THE CRYSTALLISATION OF FRUITS AND FLOWERS. 163 



strongly recommended. In cases where a large quantity of syrup is 

 cooked, such as is needed for fruit preserving, the saccharometer or the 

 syrup gauge is indispensable, as so much depends upon maintaining uni- 

 formity of the thickness or thinness of the syrup, as the case may be. 



The syrup used for crystallising fruits must cook until the instrument 

 (" pese-sirop " or saccharometer) registers 40° Centig. or 97° Fahr. I have 

 here two of these instruments, one a "pese-sirop" which registers by 

 the Centigrade scale, and the other, a saccharometer, registering by the 

 Fahrenheit scale. The former is almost exclusively used in France. 



Having ascertained that the temperature of the syrup is correct, move 

 the pan from the fire to the side of the stove ; take a piece of paper and run 

 it over the surface of the syrup so as to remove any particle of impurity. 

 The syrup must be kept warm, but the pan must on no account be 



O l 



Saccharometer used in Sugar Boiling. 



touched or shaken, because if the syrup is in the least disturbed at this 

 stage it may become quite useless for the purpose for which it is 

 intended. 



The same remarks apply to the actual cooking process : if the pan be 

 shaken in the least degree the syrup will be rendered unfit for use, for it 

 will become "mossy." This word "mossy" is a technical term, and 

 implies that sugar so cooked will turn white and grainy and will fail to 

 produce crystals, whereby not only the sugar, if used, but also the fruit 

 would become spoilt. 



The apparatus now required consists of two or more square or oblong 

 tins, three inches high, with slightly slanting edges and a |-inch tube 

 attached, with a cork in one corner of each tin ; also two or more wire 

 trays of fine mesh, which will fit exactly into the syrup tins ; also four 

 corks for each tin, to raise the wire trays, are required for the process of 



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