Gather the damsons on a dry day, weigh them, and bruise them. Put
them into a stein that has a cock in it, and to every 8 pounds of
fruit add a gallon of water. Boil the water, skim it, and put it
scalding hot to the fruit. Let it stand two days, then draw it off
and put it into a vessel, and to every gallon of liquor put 2½ lbs.
of fine sugar. Fill up the vessel, and stop it close, and the longer
it stands the better. Keep it for twelve months in the vessel, and
then bottle, putting a lump of sugar into every bottle. The small
damson is the best for this purpose.