Of Food. 421 



and the pease-soup separate, and not to mix them till 

 the moment when they were poured into the tubs upon 

 the cut bread, in order to be carried into the dining- 

 hall ; but I do not know that any advantages were 

 derived from that practice, the soup being, to all 

 appearance, quite as good since the barley and the 

 peas have been cooked together as before. 



As soon as the soup is done, and the boilers are 

 emptied, they are immediately refilled with water, and 

 the barley for the soup for the next day is put into it, 

 and left to steep over night; and at six o'clock the 

 next morning the fires are lighted under the boilers.* 



The peas, however, are never suffered to remain in 

 the water over night, as we have found, by repeated 

 trials, that they never boil soft if the water in which 

 they are boiled is not boiling hot when they are put 

 into it. Whether this is peculiar to the peas which 

 grow in Bavaria, I know not. 



When I began to feed the poor of Munich, there 

 was also a quantity of meat boiled in their soup ; but as 

 the quantity was small, and the quality of it but very 

 indifferent, I never thought it contributed much to 

 rendering the victuals more nourishing. But, as soon 

 as means were found for rendering the soup palatable 

 without meat, the quantity of it used was gradually 



* By some experiments lately made it has been found that the soup will be 

 much improved if a small fire is made under the boiler, just sufficient to make 

 its contents boil up once when the barley and water are put into it, and then 

 closing up immediately the ash-hole register and the damper in the chimney, 

 and throwing a thick blanket or a warm coverlid over the cover of the boiler, 

 the whole be kept hot till the next morning. This heat so long continued acts 

 very powerfully on the barley, and causes it to thicken the water in a very 

 surprising manner. Perhaps the oatmeal used for making water-gruel might 

 be improved in its effects by the same means. The experiment is certainly 

 worth trying. 



