it is so tender 
that a silver fork will pierce it readily. 
Drain on a platter. Strain the water in 
which the fruit was cooked throu h 
cheesecloth. Put two quarts of the 
strained liquid and the sugar into the 
preserving kettle; stir over the fire until 
the sugar is dissolved. When it boils 
skim well and put in the cooked fruit. 
Boil gently for about 20 minutes. 
Crab Apples 
6 quarts of apples. 
144 quarts of sugar. 
2 quarts of water. 
Put the sugar and water into the pre- 
serving kettle. Stir over the fire until 
the sugar is dissolved. When syrup boils 
skim it. 
Wash the fruit, rubbing the blossom 
end well. Put it in the boiling syrup, and 
cook gently until tender. It will take 
from 20 to 50 minutes, depending upon 
the kind of crab apples. 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
Plums 
8 quarts of plums. 
2 quarts of sugar. 
1 pint of water. 
Nearly all kinds of plums can be cooked 
with the skins on. If it is desired to 
remove the skin of any variety, plunge 
them in boiling water for a few minutes, 
When the skins are left on, prick them 
thoroughly to prevent bursting. 
Put the sugar and water into the pre- 
serving kettle and stir over the fire until 
the sugar is dissolved. Wash and drain 
the plums. Put some of the fruit in the 
boiling syrup. Do not crowd it. Cook 
five minutes; fill and seal the jars. Put 
more fruit in the syrup. Continue in this 
manner until all the fruit is done. It 
may be that there will not be sufficient 
syrup toward the latter part of the work: 
for this reason it is well to have a little 
extra syrup on the back of the stove. 
Stewed Tomatoes 
Wash the tomatoes and plunge into 
boiling water for five minutes. Pare and 
Slice, and then put into the preserving 
kettle; set the kettle on an iron ring. 
Heat the tomatoes slowly, stirring fre- 
quently from the bottom. Boil for 30 
minutes, counting from the time the 
vegetable begins actually to boil. Put in 
sterilized jars and seal. 
Whole Tomatoes 
6 quarts of medium-sized tomatoes. 
4 quarts of sliced tomatoes. 
Put the pared and sliced tomatoes into 
a stewpan and cook as directed for 
stewed tomatoes. When they have been 
boiling 20 minutes take from the fire and 
rub through a strainer. Return to the 
fire. 
While the sliced tomatoes are cooking, 
pare the whole tomatoes and put them in 
sterilized jars. Pour into the jars 
enough of the stewed and strained to- 
mato to fill all the interstices. Put the 
uncovered jars in a moderate oven, plac- 
ing them on a pad of asbestos or in shal- 
low pans of hot water. Let the vegetable 
cook in the oven for half an hour. Take 
from the oven and fill to overflowing with 
