166 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



enough to cool the fruit. Drain off the water and re-heat the plums in 

 the same liquor in the preserving pan. They must not, however, be 

 allowed to boil the second time. Now drain the fruit on a wire tray or 

 large sieve ; pick out any that may be too soft. Put the Greengages 

 in a pan or basin, and pour over enough boiling syrup at a tem- 

 perature of 30° Centig. or 85° Fahr. Cover the pan and let it remain 

 till the following day, when the syrup is boiled, skimmed, and poured 

 over the fruit again. Repeat the latter process five times, allowing ten to 

 twelve hours to elapse between. Lastly, boil the syrup until it reaches 

 95° Fahr. (registered by the saccharometer), put in the Greengages, reboil, 

 and let cool in the syrup, then drain, and dry as before explained. Apricots 

 and Pears are treated in the same manner as Greengages. 



To glace Chestnuts. — Remove the shells of some Italian Chestnuts, 

 choosing those of even size. Mix an ounce of flour with two to three 

 quarts of water in a stewpan, put the Chestnuts in this and boil, then let 

 them simmer till they are tender. Drain the Chestnuts and peel them 

 carefully, so as not to break them. Cool them in a basin of water, and 

 then drain on a sieve or wire tray. After being drained, put them in 

 a large pan, and pour over them enough very hot syrup (25° Centig. 

 or 78° Fahr.) to cover the Chestnuts thoroughly. Let them remain 

 covered in this syrup for two' or three days, then pour off the syrup 

 and reduce it slightly, adding to it 2 lbs. to 3 lbs. more sugar, according 

 to the quantity of Chestnuts on hand. Pour this over the Chestnuts, and 

 let them again soak for another two days or longer. Then, after being 

 drained, reboil the Chestnuts in a syrup registering 35° Centig. or 95° Fahr. 

 Let them boil for a few minutes only, then take them off the fire and put 

 them away to cool. When required for serving, drain them carefully, 

 and dip each into a syrup ^ cooked to "firm crack," 125° Centig. or 

 285° Fahr. Vanilla flavouring is often introduced with preserved Chest- 

 nuts. For this purpose use one or more sticks or pods of vanilla, 

 according to the quantity of syrup, and cook it with the first lot of syrup 

 and allow it to remain for a day or two in it. 



