RED SNOW. 97 



beans are boiled until all the water is nearly evaporated, and 

 they begin to burn, when they are taken from the fire and 

 placed in large wide-mouthed jars, exposed to the sun and 

 air; water and a certain proportion of molasses or very brown 

 sugar are added. These jars are stirred well everyday, until 

 the liquor and beans are completely mixed and fermented; the 

 material is then strained, salted, and boiled, and skimmed 

 until clarified, and will, after this process, become of a very 

 deep brown color, and keep any length of time. " Many per- 

 sons have thought that gravy was used in preparing this 

 condiment; but this appears not to be the case, the composi- 

 tion being entirely a vegetable one, of an agreeable flavor, 

 and said to be wholesome. There are two or three qualities 

 of soy. To make the best, requires much care and attention. 

 Japanese soy is much esteemed in China, on account of the 

 superior manner in which it is made; perhaps, they have a 

 different species of bean for the purpose. Shopkeepers at 

 Canton who sell soy have large platforms on the roofs of their 

 houses, where the jars for preparing soy are arranged and ex- 

 posed to the sun, for the cousumption of soy is enormous. 

 Neither rich nor poor can breakfast, dine or sup without it; 

 it is the sauce for all kinds of food, gives a zest to every dish 

 and may be said to be indispensable at a Chinese repast.* 



MRS. F. 



Thank you, Mrs. Clifford. I think that we must now re- 

 turn home. 



MRS. c. 



But before we leave our conversation upon the Algae, we 

 must mention the celebrated red snow of the northern travel- 

 lers, which is a production of a genus of this order Proto- 

 coccus nivalis. In Great Britain it is found in the form of a 

 thin stratum on the surface of rocks, or investing decayed 

 vegetable substances with a purple crust. It was brought by 

 Capt. Ross from the Arctic regions, where it was observed 

 covering the surface of the snow, in patches of many miles 



* Dobell. 



