The new practical housekeeping

Dried Greenages. — Procure fruit before quite ripe and leave stems on. Weigh, and allow a pound sugar and one-fourth pint water to each pound fruit, boil to a rich syrup^ skim, put in the fruit and boil ten minutes, take from fire and drain the fruit ; next day • boil the syrup and put in the fruit, and continue the process five or six days : after draining the last time, place the greengages on a hair sieve ana set in oven or other warm spot to dry ; keep in a box, witn paper between each layer, in a dry place. Dried Peaches. — In pret)aring peaches for drying, if peeled at all do it by immersing for an instant in hot water' as directed in Canning Fruits. It is said that in peaches, as in potatoes, the best of the miit lies nearest the skin, and for this reason some never peel peaches for any purpose but rub them thoroughly with a woolen doth. Dried neacnes are better when halved and the cavities sprinkled with sugar while drying. The fruit must be good, however, as poor fruit can not be redeemed by any process. Another excellent way is to dry them in the oven, and, wnen about half done, place in a crock a layer of peaches alternately with a layer of sugar; tie papers over them and set away. Dried Peach Sauce, — Prepare as Dried Apple Sauce, but do not mash or season so highly. Cook in porcelain, without stirring, and sweeten to taste just before taking from fire. Very nice sweetened with maple sugar. Dried Pineapple, — Pare and slice the fruit thinly, place it on dishes, strew over plenty of granulated sugar, and keep in a hot closet or very slow oven eight or ten days, turning the iruit everr day until dry. Then put the slices on tins and set them in a quick oven for ten minutes. Let cool and put away in dry boxes with paper between each layer. Dried Plums. — Select perfect fruit, lust ripe but not soft, wipe and stone and put in a porcelain kettle with a quarter pound sugar for every pound fruit. Heat slowly to extract the juice and scald thoroughly, but without boiling. Skim the plums out with a coarse wire skimmer and spread carefully on platters ; more pluma may be scalded in same syrup, and when all are done boil the syrup until quite thick and pour over the plums placed to dry. Dry as quickly as possible. Some gather plums when full grown and just turning color and dry them whole. Prick the fruit, to prevent bursting, put into a saucepan cold water and set on fire until at boiling point ; then take out, drain, and boil gently in syrup, made in proportion of one-fourth pint water to every pound sugar. If the plums shrink apd will not take the sugar, prick them as tney lie in the pan, give them another boil and set them away. Next day add more sugar boiled almost to candy ; put all together in wide-mouthed jar and place in cool oven for two nights. Then drain the plums from, the syrup, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over and dry in a cool oven.