ed for the sponge. The sponge is made very slack, 26
to 32 quarts of water being used to say 100 lb. of flour. Yeast, either
distillers' or brewers', must be added, in proportions varying according
to its character and strength. Of distillers' yeast 6 to 10 oz. may be
used for 280 lb. of flour (including sponge and dough). Salt is added to
the sponge sparingly, at the rate of about 1/2 lb. to the sack of 280 lb.
The object of making the sponge so slack is to quicken the fermentation.
When set the sponge is allowed to ferment from six to ten hours,
according to temperature and other conditions. Sometimes all the water
it is intended to use is put into the sponge, which is then known as a
"batter" sponge. The sponge, when ready, is incorporated with the rest
of the flour to which the necessary amount of water and salt is added.
The whole mass is then doughed up into the requisite consistency, the
dough being allowed to lie for about two hours. Bread made by this
method, always assuming that over-fermentation has been avoided, is of
good appearance, presenting a bold loaf, with even texture and a nice
sheen. Owing to the use of soft flours, the flavour should be agreeable,
and the loaves ought to keep much longer than bread made by ferment and
dough. The yield may rise as high as 96 loaves per sack, if strong flour
has been used in the sponge.

A combination of the above two methods, known as the _ferment, sponge
and dough_ system, is often used with brewers' yeast. In this case the
yeast is not added to the sponge direct, but goes into the ferment. This
method is rather in favour with bakers who make their own yeast.

The system of bread-making generally used in Scotland is known as the
_flour barm, sponge and dough_. The barm is a combination of a malt and
hop yeast, with a slow, scalded flour ferment. To make the so-called
"virgin" barm a Scottish baker would use a 30-gallon tub; a smaller
vessel for malt-mashing; 10 lb. malt; 3 oz. hops and a jar for infusing
them; 40 lb flour; 2 to 3 oz. malt; 8 to 12 oz. sugar, and 18 gallons of
boiling water. With these materials a powerful ferment is produced,
which it is considered best to use in the sponge the fourth or fifth day
after brewing. The sponges used in Scotland are "half" or "quarter."
About 6 lb. of malt go to the sack, one-sixth going into the sponge. As
in England, strong flours are used for the sponge, but rather stronger
flours are used for the dough than is usua