Cucumber Pickles
From MRS. PARTHENIA P. RUE, of California, Lady Manager.
For two gallons of pickles, place the cucumbers in salt and water for three days; then rinse in fresh water. One teacupful of whole white mustard; one handful of whole cloves; allspice and black pepper; a teacupful of broken cinnamon. Put all into a large thin bag and boil in one quart vinegar. Put two or three red pepper pods and a few sprigs of horseradish root among the cucumbers, in a keg or jar. Take sufficient vinegar to cover them and put into it one pound of brown sugar; let it scald and cool a little; then pour over the pickles; then the spices and vinegar, allowing the spices to remain on top. The spices and vinegar must be poured off and scalded for five mornings, and, when cool, poured over the pickles; the last day pour over a cup of molasses. Use good cider vinegar. If desired sweeter, sugar to vinegar when heating. Cucumbers used late in the season make better pickles than the earlier ones. Put cucumbers in salt water when freshly picked.