From 1917: Wash, dry and prick the prunes and arrange in jars or in a crock. Make a syrup, using 4 to 8 cups brown sugar and ¼ cup mixed cloves, broken stick cinnamon and allspice to one quart vinegar. The amount of sugar depends upon how sweet a pickle you desire. If the flavor is liked, a small piece of ginger and a bit of bay leaf may be added to the spices. Pour the hot syrup over the fruit, let stand over night, then drain off and reheat the syrup. Do this four or five times in all. The syrup may be boiled down to any degree of richness at the last boiling. Seal at once. The older cookbooks suggest boiling the syrup six times if the fruit is to be kept in a crock; but judgment is necessary in order to keep the fruit firm.