GINGERED PEARS

Pare, core and cut small, eight pounds hard pears (preferably the fresh green Bartlett variety), half as much sugar, quarter pound Canton ginger.  Let these stand together overnight.  In morning add one pint of water, four lemons, cut small.  Cook slowly for three hours.  Pour into small jars.  Seal when cold.  Keeps indefinitely.

SPICED GERMAN PLUMS

Wash the plums, remove the stones and in place of the stones put in almonds.  Take the best wine vinegar, water and sugar to taste.  Tie in a bag some whole cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; boil together with vinegar.  After boiling, let it get lukewarm, then pour over the prunes.  Let stand, and each day for nine days let vinegar come to a boil and pour over prunes.  The last day cook the vinegar down some, then put in the prunes and let come to a boil; there should be sufficient liquid to cover them.  Keep in a stone or glass jar.  Grapes (Concord) may be spiced the same way.

GOOSEBERRY RELISH

Cut the brush part from the berry, but leave the stem on, wash thoroughly and let drip in colander overnight.  For eight pounds of berries prepare a syrup of six pounds of sugar and three cups of water.  When syrup has boiled till clear put in the berries and boil for three-quarters of an hour.  Put in jars or glasses.

PICKLED FIGS

Boil the figs in water one and one-half hours, then drain and weigh.  To seven pounds fruit use the following syrup:  Three pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, two ounces of whole cinnamon, two ounces of whole peppers, one ounce of cloves, one orange, and two lemons sliced.  Boil syrup one-half hour, add fruit and boil slowly two hours.

BRANDIED FRUITS

MELANGE

This French fruit preserve is truly delicious, and should be put up in the month of June.  To every pound of fruit take one pound of sugar.  It requires no cooking at all, and is therefore easily made.  Get the largest and soundest berries in the market.  Pick two quarts and lay them in a new and perfectly clean two-gallon stone jar and cover with two pounds of the finest granulated sugar.  Stone as many pounds of red, black, and white cherries as you wish to use, and add the same quantity of sugar.  You may also use bananas, pineapples or oranges.  Seed the latter carefully.  Be sure to weigh all the fruit, and allow one pound of sugar to every additional pound of fruit.  Pour over the fruit a pint of pure alcohol.  Tie up the jar with thick paper, and in season add peaches, apricots, raspberries, blackberries, large, red currants; in fact, all kinds of fruit.  Green-gages and purple and red plums also add both to looks and taste.  Be sure to add the same amount of sugar as you do fruit, but no more alcohol.  In the fall of the year pack in glass jars; looks very pretty.  Keep it in a dry, cool place.  There is always a surplus of juice, which makes excellent pudding sauce.  Add a little water and thicken.