wl, and when cold pour the syrup
over. Let them lie three days, then make a syrup of three pounds of
sugar to five pounds of fruit, with no more water than hangs to large
lumps of the sugar dipped quickly, and instantly brought out. Boil the
plums in this fresh syrup, after draining the first from them. Do them
very gently till they are clear, and the syrup adheres to them. Put them
one by one into small pots, and pour the liquor over. Reserve a little
syrup in the pan for those intended to be dried, warm up the fruit in
it, drain them out, and put them on plates to dry in a cool oven. These
plums are apt to ferment, if not boiled in two syrups; the former will
sweeten pies, but will have too much acid to keep. A part may be
reserved, with the addition of a little sugar, to do those that are dry,
for they will not require to be so sweet as if kept wet, and will eat
very nicely if boiled like the rest. One parcel may be done after
another, and save much sugar, but care must be taken not to break the
fruit.

MAHOGANY. To give a fine colour to mahogany, let the furniture be washed
perfectly clean with vinegar, having first taken out any ink stains
there may be, with spirits of salt, taking the greatest care to touch
the stained part very slightly, and then the spirits must be instantly
washed off. Use the following liquid. Put into a pint of cold-drawn
linseed oil, four pennyworth of alkanet root, and two pennyworth of rose
pink. Let it remain all night in an earthen vessel, then stirring it
well, rub some of it all over the mahogany with a linen rag; and when it
has lain some time, rub it bright with linen cloths. Dining tables
should be covered with mat, oil cloth, or baize, to prevent staining;
and should be instantly rubbed when the dishes are removed, while the
board is still warm.

MAIDS. This kind of fish, as well as skate, requires to be hung up a day
before it is dressed, to prevent its eating tough. Maids may either be
broiled or fried; or if a tolerable size, the middle part may be boiled,
and the fins fried. They should be dipped in egg, and covered with
crumbs.

MALT. This article varies very much in value, according to the quality
of the barley, and the mode of manufacture. When good it is full of
flour, and in biting a grain asunder it will easily separate; the shell
will appear thin, and well filled up with flour. If it bite hard and
steely, the malt is bad. The difference of pale and brown malt ar