ortions of Heat.

Philosophic confectioners may avail themselves of the thermometer; but
practice forms the best guide in this case, and therefore we shall
say, without speaking of degrees of Fahrenheit or Reaumur, that if the
necessary heat for flowers is one, that for rinds and roots must be
one and a quarter, that for fruits one and three quarters, or nearly
double of what one may be above the freezing point.

1628. Hints about making Preserves.

It is not generally known that boiling fruit a long time, and
_skimming it well, without sugar_, and _without a cover_ to the
preserving pan, is a very economical and excellent way--economical,
because the bulk of the scum rises from the _fruit_, and not from the
_sugar_; but the latter should be good. Boiling it without a _cover_
allows the evaporation of all the watery particles therefrom, and
renders the preserves firm and well flavoured. The proportions are,
three quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Jam made in
this way of currants, strawberries, raspberries, or gooseberries, is
excellent. The sugar should be added after the skimming is completed.

1629. To make a Syrup.

Dissolve one pound of sugar in about a gill of water, boil for a few
minutes, skimming it till quite clear. To every two pounds of sugar
add the white of one egg well beaten. Boil very quickly, and skim
carefully while boiling.

1630. Covering for Preserves.

White paper cut to a suitable size, dipped in brandy, and put over the
preserves when cold, and then a double paper tied over the top. All
preserves should stand a night before they are covered. Instead of
brandy, the white of eggs may be used to glaze the paper covering, and
the paper may be pasted round the edge of the pot instead of tied--it
will exclude the air better.

1631. To Bottle Fruits.

Let the fruit to be preserved be quite dry, and without blemish. Take
a bottle that is perfectly clean and dry within, and put in the fruit
in layers, sprinkling sugar between each layer, put in the bung, and
tie bladder over, setting the bottles, bung downwards, in a large
stewpan of cold water, with hay between to prevent breaking. When the
skin is just cracking, take them out. All preserves require exclusion
from the air. Place a piece of paper dipped in sweet oil over the top
of the fruit; prepare thin paper, immersed in gum-water, and while
wet, pr