ed a great deal of sweetening. It is well to
stew the sweetening with them; at least a part of it. It is easy to
add, if you find them too sour for your taste. When cranberries are
strained, and added to about their own weight in sugar, they make very
delicious tarts. No upper crust.

RHUBARB STALKS, OR PERSIAN APPLE.

Rhubarb stalks, or the Persian apple, is the earliest in gradient for
pies, which the spring offers. The skin should be carefully stripped,
and the stalks cut into small bits, and stewed very tender. These are
dear pies, for they take an enormous quantity of sugar. Seasoned like
apple pies Gooseberries, currants, &c., are stewed, sweetened and
seasoned like apple pies, in proportions suited to the sweetness of
the fruit; there is no way to judge but by your own taste. Always
remember it is more easy to add seasoning than to diminish it.

PIE CRUST.

To make pie crust for common use, a quarter of a pound of butter is
enough for a half a pound of flour. Take out about a quarter part of
the flour you intend to use, and lay it aside. Into the remainder of
the flour rub butter thoroughly with your hands, until it is so short
that a handful of it, clasped tight, will remain in a ball, without
any tendency to fall in pieces. Then wet it with cold water, roll it
out on a board, rub over the surface with flour, stick little lumps
of butter all over it, sprinkle some flour over the butter, and roll
the dough all up; flour the paste, and flour the rolling-pin; roll it
lightly and quickly; flour it again; stick in bits of butter; do it
up; flour the rolling-pin, and roll it quickly and lightly; and so
on, till you have used up your butter. Always roll from you. Pie crust
should be made as cold as possible, and set in a cool place; but be
careful it does not freeze. Do not use more flour than you can help in
sprinkling and rolling. The paste should not be rolled out more than
three times; if rolled too much, it will not be flaky.

COMMON CAKES.

In all cakes where butter or eggs are used, the butter should be very
faithfully rubbed into the flour, and the eggs beat to a foam, before
the ingredients are mixed.

GINGERBREAD.

A very good way to make molasses gingerbread is to rub four pounds and
a half of flour with half a pound of lard and half a pound of butter;
a pint of molasses, a gill of milk, tea-cup of ginger, a tea-spoonful
of dissolved pearlash stirred together. All mixed, baked in shallow
p