1 c. salt
2 qt. water
20 cucumbers, 4 - 6 inches thick
2 tsp. powdered alum
1 1/2 tbsp. mixed pickling spice
5 c. sugar
5 c. vinegar

Put cucumber strips in stone jar or stainless steel container. Add salt to water and bring to boiling. Pour over cucumbers. Cover with dinner plate or glass pie plate. Fill a Ball jar with water and use to hold plate under brine. Cover and let stand 1 week in a cool place. Drain, discarding brine; rinse cucumbers thoroughly. Cover with boiling water; let stand 24 hours. Drain; add alum to cucumbers, cover with boiling water. Cover, let stand 24 hours; drain.

Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag. Add to sugar and vinegar; bring to boiling. Pour over cucumbers; cover and let stand 24 hours. Drain syrup; bring syrup to boiling and pour over cucumbers. Repeat this step each day for 4 days. Pack pickles into hot Ball jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove spice bag. Heat syrup to boiling. Pour boiling hot, over pickles leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust cap. Process pints and quarts 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Yields about 6 pints.