Lime Cucumber Pickles

Ingredients:
- 7 lb. cucumbers, sliced
- 1 c. pickling lime
- 2 gal. water
- 8 c. distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
- 8 c. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. salt (optional)
- 2 tsp. mixed pickling spices

Directions:
- Soak clean cucumbers in lime and water mixture for 12 hours or overnight (in crockery or enamel ware).
- Remove cucumbers from lime water and wash 3 times in fresh cold water.
- Soak cucumbers 3 hours in ice water. Combine sugar, vinegar, salt and mixed pickling spices. Bring to low boil.
- Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Remove syrup from fire and add sliced cucumbers. Soak 5 or 6 hours or overnight.
- Boil slices in syrup 35 minutes.
- Fill sterilized jars with hot slices. Cover with hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
- Cap jars.
- Process pints 10 minutes, quarts 15 minutes in boiling water.