Allow a cup of sugar to a quart of fruit, but no spices.

Stone cherries.

Prick the upper crust half a dozen times with a fork to let out the steam.
For rhubarb or pie-plant pies, peel the stalks; cut them in little bits, and fill the pie.

Bake with an upper crust.
CUSTARD PIE.
Line and rim deep plates with pastry, a thin custard pie being very poor.
Beat together a teacupful of sugar, four eggs, and a pinch of salt, and mix slowly with one quart of milk.

Fill the plate up to the pastry rim _after it is in the oven_, and bake till the custard is firm, trying, as for squash pies, with a knife-blade.
MINCE-MEAT FOR PIES.
Two pounds of cold roast or boiled beef, or a small beef-tongue, boiled the day beforehand, cooled and chopped; one pound of beef-suet, freed from all strings, and chopped fine as powder; two pounds of raisins stoned and chopped; one pound of currants washed and dried; six pounds of chopped apples; half a pound of citron cut in slips; two pounds of brown sugar; one pint of molasses; one quart of boiled cider; one pint of wine or brandy, or a pint of any nice sirup from sweet pickles may be substituted; two heaping tablespoonfuls of salt; one teaspoonful of pepper; three tablespoonfuls of ground cinnamon; two of allspice; one of clove; one of mace; three grated nutmegs; grated rind and juice of three lemons; a cupful of chopped, candied orange or lemon peel.
Mix spices and salt with sugar, and stir into the meat and suet.