This section is from the book "Progressive Cookery", by E. M. Hinckley. Also available from Amazon: Progressive Cookery.
Scald cucumbers in vinegar and water, half of each. Then put them in cold water for half an hour ; lay them in a jar. put on red and black pepper, spices, ginger, horse-radish and mustard seeds ; then pour over boiling vinegar. In twenty-four hours your pickles will be ready for use.
Pare the peaches, put one whole clove into each peach ; pack them into a stone jar ; make a syrup of three pounds of sugar, one pint of good cider vinegar to every eight pounds of fruit, one tablespoon of whole allspice, and two tablespoons of cassia buds. Boil the syrup and spices about ten minutes, and pour over the fruit; put a plate on top of the fruit to hold it down. Let this stand twenty-four hours ; then pour off the syrup into the preserving kettle; when it boils put in the fruit and boil it until it begins to be soft then put the fruit in your glass jars, and fill up with the syrup.
Four quarts small onions. Put them in boiling water and remove the skins ; cover with salt and let stand twenty-four hours. Remove from the salts, pour over cold water and drain. Boil two quarts of vinegar with whole spices and a pound of sugar, pour over the onions and bottle when cold.
Take five pounds of grapes, boil and run through a colander; add two and one-half pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, one tablespoon each of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, pepper and one-half tablespoon of salt ; boil until the catsup is a little thick.
Seven pounds of plums, four pounds of sugar, one quart of vinegar, one tablespoon each of cinnamon, allspice, mustard, ginger, one-half tablespoon cloves, salt ; cook plums a little then put through a colander ; add other ingredients, and boil slowly three hours.
Twelve large, firm, ripe tomatoes, six green peppers, four onions, one-half cup brown sugar, two cups sharp vinegar, one tablespoon of cloves, two tablespoons each of cinnamon and allspice, one teaspoon of black pepper, one-half cup of salt. Cut and stew tomatoes, pepper and onions until soft, then strain and rub through a hair sieve ; add the other ingredients and the vinegar.
Cook slowly four or five hours ; remove from stove ; when cold if water rises on the top they have not been cooked long enough. Cook again and bottle. Add more vinegar and seasoning while cooking, if desired.
One fruit basket of green tomatoes, slice medium thickness, sprinkle with one teacup of salt, and drain for twenty-four hours on sieve or colander. Boil in two quarts of water to one of vinegar for twenty-five minutes ; drain again. Add six very large sliced onions, two pounds brown sugar, one-half pound white mustard seed, two even tablespoons each of allspice, cloves, ginger, mustard, cinnamon, one-half tablespoon of cayenne pepper, and three quarts of vinegar. Boil for twenty minutes.
Seven pounds of figs, one pint of vinegar, five pounds sugar, one tablespoonful whole cloves, one stick of cinnamon, a small piece of ginger root and two lemons sliced ; boil all together five or ten minutes ; prick the figs, and add in portions to boiling syrup; cook fifteen minutes ; strain the figs out, fill the jars. Continue thus till all the figs are cooked. Pour over the rest of the syrup.
Remove the skin from the rind of a small watermelon. Cut in inch cubes. Put into water and cook till tender ; remove and spread to cool. To five pounds of sugar add one pint of vinegar ; boil up once. Tie up in cheese cloth whole cloves, cinnamon, ginger root ; add to the syrup. Put in the watermelon rind, cook till transparent.
 
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