ies to be sticky. The writer has
experienced this in several country places, where the only supply of
this indispensable ingredient was drawn from the artesian wells. To look
at it, it was all that could be desired--a beautiful, cold, clear and
wholesome beverage. Of its chemical constituents I do not pretend to
give an opinion, but the drops and other clear boils for which it was
used got damp directly after they were exposed, and would have run to a
syrup had they not been covered up. The goods keep all right in bottles,
but it is very annoying, not to speak of the injury and loss to a
business, when this is the position with regard to the water supply. The
only remedy we could suggest, and which was very successful, was
powdered borax. We used this in the proportion of a teaspoonful to every
14 lbs. of sugar adding it just as the sugar began to boil. Borax has
been found useful with any water when making goods to be exposed in the
window or on the counters, such as taffies, rocks and clear boiled
sugars generally. Where the supply of water, as in most large towns is
suitable, given good sugar, cream of tartar or glucose, in proper
proportions, and careful boiling up to the standard, the addition of
borax is unnecessary and should only be resorted to under special
circumstances.

PLAIN TAFFY.

14 lbs. White Sugar.
2 quarts Water.
1/2 ounce Cream Tartar.

PROCESS.--This is an easy and capital recipe to begin with. The process
is practically the same as for all other clear goods, but the
ingredients being fewer there is little chance of their getting
complicated. With a thermometer it is hardly possible to make a mistake,
besides it will make the instruction more intelligible: should he not
possess this appliance, we must ask that the instructions "How to boil
sugar" should be committed to memory, as it would be tedious and a great
waste of time and space to keep explaining how to tell the different
degrees through which the sugar passes before it comes to the point
required for the different goods given in this book. For this and other
reasons I will assume the learner to be working with one.

Put the sugar and water in a clean pan, place it on the fire and stir it
occasionally till melted; when it comes to the boil add the cream of
tartar and put a lid on the pan; allow it to boil in this way for ten
minutes, remove the lid and immerse the bottom part of the thermometer
in the boiling liquid and allow it