i89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
535 
PRESERVING THE LARGE FRUITS. 
HE large fruits, as well as the small, 
have a more delicate and natural 
flavor when they are cooked in the jar, 
an operation described in a previous issue 
of this paper. Careful attention must be 
given to the minor details of the process, 
as success in canning is in no wise depend¬ 
ent upon the quantity of sugar used, but 
wholly upon the proper amount of cooking 
snd thorough exclusion of the air. 
Preserved Peaches No. 1.—Pare cling¬ 
stone peaches and allow three-fourths of a 
pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. 
Place the sugar and fruit in alternate 
layers in a large earthenware bowl, and al¬ 
low them to stand until next day. Drain 
off the syrup and boil it 10 minutes, skim¬ 
ming it often. Put in the fruit anrl stir it 
carefully, to prevent its cooking at the 
bottom: boil 15 minutes. Skim out the 
fruit, boil the syrup until thick, and pour 
it over the fruit in a small stone jar. 
Canned Pears.—No pear has a finer 
flavor for canning than the Bartlett. Pare 
them thin and evenly ; the seeds add both 
to their flavor and appearance, and should 
be left in. A medium-sized pear is prefer¬ 
able to a large one, and it is better to halve 
than to quarter them. Eight ounces of 
sugar are required for sweet pears, but 
small, sour ones need 10 or 12. Pears re¬ 
quire considerable cooking, and should not 
be removed until they can be easily pierced 
with a fork. 
Pear Preserves.— Pare carefully, quar¬ 
ter and core, weigh, and allow three-fourths 
of a pound of sugar to each one of fruit. 
Boil the pears in Clearwater eight minutes, 
then skim them out and place them in the 
boiling syrup. For every two pounds of 
fruit add the grated yellow rind and juice 
of one lemon. (In using lemons be careful 
not to grate below the yellow rind, or to 
allow a seed to fall into the syrup, as either 
imparts a bitter, disagreeable taste). Boil 
the fruit slowly until it is tender. Then 
skim out and boil the syrup down. Re¬ 
place the fruit, heat together and put it 
in jars. 
Canned Goods. —If you do not choose to 
remove the skins pierce each plum with a 
steel fork. They have a more delicate flavor, 
however, when the skins are removed, and 
this can be easily and quickly done by pour¬ 
ing boiling water over them. Ten or 12 
ounces of sugar are required for plums, but 
they cook very quickly. 
Plum Preserves.— Remove the stems, 
wash the fruit and pierce each one with a 
steel fork. Allow a pound of sugar to each 
pound of fruit and make a syrup, using 
only enough water to dissolve the sugar. 
When it boils put in the plums and boil 
slowly for 10 minutes, then skim them out, 
boil down the syrup and place all in glass 
or stone jars. Glass jars which are not fit 
for holding canned fruit are very convenient 
for preserves. 
Quince Preserves.— It is a slow process 
to make fine quince preserves, but none 
are handsomer or more delicious. If the 
quinces are cooked too long at the first 
boiling they will break in the syrup, and if 
boiled only in the syrup they will be tough 
and hard. Reject all knotty and stunted 
ones. First rub off the down, then cut out 
the flower end, pare, quarter and core. 
Place them in the preserving kettle with 
just water enough to cover them, and boil 
slowly, covered closely until nearly tender. 
Skim out carefully on a platter. Add the 
parings and cores to the water in which the 
quinces were cooked, stew it three-fourths 
of an hour, and strain through a jelly bag. 
To each pint of this liquor allow a pound 
of sugar. When it is dissolved, put in the 
fruit and boil very slowly until it is tender 
but not broken. Skim out the fruit and 
boil the syrup down. Fill the jars 
two-thirds full of the fruit, and cover 
it with syrup. Quince and apple pre¬ 
serves are made in a similar manner, using 
an equal amount of quinces and firm, ripe, 
sweet apples, and boiling, both in the same 
water, but separately. 
Citron Preserves.— Pare the citron 
deeply, and cut in whatever fanciful shapes 
you prefer. Make a tolerably strong solu¬ 
tion of alum water by adding one small 
table-spoonful of alum to each quart of 
water, and boil the citron in it for half an 
hour. Skim out the fruit, cover it with 
cold water, and let it stand until the next 
day. Put it into a fresh water and boil 
until it has changed color and is soft; then 
make a syrup allowing pound of sugar 
for each pound of fruit. When it boils add 
the well-drained fruit and cook 15 minutes. 
Mace, lemon juice or ginger-root flavors this 
preserve nicely. 
Grape Preserves.—P ulp the grapes, 
carefully saving the skins. Boil the pulp 
slowly for 15 or 20 minutes, then rub it 
through a sieve. Add a very little water to 
the skins and cook them slowly until ten¬ 
der. Stir the pulp and skins together and 
measure, allowing a pound of sugar to each 
pint. Boil the whole together 15 minutes, 
stirring often to prevent its adhering to the 
bottom of the kettle. KATHERINE B. J. 
FROM “A RURAL DAUGHTER.” 
HE appeal made by a “ Rural Daugh¬ 
ter ” in a la^e number of The Rural 
moved me strongly. Being myself an iso¬ 
lated farmer’s daughter, and my ’teens not 
so far behind me that I cannot remember 
all about them, I am in entire sympathy 
with her. Though it is decreed that, for the 
present, no corner can be spared for rural 
daughters, all for themselves, we will hope 
for better times further on. Mrs. Liver¬ 
more says in one of her lectures : “ The 
time is coming when it will be just as for¬ 
tunate to be born a girl as a boy and 
when that time comes, I suppose such ad¬ 
mirable articles as that written by C. E. 
Chapman, in the interests of young farmers 
of the masculine gender, on “ Will Educa¬ 
tion Help the Farmer ?” will be written 
for young [farmers of the feminine gender. 
One step in advance is that The Rural’s 
offer of “ Free Education ” is open alike to 
both boys and girls. 
‘‘Roundness of character” can no more be 
attained by one sex than the other, without 
the “ sound education ” that “ develops 
executive ability,” etc., etc., that “fits one 
for successes in the battle of life.” So, rural 
daughters, whether younger or older than 
“just eighteen,” let us get all the 
education we can, if possible in con¬ 
tact, in competition with others in 
schools, which contact and compe¬ 
tition are in themselves an education, 
and through reading and study in our own 
homes, if good schools are not attainable. 
But you say: “There is so little time!” 
Do not I know that ? But it is astonishing 
how much ground can be covered by saving 
the minutes. Use what “executive ability” 
you do possess in planning to save time— 
make your head save your heels and hands, 
too. Time yourself by the clock, and see 
if you cannot “ do ” the dishes, or the 
chamber work, or prepare the vegetables 
for dinner, or dress your hair, quite as well 
in less time. Just watch yourself for one 
day and see how many “ false moves ” you 
make, and do better thereafter. 
You say, too, “ Where is the money to 
come from to buy books ?” I know all 
about that trouble and know it will 
never be righted save by our own persis¬ 
tent efforts. If only there were more farmer- 
fathers like the one written of by his daugh¬ 
ter in a last year’s Rural —the one who 
made his six children equal partners with 
himself in the income of the farm, and 
gave each one control of his or her share, so 
that, whether much or little, it could be 
used as each chose, whether put in the 
head or on the back, or in the bank. But, 
alas ! such are like angel’s visits—few and 
far between ; though he was but doing on a 
very small scale what Edward Bellamy in 
his “ Looking Backward,” fancifully rep¬ 
resents the government as doing for its 
citizens 100 years hence. But in one way 
or another, if really in earnest, one can get 
a little money. Books are cheaper now 
than ever before, and since the tendency of 
the century is toward co operation, rural 
daughters must take it up too. Where 
two or three in a neighborhood are agreed 
as touching this one thing, they should buy 
their books, papers, or magazines together, 
uniting their scanty funds for the purpose, 
sending for them in one name, and all 
sharing the benefit of the reduction made, 
and then they should use them. But girls, 
girls, do not buy trashy books, or read 
them if they cost nothing; for if you do, 
your “ upper story ” will be soon so full of 
rubbish that there will be no room for 
valuable things. (I know whereof I speak). 
There is hardly a farmhouse now without 
its weekly newspapers. Read them ; at 
least read the “current events” and 
politics, if the latter are not too muddy, but 
skip the murder trials, divorce cases, prize 
fights, etc.—they are not of “the knowledge 
that profiteth,” and do skip the fifth-rate 
novelette or serial with its impossible hero 
and heroine in a chronic state of evening 
dress and endless leisure, that only make 
you discontented with your so-called nar¬ 
row life. And do not be so short sighted 
as not to read The Rural because most of 
it is written for “ father and the boys.” A 
knowledge of the best methods of doing 
out door farm work as well as in-door will 
not hurt a woman a bit, and may be invalu¬ 
able some day. Besides, you can prompt 
“father and the boys” sometimes, if you 
are posted. Some of them need it! Though 
reading of other people and things far re¬ 
moved from our life at times gives one a 
broader outlook, I do believe much in 
reading in the lines of one’s own work, 
whatever it may be. Surely the lines of 
farm life are numerous enough for needful 
variety. Why, The Rural alone takes up 
—but my pen is running away with me on 
this old, but never-so-important-as now 
subject, and must come to a halt. 
JUDY JONES. 
FAMILY CHEESE-MAKING. 
HE state of the butter market has 
awakened a new interest in the sub¬ 
ject of making cheese in small dairies in 
our vicinity. Through the month of June 
I made 24 gallons of new milk Into cheese 
every day, and although I had no training 
in the work except what I could remember 
of my mother’s way of cheese making 
when I was a girl at home, I met with 
good success, and now look with a great 
deal of pride upon my shapely cheeses, 
turning a beautiful deep yellow in the 
cellar. Every thing I could find to read 
upon cheese-making was eagerly studied. 
What Mr. Waldo Brown wrote was very 
helpful. I only wish he had told us a little 
more. 
Some of my first-made cheeses flattened 
out; two went so far as to crack a little. I 
pasted cloth upon the others and stopped 
their cracking. I cut the cracked cheeses 
and used in the family what I did not sell 
at 15 cents per pound. They were rich, 
finely-flavored cheeses; but would not 
have kept long. I judged that the spread¬ 
ing was caused by putting the curd into 
the press while yet too moist; I therefore 
cut it over more times, thereby getting it 
drier, and the result was no more trouble 
from spreading. I would like to know 
whether those cheeses would have been all 
right if they had been bandaged when first 
taken from the press ? They did not leak, 
but seemed too tender to stand up. Mr. 
Brown spoke of inclosing the shelves with 
thin muslin to keep away flies. I remem¬ 
ber my mother kept her cheeses in what 
she called a “ cheese jack.” It was a long 
closet, with doors, sides and back covered 
with coarse sheeting. But it seems to me 
wire netting would be better, since it 
would also protect from mice. I think 
there is but one mouse in my cellar, but he 
has already tried his teeth on my most 
promising cheese, and I fear that keeping 
the articles from mice is one of the most 
difficult points. I find that other dairy 
people are trying to make their own cheese 
this year. It seems to me a very sensible, 
practical way of adding to the comfort of 
the family. It is no harder work than 
butter-making, and if a jar of butter has 
been packed to last through the time of 
making cheese, only one process need be 
carried on at a time. s. E. H. 
SHALL SHE WRITE? 
HE following, from the Ladies’ Home 
Journal, is so especially applicable 
to the country, from which so many of the 
lads go out into the world, leaving some 
special girl friends between whom and 
themselves there is mutual interest, and 
mutual liking, not to speak of more en¬ 
dearing ties, that we gladly give it place: 
“Katharine (I love that name, with its 
sweet Kate and Kitty, the bonniest girls in 
Christendom) is In a bic of quandary. She 
has known a certain young man all her 
life. They went to school together; as they 
grew up he always helped her, always saw 
her home from party or service, took her 
side at tennis or croquet, and now he has 
gone off to a great city to make his for¬ 
tune, and he asks that Katharine will 
write to him. And she is puzzled. Shall 
she write ? Certainly not, unless her 
mother knows all about it, and unless she 
is sure she is going to say only what all 
the world can see. 
That boy has gone out into a new world 
where he will find a hundred interests, a 
hundred diversions, and Katharine would 
not want the answering of her letter, or, 
perhaps, the reading of it, to be a bore to 
him. She would rather he would remem¬ 
ber her in a pleasanter way, and earnestly 
wish to hear from her without being satis¬ 
fied. But, if he and Katharine have ex¬ 
changed vows of constancy ; if he has gone 
away to work for dear love’s sake, to make 
a little home, a nest in which two love 
birds may live, then always with the 
knowledge of the dear mother, there is no 
reason why the white-winged messenger of 
affection may not fly to him through the 
common-place medium of the post-office 
every week. But—one hates to thiak there 
always is another thought—let Katharine 
be careful how she puts her soul upon 
paper. People are not of necessity false, 
but a great many are fickle. Most Amer¬ 
ican men are gentlemen, but there are a 
few cads, and sweet Katharine would not 
like her letter to be shown to people as an 
evidence of the power over one woman 
that an undeserving man had. You don’t 
suspect him of this—you wouldn’t love 
him if you did—but every time that pen of 
yours feels that it must tell him how much 
you care for him, stop a second to think if 
he wouldn’t like to hear your opinion of 
the last new book, of how the trees and 
flowers are looking, and if this will not make 
him a bit more anxious to ask you the 
question as to your love again and again. 
Coquetry ? Perhaps so; but a laudable 
kind. This coquetry is like the thorns sur¬ 
rounding the rose—it makes one more 
anxious to reach it, and there is a certainty 
that the rose is so sweet and so modest 
that even the bravest must observe due 
deference and care in approaching her.” 
BANANAS and oranges, in about equal 
quantities, sugared half an hour before 
using, make a delicious sauce for tea. 
£$i$ceUaneau£ 
Readers of The R. N.-F. will please the 
advertisers and benefit the paper by always 
mentioning it when writing to advertisers. 
The Shah of Persia 
Though advanced in years, has hair of raven 
hue. Gray hairs are strictly prohibited in 
his dominions, and hence the large ship¬ 
ments to that country of Ayer’s Hair Vigor, 
by the use of which Urn Shah’s subjects save 
not only their hair but their heads. Ayer’s 
Hair Vigor restores the natural color of the 
hair. It should be on every toilet-table. 
“ Some time ago my hair began to fade and 
to fall out so badly that I thought I should 
.be bald; but the use of Ayer’s Hair Vigor 
has restored tne original color and made my 
hair strong, abundant, and healthy. It does 
not fall out any more.” — Addie Shaffer, 540 
Race st., Cincinnati, Ohio. 
“ My hair (which had partly turned gray) 
was restored to its youthful color and 
’beauty by the use of a few bott’ es of Ayer’s 
•Hair Vigor. I shall continue to use it, as 
•there is no better dressing for the hair.” — 
'Gaido Gapp, Georgeana, Ala. 
Ayer’s Hair Vigor, 
PREPARED BY 
DR. J. C. AYER & CO., Lowell, Mass. 
Sold by all Druggists and Perfumers. 
BORDENTOWN (N. J.) FEMALE COLLEGE. 
Graduating Courses In Belles lettres. Vocal and In- 
strumen al Music. Degrees confeTed. Stenography 
and Type-Writing. In all respects one of the nest 
Schools In the State. 
Rev. WM C. BOWEN, A. M.. President. 
WESLEYAN ACADEMY, 
WILBRAHAM, MASS. One of the half dozen best 
academic and classical schools in New England. The 
payment of S61 in advance will cover ordinary tui¬ 
tion with board, for Fall term, beginning August 27. 
Send for catalogue to Rev G. M STEELE. Prln. 
Norfolk College FO LADIE9U G 
NEAR OLD POINT COMFORT. 
Largest, cheapest and best equipped school in Va. 
290Student8; 23 Teachers—Graduates of Smith College. 
Boston Unlv., Wesleyan, Stuttgart. Ac. Arts of self- 
support a specialty Home Life. Board, Tuition. S42 50 
a quarter Fine climate for delicate girls. For cata¬ 
logue address J. A. I. CASSEDY. Prin.. Norfolk. Va. 
Iliiliiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiniiii’i? 
1 A Farmer’s I 
1 Education | 
I FREE I 
| to any young man in Amer-1 
| ica. Send for copies of the 1 
| Rural New Yorker and 1 
| The American Garden for | 
| particulars, naming this! 
| advertisement. | 
| RURAL PUBLISHING CO., | 
_ Times Building, New York. “ 
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiimmuii < 
