Receipts, &c.

DIRECTIONS FOR PRESERVING FRUITS, ETC. It has been our custom every year, during the months of June, July and August, to publish a large number of useful receipts suited to the preserving season. Having many new subscribers this year, we republish the collection, with the addition of many new ones, which will be found very valuable.

OBSERVATIONS ON PRESERVING.

A very common discovery made by those who preserve fruits, etc., is, that the preserve either ferments, grows mouldy, or becomes candied.

These three effects arise from three separate causes. The first from insufficient boiling; the second from being kept in a damp place, assisted in some degree by the first cause; and the third from being too quick and too long boiling.

Preserves of all kinds should be kept entirely secluded from the air and in a dry place. In ranging them on the shelves of a store-closet, they should not be suffered to come in contact with the wall. Moisture in winter and spring exudes from some of the driest walls, and preserves invariably imbibe it, both in dampness and taste. It is necessary occasionally to look at them, and if they have been attacked by mould, boil them up gently again. To prevent all risks, it is always as well to lay a brandy paper over the fruit before tying down. This may be renewed in the spring.

Fruit jellies are made in the ratio of a quart of fruit to two pounds of sugar. They must not be boiled quick, nor very long. Practice, and a general discretion, will be found the best guides to regulate the exact time, which necessarily must be affected, more or less, by local causes.

If you do not possess a drying-stove, the fruit may be dried in the sun on flagstones, taking care that insects are not suffered to approach it; a garden glass to cover the preserves will keep them off. If dried in an oven, it must be of gentle warmth, and they must be done slowly.

TO PRESERVE StrawberrIES.-To two pounds of fine large strawberries, add two pounds of powdered sugar, and put them in a preserving kettle, over a slow fire, till the sugar is melted; then boil them precisely twenty minutes, as fast as possible; have ready a number of small jars, and put the fruit in boiling hot. Cork and seal the jars immediately, and keep them through the summer in a cold, dry cellar. The jars must be heated before the hot fruit is poured in, otherwise they will break.

TO PRESERVE STRAWBERRIES WHOLE.-Choose the finest scarlet strawberries, with their stalks on, before they are too ripe; weigh them first, then lay them separately upon a dish. Pound and sift finely twice their weight of the best loaf sugar, which strew over them. Then take some ripe strawberries, crush them and put them into a jar with an equal weight of sugar, crushed small, cover them close, and let them stand in a kettle of boiling water until they are soft and the syrup has come out of them; then strain through a piece of muslin into a preserving pan. Boil and skim it well. When cold, put in the whole strawberries, and set them over the fre until they are milk-warm; then take them off, and let them stand until they are quite cold, then set them

on again and make them a little hotter. Do this several times until they look clear, but take care not to let them boil, for then the stalks will come off. When the strawberries are quite cold, put them into jelly-glasses with their stalks downwards, and fill up the glasses with the syrup. Tie them down with brandied papers over them. These look extremely pretty in clear jellies.

TO PRESERVE STRAWBERRIES IN WINE.—Put a quantity of the finest large strawberries into a gooseberry-bottle, and strew over them three large spoonfuls of fine sugar; fill up with Madeira wine or sherry.

STRAWBERRY JELLY.-Express the juice from the fruit through a cloth, strain it clear, weigh, and stir to it an equal proportion of the finest sugar dried and reduced to powder; when this is dissolved, place the preservingpan over a very clear fire, and stir the jelly often until it boils; clear it carefully from scum, and boil it quickly from fifteen to twenty-five minutes. This receipt is for a moderate quantity of the preserve; a very small portion will require much less time.

RASPBERRIES.-These may be preserved wet, bottled, or made jam or marmalade of, the same as strawberries. Raspberries are very good dried in the sun or in a warm oven. They are very delicious stewed for table or tarts.

RASPBERRY JAM.-Weigh the fruit, and add threequarters of the weight of sugar; put the former into a preserving-pan, boil, and break it; stir constantly, and let it boil very quickly; when the juice has boiled an hour, add the sugar and simmer half an hour. In this way the jam is superior in color and flavor to that which is made by putting the sugar in first.

CHERRIES PRESERVED.-Take fine large cherries, not very ripe; take off the stems, and take out the stones; save whatever juice runs from them; take an equal weight of white sugar; make the syrup of a teacup of water for each pound, set it over the fire until it is dissolved and boiling hot, then put in the juice and cherries, boil them gently until clear throughout; take them from the syrup with a skimmer, and spread them on fiat dishes to cool; let the syrup boil until it is rich and quite thick; set it to cool and settle; take the fruit into jars and pots, and pour the syrup carefully over; let them remain open till the next day; then cover as directed. Sweet cherries are improved by the addition of a pint of red currant-juice, and half a pound of sugar to it, for four or five pounds of cherries.

COMPOTE OF MORELLO CHERRIES.-Boil together, for fifteen minutes, five ounces of sugar with half a pint of water; add a pound and a quarter of ripe Morello cherries, and simmer them very softly from five to seven minutes. This is a delicious compote.

CHERRY JAM.-Stone four pounds of cherries, and put them in a preserving-pan, with two pounds of fine white sugar and a pint of red currant-juice; boil the whole together rather fast, until it stiffens, and then put it into pots for use.

CHERRY JELLY.-Have three-quarters of a pound of ripe red cherries, take the stones out, put them with the cherries into a basin, pour over them, boiling hot, a syrup made with a pint of water and five ounces of lump sugar; let them stand two or three hours, stirring gently once or twice, strain carefully through a muslin bag, taking care not to make the juice thick. Pour half of it over three quarters of an ounce of isinglass, let it dissolve and just boil, then mix it with the remaining juice; add a little citric acid, which gives it a beautiful color.

Currants PRESERVED.—Take ripe currants free from stems; weigh them, and take the same weight of sugar; put a teacup of sugar to each pound of it; boil the syrup until it is hot and clear; then turn it over the fruit; let it remain one night; then set it over the fire; and boil gently until they are cooked and clear; take them into the jars or pots with a skimmer; boil the syrup until rich and thick, then pour it over the fruit. Currants may be preserved with ten pounds of fruit to seven of sugar. Take the stems from seven pounds of the currants, and crush and press the juice from the remaining three pounds; put them into the hot syrup, and boil until thick and rich; put it in pots or jars, and the next day secure as directed.

CURRANT JELLY.-Pick fine red, but long ripe, currants from the stems; bruise them, and strain the juice from a quart at a time through a thin muslin; wring it gently, to get all the liquid; put a pound of white sugar to each pound of juice; stir it until it is all dissolved; set it over a gentle fire; let it become hot, and boil for fifteen minutes; then try it by taking a spoonful into a saucer; when cold, if it is not quite firm enough, boil it for a few minutes longer.

CURRANT JAM OF ALL COLORS.-Strip your currants, and put them into your pan, with three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit; add your sugar after your fruit has boiled a few minutes: boil all together, mashing your fruit with a wooden spoon; boil all gently for half an hour, then fill your jars.

Compote of Green Currants.-Half a pint of spring water, five ounces of sugar, boiled together ten minutes: one pint of green currants stripped from the stalks; simmer from three to five minutes.

GOOSEBERRIES.—Put one quart of red currant juice to five pounds of loaf-sugar; set it on the fire, and when the sugar is dissolved put in eight pounds of red, rough, ripe gooseberries, let them boil half an hour, then put them into an earthen pan and leave them stand for two days; then boil them again until they look clear: put them into pots and let them stand a week to dry a little at the top, then cover them with brandy papers.

Gooseberry JELLY.-Take three quarts of ripe rough gooseberries; after picking them boil them in a quart of water, till the entire juice is out of the gooseberry; theh put the whole in a flannel jelly bag, and let it gently drip without pressure till a quart of liquid is obtained; then boil this with a pound and a quarter of loaf sugar for a quarter of an hour, well skimming off the scum which arises.

Green GoosebERRY JAM.-Take green gooseberries, and, after the tops and tails are removed, put them in pie dishes in an oven until soft; then add to every pound of gooseberries three-quarters of a pound of crushed loaf sugar; let it stand after being mixed until the next day, then boil for half an hour.

Gooseberry FOOL.-Scald a quart of berries, and pass them through a sieve, make the pulp sweet, and let it stand to cool: beat up the yolks of three eggs, strain to a quart of milk, set it over a clear fire, and keep stirring it till it boils; remove, stir till cold, and then add the fruit to it gradually.

Preserved RHUBARB.-Peel one pound of the finest rhubarb, and cut into pieces of one inch in length. Add three-quarters of a pound of white sugar, and the rind and juice of half a lemon, the rind to be cut into narrow strips. Put all into a preserving-kettle, and simmer gently, until the rhubarb is quite soft. Take it out

carefully with a silver spoon, and put it into jars; then boil the syrup a sufficient time to keep it well, say one hour; and pour it over the fruit. When cold, put it into a jar with paper soaked in brandy over it, and tie the jars down with a bladder to exclude the air.

TO PRESERVE RHUBARB,—To one and a quarter pound of rhubarb add one pound of sugar, half an ounce of bitter almonds blanched and chopped very fine; half. the peel of a lemon also chopped very fine; boil all together rather longer than other fruit, or till it will set firm. If the fruit is not quite young, the sticks should be peeled, being first wiped quite dry.

RHUBARB FOOL.-Boil a quart or more of rhubarb, nicély peeled, and cut into pieces an inch long. Pulp through a sieve, sweeten, and let it stand to cool. Put a pint of cream, or new milk, into a stew-pan, with a stick of cinnamon, a small piece of lemon-peel, a few cloves, coriander-seeds, and sugar to taste; boil ten minutes. Beat up the yolks of four eggs, and a little flour; stir into the cream, set it over the fire till it boils, stirring all the time; remove, and let it stand till cold. Mix the fruit and cream together, and add a little grated nutmeg.

RHUBARB JAM.-To every pound of rhubarb add one · pound and a quarter of loaf sugar, let the rhubarb boil gently quite an hour before the sugar is put in, and then well boil altogether for half an hour or more, until it nicely thickens.

APPLE JELLY.-Boil your apples in water till they are quite to a mash; then put them through a flannel bag to drip. To every pint of the juice, put one pound of sugar; boil till it jellies; season with lemon-juice and peel to your taste a little before it is finished. I may as well add that I can say, from experience, that this jelly is excellent, and of a beautiful color.

Carrot Jam (EQUAL TO APRICOT).—Choose deep-colored carrots, and boil them until quite tender, rub them through a cullender, and afterwards through a sieve. To one pound of pulp add one pound of white sugar. Boil the sugar and carrots together until they have the consistency of jam, and when nearly cold, add the juice of two lemons, and the rinds grated very fine.

ORANGE JELLY.-Grate the rind of four oranges and two lemons, the rind to be put into the juice; one pound of fine sugar and a pint of water to be boiled to a syrup, which put into a bowl, and when cold add the juice to it. Boil two and a half ounces of isinglass in one pint of water; when it is all melted, stir it until almost cold, then add the syrup and juice. Strain the whole through a jelly-bag.

TO PRESERVE FRUITS WITHOUT SELF-SEALING

CANS.

CONTRIBUTED BY A LADY.

PREPARE a cement of one ounce rosin, one ounce gumshellac, and a cubic inch of beeswax; put them in a tin cup, and melt slowly-too high or quick a heat may cause it to scorch.

Place the jars where they will become warm while the fruit is cooking. If they are gradually heated, there is no danger of breaking.

As soon as the fruit is thoroughly heated, and while boiling hot, fill the jars full, letting the juice cover the fruit entirely. Have ready some circular pieces of stout, thick cotton or linen cloth, and spread over with cement a space sufficient to cover the mouth and rim of the jar.

The cheapest, as well as most suitable jars for this use cost (quart size) 81 50 per dozen. Queens or yellow ware has imperfect glazing, and the moisture is forced through the sides of the jar. Self-sealing cans that have failed can be pressed into service; stone jars, common bottles, tin cans, and various vessels that every housekeeper has on hand can be made to answer; only be sure that the fruit is boiling hot, and the cover properly adjusted. Many think that sugar is essential to enable the fruit to keep. This is not so. "Berries and peaches" are better put up without it. Sugar strewn over them, an hour before eating, gives them more the flavor of fresh fruit. Cook only sufficient to fill two jars at once, to avoid crushing tender berries. Pears and quinces are best cooked in water till tender, putting in as many as will cover the top of the water at one time; when clear and tender, remove them, and to the water add sugar to taste; as soon as boiling hot, put in the fruit, and when it is penetrated with syrup, put it in jars, and fill up with syrup boiling hot. Seal as directed. Apples the same way, or cooked in water only, and secured. Let them be in quarters, for, if mashed, the pulp will hold so many air-bubbles, it will not keep.

Grapes.-Pulp and cook till the pulps are melted; strain out the seeds; put in the skins, and, when well cooked, add sugar to taste. When the syrup is sufficiently thick, seal.

Cherries and plums are put up without pits or with, as one chooses.

Tomatoes are cooked till all lumps are dissolved, and the mass quite thick.

Sweetmeats of any kind, secured in this way, will keep for years. If required for transportation, perhaps it would be well to use close-fitting corks, cut off even with the top of the jar, and then covered with the cemented cloth, otherwise corks are not necessary.

Vegetables.-Squash is steamed in pieces. Cauliflower cooked as for the table: fill jars while the articles are hot, and fill up with boiling water; let the jars remain in a kettle of boiling water for a while to expel any air that may have lodged while filling. When no air escapes, seal up with the jars in the kettle; when cool, remove them.

Green peas and green corn seem to possess a fermenting principle, which is not destroyed by a degree of heat sufficient to secure them apparently as well as other fruit. To keep these, I have tried various methods; all fail except drying or putting in salt.

By this method of self-sealing, provision can be made in years of plenty for those times when fruit fails, and with less labor, and a certainty of success that no other method as simple as this possesses.

MISCELLANEOUS.

DIRECTIONS FOR FIXING PENCIL DRAWINGS.-Dissolve a small quantity of isinglass, and dilute it with warm water, till so thin that, when spread upon paper and dry, it shall be free from those sparkling particles which never fail to appear, if too thick. Take a broad camel

hair brush set in tin, fill it plentifully with the solution, and draw it lightly over the work to be fixed, once or twice, or according as the size of the picture may require; it must be very carefully done, to prevent disturbing the sharpness of the pencil work. When dry it will be found to resist the effects of India-rubber. It is advantageous to sponge the back of the paper, or Bristol board, before applying the solution, in order that the paper may dry level, as it is apt to contract when only one side is wet. If there be a margin round the drawing, it is not requisite to sponge the back.

EFFECTS OF SUGAR ON THE TEETH.-The children of sugar-growing countries have good teeth, although they almost live upon sugar in one form or other. The stigma can be disproved by abundant evidence. Frugal housekeepers must spare their allowance of sugar ou some other ground than this. Children crave for it, and ought to have a liberal supply, as it is a highly nutritious substance. It has also balsamic properties, and assists the respiratory functions. An inordinate quantity, of course, might derange the stomach.

TO PREVENT RUST.-Melt together three parts of lard, and one part of resin. A very thin coating will preserve ironwork, such as stoves and grates, from rusting during summer, even in damp situations.

SUN BONNETS FOR THE GARDEN.-Pretty and comfortable sun bonnets may be made cheap after the following fashion: Cut in pastebɔard the pattern of the front of any bonnet that pleases, cover it with silk, print a pique, and form a crown either with a bit of the same silk lined with stiff muslin, or with a little handkerchief hanging over the back of the head. Finish up with strings and a deep full curtain. Simple head gear of this kind may be varied at pleasure, and will be found convenient and handy.

CURE FOR EAR-ACHE.-Take a small piece of cotton batting or cotton wool, make a depression in the centre with the finger, and fill it up with as much ground pepper as will rest on a five cent piece; gather it into a ball and tie it up; dip the ball into sweet oil, and insert it in the ear, covering the latter with cotton wool, and use a bandage or cap to retain it in its place. Almost instant relief will be experienced, and the application is so gentle that an infant will not be injured by it, but experience relief as well as adults.

REMEDY FOR STUTTERING.-A lady in Belgravia is stated to have discovered a remedy for stuttering. It is simply the act of reading in a whisper, and gradually augmenting the whisper to a louder tone.

TO TAKE RUST OUT OF STEEL.-Cover the steel with oil well rubbed on. In forty-eight hours rub with finely powdered unslacked lime until the rust disappears.

TO REMOVE STAINS FROM BOOKS.—To remove ink spots, apply a solution of oxalic, citric, or tartaric acid. To remove spots of grease, wax, oil, or fat, wash the injured part with ether, and place it between white blottingpaper. Then, with a hot iron, press above the part stained.

TO MAKE YEAST.-A houekeeper says: "Take a tumbler full of hop beer or ale, and stir in wheat flour until it is about as thick as batter for griddle cakes, and let it stand for two hours, and you will then have as good yeast as you can get in good weather.”

To remove any unpleasant smell from jars, scald them with strong hot ley, filling them up to the top, and letting the ley remain in them until cold.

WOMAN!

HER HOME LIFE.

A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Prov. xxxi. 30. ONE of the surest proofs of the truth of Divine Revelation is its consistency. The plan announced in Genesis after the Fall, has never been varied; the principles established by that plan have never been changed; the way of safety and happiness for mankind has never been altered.

The sorrows of woman, and the sacrifices for sin made by "her seed" was the way. The principles established were that the Holiness of God's Law, violated by human disobedience, could not be re-established or atoned for by the sufferings of woman or the works of man; Divine Love only could cancel the debt of the sinner and make forgiveness possible. And this plan of salvation by the Son of God, "made of a woman," is the burden of all Scripture, from the closing of the gates of Eden to the coming down of the New Jerusalem "out of Heaven."

The inspired writers are never at variance in their testimony to the holiness of God and to his requirement of holiness in men. They all bear witness of human wickedness and all teach of a Mediator. And just as certainly do all these writers bear witness to the earthliness of men when, left by the Holy Spirit, they follow the workings of their own depraved will and selfish passions; when these have brought, as, sooner or later sin will bring its punishment, its sore troubles and hopeless miseries, then the inspired recorders of God's providence, as faithfully show, on the blackness of darkness which man's wickedness has spread over the horizon, the diamond points of woman's moral influence and religious faith, shining out like stars of hope on a despairing world.

It was woman who kept the promise of the Saviour in her heart throughout all the old Testament history; and her faith kindled anew the light of Divine Faith when it seemed lost or waning in the hands of man. In this faith Eve welcomed the birth of Seth: Sarah secured the inheritance for Isaac; Rebecca gained the blessing for Jacob; and Moses-over his cradle three feminine souls are bound together like a cluster of light, faith, love which saved, nurtured, educated this the greatest and best of all men.

Another remarkable characteristic of the distinguished women of the Bible is, that this self-sacrifice is always for their sons, or husbands, their faith or their people. Not a "strong-minded woman, " in the usual significance of the term, is found among all the daughters of Israel. No one is seeking her own ease, interest, or exaltation; nor does any one claim the greatness, which worldly honors, wealth, or position confer on men, as her right. Even Deborah "the prophetess," whom God exalted as "Judge over Israel," when the men were so hopelessly demoralized that even Barak, whom she selected as the best and bravest in the land, would not go up to battle against Sisera and his host, unless she would go with him ;—Deborah only styles herself by the tender, womanly title of "a mother in Israel.”

And thus Hannah, Naomi, and Ruth, the mother of

Samson, and the widow of Sarepta, Huldah and Esther, all are single-hearted, self-sacrificing women, walking by faith, seeking to serve God, and promote the welfare of those they loved on earth better than themselves; each, in her turn, carrying onward the torch of faith in the promises of God, and teaching by her humble example the true way, when the darkness of idolatry and sin had all but extinguished among men the light of divine truth.

Yet these beautiful Bible examples of love and faith are all sad, because woman's photograph is only taken in dark shadows, when she is a sufferer for those she would save from suffering, or in times of national distress and degradation, when her lot is always wretchedness. So, also, when looking through the mists of past ages, from the Deluge to the Crucifixion, we see among all the nations of earth, except God's chosen people, that the "enmity" of Satan to the woman had triumphed; it had, by idolatry and lust, by unjust laws and wicked customs, crushed out her moral loveliness, ruined her innocent home happiness, and destroyed every hope of her enlightened companionship with man, who held her earthly destiny in his keeping. Heathenism has no hope for woman.

Thanks be to God, one perfect picture of happy Home Life has been left us, limned by divine inspiration, and set in the only true Book! It is proof of what the " "help meet for man" was by her Creator intended to be to him and to humanity. Let us examine its characteristics.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

"She shall do him good, and not evil, all the days of

her life.

"She riseth while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

"She stretcheth out her hand to the poor-yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

"She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

"Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

"Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.