CHtNESE St>y^ 23i^ 



mafs becomes green, it is a fign that the wliole goes on pro- 

 perly ; but if it begins to be black, which mull be carefully 

 noticed, the lid muft be elevated ftill more, in order that the 

 mafs may have more air. If it once becomes black, the whole 

 is fpoiled. 



As foon as all the furface is covered with green mouldinefs, '^1^1^°^^^'''^ 

 which ufually happens in eight or ten days, the cover is taken 

 off, and the compound is expofed to the fun, and the ajr for 

 feveral days. Wiien it has become as hard as a flone, it is cut 

 into fmall fragments, which are thrown into an earthen vefTel, ^Ud mixed with 

 upon which the 250lbs. of water, having the 50lbs. of fait fait water ; 

 firft diflblved in it are poured. The whole is then well ftirred 

 together, and notice is taken of the height at which the water 

 ftands. If it be not convenient to put all the mixture into one 

 velTel, a number may be ufed, taking care that the materials 



be proportionally diftributed in each. The vefiel thus filled is ^nd in a veffel 

 1 1 • I r . • n- » 11 placed in the 



placed in the lun, and its contents (tirred up regularly every fu„and daily 



morning and evening, and a cover is put on at night to defend agitated 



it from the cold, as well as to prevent any rain from finding 



entrance either by day or night. The hotter the fun the fooner 



will the foy be completed. The procefs is feldom undertaken for two or three 



but in the fummer, notwithflanding which it lads two or three "^^"'^^s. 



months. 



As the mafs diminiflies by evaporation, well-water is added; When the fluid 

 and this digefiion is continued till the fait water has entirely fmooth^amT 

 dilTolved the flour and the haricots. The veflel is flill left for homogeneous 

 fome days in the fun, in order to compleat the folution ftill more 

 efFe6iually, as the good quality of the foy depends upon this 

 circumftance; and the daily ftirring or agitation is continued to 

 the very lafi. 



When at length the mafs has become very fucculent and it Is ftrained by 

 oily, the whole, as well the thick as the mort^ fluid portions, P'"''^"'^^ ^"'^ ^* 

 is poured into bags, through which the foy is pretTed, and is 

 then clear and ready for ufe. It is not afterwards boiled, as 

 Mr. Ekeberg pretends. It is to be kept in bottles well corked. 

 The Chinefe who deal in this article keep it in large pitchers 

 well clofed. Before it is lirained in the prefs the foy is of a 

 deep brown colour, but it afterwards becomes black. 



The Chinefe alfo prepare two kinds of foy from the dregs Inferier foy firom 

 which remain. The firft time they ad4 l.>0!bs. of water and ^^^^ *^*^* 



A^Qlbs. 



