Quarter the washed and pitted apricots and put them, with the lemon juice and water, into a large saucepan. Crack about 12 of the pits with a hammer, remove the kernels, and blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes before splitting them in half. Add the kernels to pan. Simmer until the fruit is pulpy, stir in the sugar, and boil rapidly until set. Pour into hot sterilized jars. Yield: 2 1/2 quarts