THE MAKING OF POT-POURRI 165 



done by a fixed recipe is that the materials have 

 first to be got to a certain state — liinp and leathery — 

 neither too wet nor too dry ; and this state can only 

 be secured by trying, and feeling one's way, and getting 

 to know. When the ingredients are dried to the 

 right degree, they are packed tightly into jars with a 

 certain mixture of salt, which seems to combine with 

 the remaining moisture, and serves both to retain 

 the mass at the right degree of dampness, and also 

 to preserve it from any kind of decay or mouldiness. 

 In my own case, as a considerable quantity is made, 

 I find it best to prepare a jar of each ingredient by 

 itself, and then to mix all together ; but when the 

 whole making is small, there is no reason why it 

 should not all go into one receptacle until the time 

 comes for adding the spices. In the whole arrange- 

 ment the matter that wants most care is the proper 

 preparation of the Rose petals. And the Roses must 

 be in good order. They may be full blown, but 

 must not be faded or in any way mjured, and above 

 all they must be quite dry. A Rose is a great hand 

 at holding water. If it has been rained into when 

 first opened, it will still hold the wet in its inner 

 depths two days afterwards. Dew does not seem to 

 go so far in, and is generally dried by noon ; but in 

 any case it is safest to gather the Roses on a warm 

 sunny afternoon. 



So every two or three days, when Roses are in 

 plenty, we bring them in, perhaps a bushel-basket 



