Pickled Onions

From 1912:

Select onions of medium and uniform size. If large and small are pickled together the result will be unsatisfactory. Put them in a stone jar and cover with strong brine. Leave them in this for two days, pour it off and put in a new supply of brine as strong as the first. On the fifth day heat yet another lot of brine to a boil, drain the salt and water from the onions, throw them into cold water, and leave them here for four hours. Drain off this and put the onions into boiling brine. Cook just one minute after the boil begins anew. Now for a second soak in cold water and again for four hours. Pack the onions after they are taken out of the last water into a stone jar and pour over them scalding vinegar into which you have stirred a cupful of sugar to the gallon with a tablespoonful of whole blades of mace the same, each, of white peppercorns and whole cloves This quantity of spice to a gallon of vinegar. Cover closely while the vinegar is hot and do not open for a fortnight. Then pour off the spiced vinegar, boil up quickly and pour again over the onions in the jars. These pickles will be fit for use in a month, but improve with age. The alternate salting and freshening should leave the onions white and whole.