good plan is to make a rule of straining the batch just after it boils, through a very fine copper wire or hair sieve, this prevents foreign matter such as grit, saw dust or even nails, which is often mixed with the sugar getting into the goods. Keep thermometer when not in use in jar of water standing on the furnace plate by the side of the pan, wash out the jar and fill with cold water every morning; keep the thermometer clean, especially the top part, as the sugar which adheres to it becomes grainy, and might spoil a whole boil. After making many dark candies thoroughly wash the thermometer before putting into a light boil.

In using colors for drops and clear goods, use them in the form of a paste where practicable, then you can mix them in when the boil is on the slab, thus saving your pan; keep the colors damp in jars, look over them every night, and, where necessary, add a little cold water to keep them moist, or the top may get dry and hard, which would make the goods specky. Use a separate piece of stick for each color to rub in with, and be careful not to use too much color; a very little goes a long way with clear boiled goods. Goods are more often spoiled by using too much than too little; more can always be added if the shades are too light, but there is no remedy if you have added too much. When coloring taffies, this must be done in the pan; liquid colors are best; trouble will be saved if used in the following order. Suppose Raspberry, Everton and Lemon taffies were wanted, make the Lemon taffy first, add saffron just before the boil is ready, then the lemon, and pour out; make the Everton taffy next in the same way, add the butter before the lemon; then make the Raspberry. In this arrangement there is no necessity of steaming out the pan. Had the Raspberry taffy been made first, the pan would have to be cleaned out before the Lemon or Everton taffy could have been made, because it would have been red.

Measure the flavors in a graduated glass; wash out the glass frequently, or it will get rancid; weigh the acid and see that it is well ground; if it has become dry and lumpy, rub it down to a powder with a rolling pin or heavy bottle on a sheet of paper before using. In using fruit essences a little powdered tartaric acid throws up the flavor, half the essences will have a better effect. Put the acid on the boil after it has been poured on the slab in a little heap, and pour the essence over it, then thoroughly incorporate the whole.

Use the best oil for the slab with a clean flannel cloth; keep the cloth in a saucer, if it lies about it falls on the floor and picks up dirt and carries it to the pouring plate. When it gets hard or gritty burn it at once and get a new one, or it may be used by mistake and make a mess. We have seen the beauty of a boil spoilt scores of times by using dirty rags and rancid oil. A sugar boiler cannot be too careful in these little details, the success of his work largely depends upon it. It is easy to inaugurate a good system, and much more comfortable to work to it than a slovenly "what shall I do next" sort of a method. Know where to find and put your hand on everything; when the boil is hot there is no time to look for what you require. "A place for everything and everything in its place" should be a practical feature in every boiling shop.

STICKY CANDIES.

Perhaps there is nothing more annoying to the trade than sticky boiled sugars. All clear goods when exposed to the atmosphere will turn damp, especially in wet weather. It is a question of degree, some slightly and some will run almost to syrup; it is impossible to obviate the former but the latter can be prevented. Great care should be used in adding the lowering, whether cream of tartar or glucose, too much of either will cause the goods to run immediately after they are turned out. Weak or inferior sugars, or not sufficient boiling, has also this effect. We know of no reliable agent which will altogether prevent this result but we do know that a careful arrangement of the different proportions, using good sugar and well boiling greatly mitigate, if not altogether prevent the grievance. Goods intended for exposure should contain just sufficient lowering to prevent the boil from growing grainy and boiled right up to the standard. Of course different sugars will carry more or less lowering, but this can be easily tested by the workman. A few experiments will determine the exact quantity for each boil. There is no excuse for drops sticking in bottles when corked, this should not occur, if it does, the fault is in the making; the water has a great deal to do with causing the candies 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.
½ 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 to remain in this position until it records 310 degrees, then quickly take out the thermometer, lift off the pan and pour contents into frames, tins, or on a pouring slab, which have been previously oiled. If on a pouring slab, mark the boil into bars or squares, while warm, with a knife or taffy cutter: when quite cold it is ready for sale.

LEMON TAFFY.

14 lbs. White Sugar.
½ ounce Cream Tartar.
Saffron Coloring.
2 quarts Water.
Lemon Flavoring.