The new Annie Dennis cook book

Peel, core and cut the quinces as for preserving. Place in a kettle and let them boil until they can be pierced with a straw ; not too tender. Take them out on a dish to drain and cool. Strain a part of the water the quinces were boiled in and add to it half a pound of sugar for each pound of the quinces. Place this on the fire and let boil fifteen or twenty minutes. While it is boiling slice the quinces in very thin strips. Drop them in the syrup and let it boil slowly until quite thick. Have ready cloths stretched on boards, or large flat dishes. When the fruit is almost cold spread out on cloths or dishes, smooth over and place in the sun until dry. Then cut in six-inch strips, sprinkle with pulverized sugar, roll very tight, pack in jars and keep well covered ; when ready to use, cut in half-inch blocks with a sharp knife. Pears can be used in the same way. MAYPOPS Gather the Maypops when very green; take off a thin peeling, cut in halves, and take out the seed. Drop them in lime water, made in the proportion of one teacupful of lime to one gallon of water ; let them stand twelve hours. Boil them fifteen minutes in weak alum water, then boil in fresh water until they are clear. Take them out, drain well, and pack in granulated sugar, using three-quarters of a pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. Let them remain twelve hours; then boil twenty minutes; flavor strongly with ginger or extract of lemon. If ginger is used, boil the root with the preserves. When done, put in jars and seal. These may be dried and crystallized just as are apricots and quinces. Maypop Jelly Use the seed and pulp of ripe Maypops. Boil them fifteen minutes and strain; add one pint of sugar to one of juice, and boil twenty-five or thirty minutes, or until it jellies. WATERMELON Watermelon Preserves Take a small, long melon, slice it round in half inch slices, pare, place in a large earthen bowl and cover with brine, using one teacupful of salt to three quarts of water. Let it stand twelve hours, drain and cover with fresh water and let it remain until the salt is well out. Then soak in alum water until firm, using a teaspoonful of pulverized alum to one gallon of water. Take from the alum water and boil in fresh water until the rind is clear and the alum is well out of the melon. Drain and pack in white sugar, using one pound of sugar to each pound of melon. After the syrup is formed, return to the kettle, slice two lemons to each gallon, and boil until the melon is clear and the syrup thick ; cover well and keep in a cool place. The meat of the melon will be a darker red than the natural color, but quite pretty. Leave the seed in. To preserve the rind of melon, peel and take out the meat close ; cut in any shape or size desired. Place in lime water using a half pint of lime to each gallon of water to be used ; let the lime settle and drain off the water before putting in the rind. Let it stand twelve hours, then boil it in very weak alum water. Drain, cover with fresh water, and boil until the alum is all out and the rind is clear.