How we cook in Tennessee ..

The rind should be weighed as soon as cut. Sliced lemon is a great improvement ; when not at hand, the oil of lemon may be [illustration: Robe's jewelry Store and annex, "Robe's Corner," Jackson, Tenn.] used, but not until the preserves have been taken from the fire — while hot. Citron. — Soak rind in salt water ten days; wash to freshen, and weigh it. Boil till tender. Allow one and one-half pounds of sugar to one of rind. Make a syrup and when boiling put in the rind; boil six hours. Season with cloves and lemon. — • Mrs. John Gary. Pear Preserves. — Select ripe, but firm fruit, those known as "eating" pears. Pare and core fruit, cutting large pears into halves or fourths, leaving small fruit whole— with the stem on — after it has been scraped. Weigh fruit and use a little more than three-quarters pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. Put sugar in porcelain kettle with enough water to make sufficient syrup. Stir frequently until sugar is dissolved. Let syrup boil ten or fifteen minutes, then add fruit — cooking separately the whole, halves and quarters. Let cook slowly twenty minutes. Take up carefully and place in a stone jar, tying cloth over it. Put in a cool place over night ; then drain off syrup into kettle and let boil ten minutes ; put in fruit and cook slowly for twenty minutes. Return to stone jar and again leave over night. Next day put on syrup as before and let boil a few minutes; then add fruit and boil slowly to prevent coming to pieces. Cook until clear, and tender enough to pierce with a straw. Put in glass jars and seal. If hard, half-ripe fruit known as "preserving pears" is used, the fruit must first be parboiled awhile in clear water before placing in boiling syrup. Light, clear, tender preserves result from this process. — Mrs. J. L. Nelson. Pear Preserves. — Peel and quarter, weigh, add a little water, cover close and steam till tender; allow three-quarters pound sugar to one pound fruit; cook till syrup thickens, but not too long. — Mrs. R. D. Rodgers. Fig Preserves. — Drop them in a weak salaratus-water, and let remain for fifteen minutes ; wip them dry, and to a pound of figs allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar. When the sirup has well boiled, put in the figs, and boil them until they look clear; take out the fruit, and sun it for two hours; then return to the sirup, and boil a little while before taking off. The}^ may be flavored with either ginger, mace, cinnamon, or lemon. If lemons are used, do not put them in the boiling sirup, as that will make them hard. Slice them, take out the seeds, and put in a vessel with a very little water, and boil until tender ; then pour the lemon and the water in which it was boiled into the sirup. Fig Marmalade. — Use ripe figs ; let stand in soda water for a few minutes; wipe dry with a coarse cloth; then put on to boil with just enough water to cover them ; boil until soft, mashing often. When soft allow three-quarters pound of sugar to one of figs. Cook slowly; stir frequently to prevent burning. Flavor with lemon.