Do not throw away the rind of melons.  It can be preserved and will make a delicious relish.  Remove the green rind of watermelon and the inside pink portion that is left on after eating it.  Cut it into two-inch pieces and pour over it a weak brine made in proportion of one cup of salt to a gallon of hot water.  Let this stand overnight, then drain and add clear water and one level tablespoon of alum.  Boil in this water until the rind has a clear appearance.  Drain and pour ice water over the rind and allow it to stand a short time.  In a bag put one teaspoon each of cloves, allspice, cinnamon and ginger and place this in the preserve kettle with the vinegar and sugar.  Allow one cup of sugar and one cup of vinegar (dilute this with water if too strong) to every pound of rind.  Thin slices of lemon will give it a pleasant flavor—­allow one lemon to about four pounds of rind.  Bring this syrup to the boiling point and skim.  Add the melon and cook until tender.  It is done when it becomes perfectly transparent and can be easily pierced with a broom straw.  A peach kernel in the cooking syrup will improve the flavor.  Housewives who object to the use of alum can omit this and merely wash the rind after removing from brine to free it from all salt and then cook it slowly as per directions given above.  The alum keeps the rind firm and retains its color.  In this case the rind will require long and steady cooking; say 3/4 of an hour or longer.  As soon as rinds are cooked they should be put into the containers and covered with the syrup.

PICKLED PLUMS

Prick the plums with a large needle then weigh them, and to every seven pounds of fruit use four pounds of white sugar, two ounces of stick cinnamon, one ounce of cloves and a pint of best pickling vinegar.  Boil the vinegar, sugar and spices, and pour boiling hot over the fruit, which must be packed in a large jar; repeat this three times.  While the vinegar boils the third time, pack the plums in glass jars and pour the syrup over the plums.  When cold seal.

PICKLED CANTALOUPE OR MUSKMELONS

Take fine, ripe melons, pare, take out the seeds and wash, cut into slices about three inches long and two inches wide, lay them in a stone jar and cover with vinegar for twenty-four hours or longer.  Then lay the fruit on a clean board to drip; and throw away one quart of the vinegar to each quart remaining.  Allow three pounds and 1/2 of white sugar to a dozen small cantaloupes, three ounces of stick cinnamon, one ounce of cloves (remove the soft heads) and two ounces of allspice (whole spices).  Boil the spices, vinegar and sugar, adding a pint of fresh vinegar to the old.  When well skimmed put in the melons, boil fifteen minutes, twenty is still better; take out the fruit, put it in jars and boil the syrup awhile longer.  Skim it again and pour boiling hot upon the fruit.  Seal when cold.