discovery. Large quantities may be cured at once,
by putting them into a basket as large as the vessel containing the
boiling water will admit, and then just dipping them a minute or two,
at the utmost. The germ, which is so near the skin, is thus destroyed
without injury to the potato. In this way several tons might be cured
in a few hours. They should be then dried in a warm oven, and laid up
in sacks, secure from the frost, in a dry place.

1655. To Preserve Cucumbers.

Take large and fresh-gathered cucumbers; split them down and take out
all the seeds, lay them in salt and water, sufficiently strong to bear
an egg, for three days; set them on a fire with cold water, and a
small lump of alum, and boil them a few minutes, or till tender; drain
them, and pour on them a thin syrup:--let them lie two days; boil the
syrup again, and put it over the cucumbers; repeat this part of the
process a second and a third time; then have ready some fresh
clarified sugar, boiled to a _blow_ (which may be known by dipping the
skimmer into the sugar, and blowing strongly through the holes of it;
if little bladders appear, it has attained that degree); put in the
cucumbers, and simmer for five minutes;--set by till next day;--boil
the syrup and cucumbers again, and put them in glasses for use.

1656. Pickling.

There are three methods of pickling; the most simple is merely to put
the article into cold vinegar. The strongest pickling vinegar of white
wine should always be used for pickles; and for white pickles, use
distilled vinegar. This method may be recommended for all such
vegetables as, being hot themselves, do not require the addition of
spice, and such as do not require to be softened by heat, as capsicum,
chili, nasturtiums, button-onions, radish-pods, horseradish, garlic,
and shalots. Half fill the jars with best vinegar, fill them up with
the vegetables, and tie down immediately with bladder and leather.
One advantage of this plan is that those who grow nasturtiums,
radish-pods, and so forth, in their own gardens, may gather them from
day to day, when they are exactly of the proper growth. They are very
much better if pickled quite fresh, and all of a size, which can
scarcely be obtained if they be pickled all at the same time. The
onions should be dropped in the vinegar as fast as peeled; this
secures their colour. The horseradish should be scraped a l