making, instead of within _twenty-one_ days as under the old law; and
provision is made to prevent the evasion of the Act of 1878 by means
of renewed bills of sale in respect of the same debt--a practice much
resorted to up to the passing of that Act in order to avoid
registration.
[WISE PEOPLE ARE THE MOST MODEST.]
1616. Renewal of Registration.
Registration of unsatisfied bills of sale must he renewed every _five_
years.
1617. Voidance of Bill of Sale.
A bill of sale executed within seven days after the execution of a
prior unregistered bill of sale, if comprising all or part of the same
chattels, and if given as a security for the same debt or any part
thereof, will be absolutely void.
1618. Bills of Sale to be Executed in presence of Solicitor.
To prevent necessitous persons being inveigled by sharpers into
signing bills of sale for sums in excess of advances, or in blank, as
has been done in some cases, every bill of sale had to be executed in
the presence of a solicitor, but under the Bills of Sale Act, 1882,
this is no longer imperative, the condition only affecting bills drawn
under the Act of 1878.
1619. Preserving Fruit.
The grand secret of preserving is to deprive the fruit of its water of
vegetation in the shortest time possible; for which purpose the fruit
ought to be gathered just at the point of proper maturity. An
ingenious French writer considers fruit of all kinds as having four
distinct periods of maturity--the maturity of vegetation, of
honeyfication, of expectation, and of coction.
1620. The First Period.
The first period he considers to be that when, having gone through the
vegetable processes up to the ripening, it appears ready to drop
spontaneously. This, however, is a period which arrives sooner in the
warm climate of France than in the colder orchards of England; but its
absolute presence may be ascertained by the general filling out of the
rind, by the bloom, by the smell, and by the facility with which it
may be plucked from the branch. But even in France, as generally
practised in England, this period may be hastened, either by cutting
circularly through the outer rind at the foot of the branch, so as to
prevent the return of the sap, or by bending the branch to a
horizontal position on an espalier, which answers the same purpose.
1621. The Second Period.
The second period, or that of Honeyfication, consists in the ripeness
and flavour which fruits of all kinds acquire if plucked a few days
before arriving at their first maturity, and preserved under a proper
degree of temperature. Apples may acquire or arrive at this second
degree of maturity upon the tree, but it too often happens that the
flavour of the fruit is thus lost, for fruit over-ripe is always found
to have parted with a portion of its flavour.
1622. The Third Stage.
The third stage, or of Expectation, as the theorist quaintly terms it,
is that which is acquired by pulpy fruits, which, though sufficiently
ripe to drop off the tree, are even then hard and sour. This is the
case with several kinds both of apples and pears, not to mention other
fruits, which always improve after keeping in the confectionery,--but
with respect to the medlar and the quince, this maturity of
expectation is absolutely necessary.
1623. The Fourth Degree.
The fourth degree of maturity, or of Coction, is completely
artificial, and is nothing more nor less than the change produced upon
fruit by the aid of culinary heat.
1624. Maturity of Vegetation.
We have already pointed out the first object necessary in the
preservation of fruit, its maturity of vegetation, and we may apply
the same principle to flowers or leaves which may be gathered for use.
1625. Flowers.
The flowers ought to be gathered a day or two before the petals are
ready to drop off spontaneously on the setting of the fruit: and the
leaves must he plucked before the season has begun to rob them of
their vegetable juices. The degree of heat necessary for the purpose
of drying must next be considered, as it differs considerably with
respect to different substances.
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.
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, press it over and around the top of the jar; as it dries, it will
become quite firm and tight.
1632. Keeping Apples.
Apples for keeping should be laid out on a _dry_ floor for three
weeks. They may then be packed away in layers, with dry straw between
them. Each apple should be rubbed with a dry cloth as it is put away.
They should be kept in a cool place, but should be sufficiently
covered with straw to protect them from frost. They should be plucked
on a dry day.
1633. Dried Apples.
Dried apples are produced by taking fine apples of good quality, and
placing them in a very slow oven for several hours. Take them out
occasionally, rub and press them flat. Continue until they are done.
If they look dry, rub over them a little clarified sugar.
1634. Preserved Rhubarb.
Peel one pound of the finest rhubarb, and cut it into pieces of two
inches in length; add three quarters of a pound of white sugar, and
the rind and juice of one lemon--the rind to be cut into narrow
strips. Put all into a preserving kettle, and simmer gently until the
rhubarb is quite soft; take it out carefully with a silver spoon, and
put it into jars; then boil the syrup a sufficient time to make it
keep well,--say one hour,--and pour it over the fruit. When cold, put
a paper soaked in brandy over it, and tie the jars down with a bladder
to exclude the air. This preserve should be made in the spring.
[WALK SWIFTLY FROM TEMPTATION, OR IT MAY OVERTAKE YOU.]
1635. Dry Apricots.
Gather before ripe, scald in a jar put into boiling water, pare and
stone them; put into a syrup of half their weight of sugar, in the
proportion of half a pint of water to two pounds of sugar; scald, and
then boil until they are clear. Stand for two days in the syrup, then
put into a thin candy, and scald them in it. Keep two days longer in
the candy, heating them each day, and then lay them on glasses to dry.
1636. Preserved Peaches.
Wipe and pick the fruit, and have ready a quarter of the weight of
fine sugar in powder. Put the fruit into an ice-pot that shuts very
close; throw the sugar over it, and then cover the fruit with brandy.
Between the top and cover of the pot put a double piece of grey paper.
Set the pot in a saucepan of water till the brandy is as hot as you
can bear to put your finger into, but do not let it boil. Put the
fruit into a jar, and pour on the brandy. Cover in same manner as
preserves.
1637. Brandy Peaches.
Drop them into a weak boiling lye, until the skin can be wiped off.
Make a thin syrup to cover them, boil until they are soft to the
finger-nail; make a rich syrup, and add, after they come from the
fire, and while hot, the same quantity of brandy as syrup. The fruit
must be covered.
1638. Preserved Plums (1).
Cut your plums in half (they must not be quite ripe), and take out the
stones. Weigh the plums, and allow a pound of loaf sugar to a pound of
fruit. Crack the stones, take out the kernels, and break them in
pieces. Boil the plurns and kernels very slowly for about fifteen
minutes, in as little water as possible. Then spread them on a large
dish to cool, and strain the liquor. Next day add your syrup, and boil
for fifteen minutes. Put into jars, pour the juice over when warm, and
tie up with bladder when cold, with paper dipped in brandy over the
preserve.
1639. Preserved Plums (2).
Another Way.--Plums for common use are very good done in treacle. Put
your plums into an earthen vessel that holds a gallon, having first
slit each plum with a knife. To three quarts of plums put a pint of
treacle. Cover them over, and set them on hot coals in the chimney
corner. Let them stew for twelve hours or more, occasionally stirring,
and next day put them up in jars. Done in this manner, they will keep
till the next spring.
1640. To Preserve Lemons, Whole, for Dessert.
Take six fine, fresh, well-shaped lemons, cut a hole just round the
stalk, and with a marrow-spoon scoop out the pips, and press out the
juice, but leave the pulp in the lemons. Put them into a bowl with two
or three quarts of spring water, to steep out the bitterness. Leave
them three days, changing the water each day; or only two days if you
wish them to be very bitter. Strain the juice as soon as squeezed
out, boil it with one pound of loaf sugar (setting the jar into which
it was strained in a pan of boiling water fifteen or twenty minutes);
tie it up, _quite hot_, with bladder, and set by till wanted. Taste
the water the lemons are lying in at the end of the third day; if not
bitter, lift the lemons out into a china-lined pan, pour the water
through a strainer upon them, boil gently one or two hours; set by in
a pan. Boil again next day, until so tender that the head of a large
needle will easily pierce the rind. Put in one pound of loaf sugar,
make it just boil, and leave to cool. Next day boil the syrup, and
pour it on the lemons; add one pound of sugar, and hot water to supply
what was boiled away. Lift out the lemons, and boil the syrup and pour
on them again every day for a fortnight, then every three or four
days, adding gradually three pounds of sugar. When the lemons look
clear and bright, boil the syrup pretty hard, add the lemon juice
which had been set by, just boil, skim; put the lemons into jars, pour
the syrup upon them, and tie up the jars _instantly_ with bladder.
[VICE CHEATS ITS VOTARIES.]
1641. Preserved Ginger.
Scald the young roots till they become tender, peel them, and place in
cold water, frequently changing the water: then put into a thin syrup,
and, in a few days, put into jars, and pour a rich syrup over them.
1642. To Preserve Eggs (1).
It has been long known to housewives, that the great secret of
preserving eggs fresh is to place the small end downwards, and keep it
in that position--other requisites not being neglected, such as to
have the eggs perfectly fresh when deposited for keeping, not allowing
them to become wet, keeping them cool in warm weather, and avoiding
freezing in winter. Take an inch board of convenient size, say a foot
wide, and two and a half feet long, and bore it full of holes, each
about an inch and a half in diameter; a board of this size may have
five dozen holes bored in it, for as many eggs. Then nail strips of
thin board two inches wide round the edges to serve as a ledge. Boards
such as this may now be made to constitute the shelves of a cupboard
in a cool cellar. The only precaution necessary is to place the eggs
as fast as they are laid in these holes, with the small end downwards,
and they will keep for months perfectly fresh. The great advantage of
this plan is the perfect ease with which the fresh eggs are packed
away, and again obtained when wanted. A carpenter would make such a
board for a trifling charge.
1643. Preserving Eggs (2).
Another Method.--The several modes recommended for preserving eggs any
length of time are not always successful. The egg, to be preserved
well, should be kept at a temperature so low that the air and fluids
within its shell shall not be brought into a decomposing condition;
and, at the same time, the air outside of its shell should be
excluded, in order to prevent its action in any way upon the egg.
1644. Preserving Eggs, (3) Mixture for.
The following mixture for preserving eggs was patented several years
ago by Mr. Jayne, of Sheffield. He alleged that by means of it he
could keep eggs two years. A part of his composition is often made use
of--perhaps the whole of it would be better. Put into a tub or vessel
one bushel of quicklime, two pounds of salt, half a pound of cream of
tartar, and mix the same together, with as much water as will reduce
the composition, or mixture, to that consistence that it will cause an
egg put into it to swim with its top just above the liquid; then place
the eggs therein.
1645. Preserving Eggs (4).
Eggs may be preserved by applying with a brush a solution of gum
arabic to the shells, and afterwards packing them in dry charcoal dust.
1646. Improving Bad Butter.
Bad butter may be improved greatly by dissolving it in thoroughly hot
water; let it cool, then skim it off, and churn again, adding a little
good salt and sugar. A small portion can be tried and approved before
doing a larger quantity. The water should be merely hot enough to melt
the butter, or it will become oily.
1647. Rancid Butter.
This may be restored by melting it in a water bath, with some coarsely
powdered animal charcoal, which has been thoroughly sifted from dust,
and strained through flannel.
1648. Salt Butter.
Salt butter may be freshened by churning it with new milk, in the
proportion of a pound of butter to a quart of milk. Treat the butter
in all respects in churning as fresh. Cheap earthenware churns for
domestic use may be had at any hardware shop.
1649. To Preserve Milk.
Provide bottles, which must be perfectly clean, sweet, and dry; draw
the milk from the cow into the bottles, and as they are filled,
immediately cork them well up, and fasten the corks with pack-thread
or wire. Then spread a little straw at the bottom of a boiler, on
which place the bottles, with straw between them, until the boiler
contains a sufficient quantity. Fill it up with cold water; heat the
water, and as soon as it begins to boil, draw the fire, and let the
whole gradually cool. When quite cold, take out the bottles and pack
them in sawdust, in hampers, and stow them in the coolest part of the
house. Milk preserved in this manner, and allowed to remain even
eighteen months in bottles, will be as sweet as when first milked from
the cow.
1650. Keeping Meat.
Meat may be kept several days in the height of summer, sweet and good,
by lightly covering it with bran, and hanging it in some high or windy
room, or in a passage where there is a current of air.
1651. Hams, Tongues, &c., Glazing for.
Boil a shin of beef twelve hours in eight or ten quarts of water; draw
the gravy from a knuckle of veal in the same manner; put the same
herbs and spices as if for soup, and add the whole to the shin of
beef. It must be boiled till reduced to a quart. It will keep good for
a year; and when wanted for use, warm a little, and spread over the
ham, tongue, &c., with a feather.
1652. Curing of Hams and Bacon.
The most simple method is to use one ounce and a half of common soda
and the same quantity of saltpetre, to fourteen pounds of ham or
bacon, using the usual quantity of salt. The soda prevents that
hardness in the lean of the bacon which is so often found, and keeps
it quite mellow all through, besides being a preventive of rust.
1653. Preserving Mackerel.
Mackerel are at certain times exceedingly plentiful, especially to
those who live near the coast. They may be preserved so as to make an
excellent and well-flavoured dish, weeks or months after the season is
past, by the following means. Having chosen some fine fish, cleanse
them perfectly, and either boil them or lightly fry them in oil. The
fish should be divided, and the bones, heads, and skins removed; they
should then be well rubbed over with the following seasoning:--For
every dozen good-sized fish use three tablespoonfuls of salt (heaped),
one ounce and a half of common black pepper, six or eight cloves, and
a little mace, finely powdered, and as much nutmeg, grated, as the
operator chooses to afford,--not, however, exceeding one nutmeg. Let
the whole surface be well covered with the seasoning; then lay the
fish in layers packed into a stone jar (not a glazed one); cover the
whole with good vinegar, and if they be intended to be long kept, pour
salad oil or melted fat over the top. _Caution._--The glazing on
earthen jars is made from lead or arsenic, from which vinegar draws
forth poison.
1654. Preserving Potatoes.
The preservation of potatoes by dipping them in boiling water is a
valuable and useful discovery. Large quantities may be cured at once,
by putting them into a basket as large as the vessel containing the
boiling water will admit, and then just dipping them a minute or two,
at the utmost. The germ, which is so near the skin, is thus destroyed
without injury to the potato. In this way several tons might be cured
in a few hours. They should be then dried in a warm oven, and laid up
in sacks, secure from the frost, in a dry place.
1655. To Preserve Cucumbers.
Take large and fresh-gathered cucumbers; split them down and take out
all the seeds, lay them in salt and water, sufficiently strong to bear
an egg, for three days; set them on a fire with cold water, and a
small lump of alum, and boil them a few minutes, or till tender; drain
them, and pour on them a thin syrup:--let them lie two days; boil the
syrup again, and put it over the cucumbers; repeat this part of the
process a second and a third time; then have ready some fresh
clarified sugar, boiled to a _blow_ (which may be known by dipping the
skimmer into the sugar, and blowing strongly through the holes of it;
if little bladders appear, it has attained that degree); put in the
cucumbers, and simmer for five minutes;--set by till next day;--boil
the syrup and cucumbers again, and put them in glasses for use.
1656. Pickling.
There are three methods of pickling; the most simple is merely to put
the article into cold vinegar. The strongest pickling vinegar of white
wine should always be used for pickles; and for white pickles, use
distilled vinegar. This method may be recommended for all such
vegetables as, being hot themselves, do not require the addition of
spice, and such as do not require to be softened by heat, as capsicum,
chili, nasturtiums, button-onions, radish-pods, horseradish, garlic,
and shalots. Half fill the jars with best vinegar, fill them up with
the vegetables, and tie down immediately with bladder and leather.
One advantage of this plan is that those who grow nasturtiums,
radish-pods, and so forth, in their own gardens, may gather them from
day to day, when they are exactly of the proper growth. They are very
much better if pickled quite fresh, and all of a size, which can
scarcely be obtained if they be pickled all at the same time. The
onions should be dropped in the vinegar as fast as peeled; this
secures their colour. The horseradish should be scraped a little
outside, and cut up in rounds half an inch deep.
1657. The Second Method of Pickling.
The second method of pickling is that of heating vinegar and spice,
and pouring them hot over the vegetables to be pickled, which are
previously prepared by sprinkling with salt, or immersing in brine. Do
not boil the vinegar, for if so its strength will evaporate. Put the
vinegar and spice into a jar, bung it down tightly, tie a bladder
over, and let it stand on the hob or on a trivet by the side of the
fire for three or four days; shake it well three or four times a day.
This method may be applied to gherkins, French beans, cabbage,
brocoli, cauliflowers, onions, and so forth.
1658. The Third Method of Pickling.
The third method of pickling is when the vegetables are in a greater
or less degree done over the fire. Walnuts, artichokes, artichoke
bottoms and beetroots are done thus, and sometimes onions and
cauliflowers.
1659. French Beans.
The best sort for this purpose are white runners. They are very large,
long beans, but should be gathered quite young, before they are
half-grown; they may be done in the same way as described in par. 1656.
1660. Onions.
Onions should be chosen about the size of marbles; the silver-skinned
sort are the best. Prepare a brine, and put them into it hot; let them
remain one or two days, then drain them, and when quite dry, put them
into clean, dry jars, and cover them with hot pickle, in every quart
of which has been steeped one ounce each of horseradish sliced, black
pepper, allspice, and salt, with or without mustard seed. In all
pickles the vinegar should always be two inches or more above the
vegetables, as it is sure to shrink, and if the vegetables are not
thoroughly immersed in pickle they will not keep.
1661. Red Cabbage.
Choose fine firm cabbages--the largest are not the best; trim off the
outside leaves; quarter the cabbage, take out the large stalk, slice
the quarters into a cullender, and sprinkle a little salt between the
layers; put but a little salt--too much will spoil the colour; let it
remain in the cullender till next day, shake it well, that all the
brine may run off; put it in jars, cover it with a hot pickle composed
of black pepper and allspice, of each an ounce, ginger pounded,
horseradish sliced, and salt, of each half an ounce, to every quart of
vinegar (steeped as above directed); two capsicums may be added to a
quart, or one drachm of cayenne.
1662. Garlic and Shalots.
Garlic and shalots may be pickled in the same way as onions.
1663. Melons, Mangoes and Long Cucumbers.