Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   7      pounds        thick watermelon rind
     1/4  cup           pickling salt
   1      quart         cold water
   1      teaspoon      alum -- (opt)
   7      cups          sugar
   2      cups          white vinegar
     1/2  teaspoon      oil of cinnamon*
     1/2  teaspoon      oil of cloves*

Preparation:

*Note: You can substitute two sticks of cinnamon and about 12 cloves in a spice bag for the oils. Trim pink flesh and outer green from melon rind so you have white pulp. Cut pulp to 1-inch cubes overnight. Dissolve salt in cold water and soak melon-rind cubes overnight. Make more brine as needed to keep rind covered. Combine sugar, vinegar, oil of cinnamon, oil of cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour over rind. Cover and let stand overnight. In morning, sterilize canning jars and lids according to manufacturer's directions. Drain off syrup into a saucepan. Pack the rind into sterilized canning jars. Bring syrup to a boil and pour over rind in jars; leaving 1/2" head space. Seal with sterilized lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Source: Blue Ribbon Pickles and Preserves by Maria Polushkin Robbins (St Martin's Press) Miami Herald, 9/28