When Adelaide commenced her lessons in preserving mother said that she would find many general rules to remember, which, if carefully followed, saved time and expense, and brought successful results.

Adelaide had sampled mother's preserves for some few years now, even though she was not so very old, and she knew the difference between jams, jellies, preserves, marmalades, conserves, etc., as far as taste was concerned, but the process of making was the pleasure she was eagerly anticipating. She began to feel "quite grown up" when mother told her to write down the following:

The preserve closet, where the fruit is to be stored, should be dark, dry and cool.

The jars and tumblers used should be properly sterilized. Then mother explained that to sterilize, you washed your jars and tumblers perfectly clean, placed them in a large pan (a dishpan would do) of clean cold water over the fire, and let boil gently for ten minutes. The jars would be less likely to crack if a wire or wooden rack was at the bottom of the pan for the jars to rest on. Also, the jars must have no nicks around the top, the covers must fit perfectly, and they should be left in the boiled water until ready to use.

After filling the jar to overflowing, insert a silver knife between the sides and fruit, to let the air bubbles rise to the top before sealing. Always use new rubbers every year, and dip them in boiling water before putting them smoothly on the jar.

Never stand a jar where a cold draft can reach it; let it stand over night upside down, to be sure there is no possible chance of its leaking.

The fruit used should be of the best quality, firm and not too ripe, and preserved as soon as possible after picking, to have the finest flavor.

Hands, utensils, fruit, etc. should be spotlessly clean.

A silver knife, fork, and spoon (or a wooden spoon) were the best articles to use in preparing or stirring the fruit, thus preventing discoloration.

Each jar should be thoroughly wiped on the outside with a clean damp cloth and labeled before putting away.

Marmalades, jams, and jellies, were sufficiently protected if covered with a coating of melted paraffin.

If you wanted nice clear jelly it must never be squeezed, but allowed to drip through a jelly bag made of a double thickness of cheesecloth, or a jelly bag that you can buy attached to a wire frame.

You could tell when the "jelly point" had been reached if a little poured on to a cold saucer began to set, or if the juice dropped as one mass from the side of a spoon, or when two drops ran together and fell as one from the side of the spoon.

Mother thought these ten "rules and regulations" were sufficient, and, of course, Adelaide agreed.

"Mother, please do not tell Daddy that I am going to make his marmalade for him," said Adelaide, busily preparing to begin.

"No, dear, I won't," responded mother, then added, "we'll keep it as a surprise."

Orange Marmalade

Mother told Adelaide to wash the oranges and lemons thoroughly and to wipe them dry, then, using the little sharp knife, cut the fruit into quarters, lengthwise. This made it easy to remove the seeds and cut out the thick parts of each center or core. For this Adelaide used a small, smooth board (in fact, it was the cover of a five-pound butter box) upon which to cut the fruit, and she sliced each quarter, peel and all, very, very thinly across (not lengthwise this time), then put them into a bowl until all were ready.

Adelaide was surprised to find that it took quite a long while to get these few prepared, and was glad she had not attempted too many.

Next, she measured the fruit, using the glass measuring cup, and poured the fruit into mother's four quart aluminum saucepan. In a separate pan Adelaide measured as many cups of sugar as she had had of fruit. Then to each cup of fruit Adelaide added two cups of boiling water, covered the saucepan, and let it stand for twenty-four hours.

This completed her work for that day, except for the clearing away of the things with which she had finished.

The next morning Adelaide removed the cover from the saucepan containing the fruit and put the saucepan on the stove. While the fruit was coming to the boiling point, Adelaide brought a number of tumblers from the preserve closet. These she washed thoroughly and stood in a large pan in which had been placed a wire rack. Then, being covered with cold water, they were put on the stove to be sterilized, or, in other words, boiled. This was to kill all germs and to prevent the spoiling of the fruit when put away.

When the fruit began to boil, mother told Adelaide to look at the clock, and then let it boil for one hour (not too hard), or until the peel of the oranges and lemons was very tender. In the meantime, the sugar had been placed at the back of the range to heat through, and as soon as the fruit had boiled sufficiently, the sugar was added gradually. The marmalade was then allowed to boil until a little dropped on a cold saucer would begin to jell. After the sugar was added, Adelaide stirred the mixture every few minutes with a long-handled wooden spoon.

You could not always tell just how long it would take for the marmalade to jell, as oranges and lemons differ so, but mother said it was safer to allow an hour, and if it was cooked in less time you felt that so much time had been gained.

As soon as the marmalade was done, the saucepan was lifted to the back of the range. Adelaide then took a long-handled spoon and lifted the tumblers out of the boiling water on to a tray, and filled them at once with the marmalade. Mother happened to have a small glass cup, not a regular measuring cup but smaller, which proved the very thing with which to dip out the marmalade.

As Adelaide, her cheeks flushed and eyes shining, stood filling the tumblers with the golden marmalade, mother said, "Well, dear, was it worth the work (for it is a great deal of work, you see) and effort?"

"Oh mother, I'm so proud and happy now, that I've almost forgotten how hot and tired I felt while stirring the marmalade and waiting for it to jell," answered Adelaide.

Now that the marmalade was finished, it seemed easy work to clear the things away. Mother helped her stand the marmalade in the sun while it set, and then Adelaide ran away to play. Later, when it was cool, she took a clean cloth, dipped it in hot water, and wiped off the drops of jelly from the tops of the tumblers and outsides, then melted some paraffin and poured it over the top. By moving the tumblers gently from side to side the paraffin formed on the sides and excluded the air.

Last of all, she put on the little labels and carried all but one tumbler to the bench in the preserve closet, which mother had told her might be for her special use.

The next morning at breakfast Daddy was very much delighted to find a jar of marmalade before his plate, and he proceeded to help himself generously when the hot buttered toast was passed. He was so intent in his enjoyment of this that Adelaide and mother could smile at one another without being observed. When he had quite satisfied his appetite he announced:

"Well, mother, there is no question about it, you certainly do know how to make marmalade. I've never tasted better; I only hope