Enquire within upon everything

1626. Degrees of Heat Required. Flowers or aromatic plants require the smallest increase of heat beyond the temperature of the season, provided that season be genial: something more for rinds or roots, and a greater heat for fruits; but this heat must not be carried to excess. [FOOLS HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF VANITY.] 1627. Proportions 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 Réaumur, 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.