may effect what is infinitely more important, and satisfy at the same time all reasonable requirements as to the mere appearance of their preparations. A higher object than fashioning loaves into certain pleasing shapes may possibly be achieved by a little well-directed, sustained, and earnest effort. The common, but most precious food of the people may be rendered cheaper and more abundant, by being systematically guarded from waste of every kind; and by replacing the ignorance from which much of it arises, and which is ever the worst enemy to the well-being of a population, with such plain practical knowledge as may enable those to help themselves who are now

The waste of bread in England impresses thoughtful observers, and foreigners especially, with the most painful astonishment. It is not solely the fragments of it swept daily from the tables of the wealthy, and thrown away by pampered or careless servants; or those which ill-trained children are allowed to leave at all their meals; or the loss from want of skill in making it, which constitute this waste. It is said that in some of our large manufacturing towns, when work is plentiful and wages are high, some of the streets where the working men reside are literally strewed with its remains. I can but hope that this is an exaggerated statement, and that it will cease henceforth to be even partially true. If all classes of society would steadily and resolutely combine to suppress the waste of bread in any form, the number of k deaths" from absolute "starvation," or the more lingering ones caused by insufficient daily food in this country, would soon be sensibly diminished!

grievously helpless; and such of them to protect their own interests as are at present powerless to do so.

If the instructions which I have attempted to convey here should assist in promoting this desirable object, I shall rejoice sincerely; for it appears to me worthy of the deepest attention, and of the best exertions, which can be bestowed upon it.

rance

At the commencement of this work both the extent and the effects of the "prevailing ignoe" of bread-making amongst us are dwelt upon at some length; and, to avoid the necessity of repeating here what has already been said about them, the reader is referred to the first ten or twelve pages of Part I. It must, however, be observed, that though far too general, particularly in our cities and large towns, this ignorance is not universal amongst us. Devonshire is celebrated for the excellence of its household bread (that of the bakers there also is said to be very good); in Suffolk almost every cottager's wife knows how to make it well. This is the case also in some of our northern counties, and in those where large dairy-farms are numerous; but in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Middlesex, and many other parts of the kingdom, not one woman in twenty, on the average, is capable of making a loaf! When the educated mistresses of families shall be

better able to direct them, the women-servants at least will cease to be as inefficient in this matter as they now are.

THE COMPARATIVE WEIGHT OF FLOUR AND BREAD.

A pint of flour weighs fourteen ounces, or two ounces less than a pound.

A quart (or half-quartern) weighs one pound and three-quarters, and will make a loaf of two pounds and three ounces.

A quartern (or half-gallon) weighs three pounds and a half, and will make a loaf of four pounds and six ounces weight.

A gallon (or half-stone) of flour contains seven pounds. This will produce eight pounds and threequarters of bread.

A stone (or peck) weighs fourteen pounds, and the product in bread will be seventeen pounds and a half.

Two pecks (or half a bushel) will weigh twentyeight pounds, and make thirty-five pounds of bread.

A bushel (or four pecks) contains fifty-six pounds of flour, which ought to produce seventy pounds of bread.

A sack (or five bushels) should weigh two hundred and eighty pounds, and the product in bread should be three hundred and fifty pounds.

DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS OF WHICH BREAD MAY BE MADE, EITHER ENTIRELY OR IN PART.

VARIOUS KINDS OF FLOUR, AND OTHER PREPARATIONS OF WHEAT.

Whites. This is the name by which flour of the finest quality-made "from the very heart of the best wheat"-is known in the markets, and which is sold at the highest price.

Best Households. — Used generally for breadmaking. This is, or ought to be, excellent flour, and stands next in price to the "whites," of which the use is confined principally to pastry, cakes, delicate home-made breakfast rolls, and similar preparations.

Seconds. Perfectly good, but not very white bread is produced from this flour, which is that usually chosen by the economist.

Wheat-meal. Commonly, this is the entire grain of the wheat, rather coarsely ground, and

freed from the bran. It is sold usually at the same price as the household flour, which appears altogether unreasonable, as it must cost the miller who prepares it much less. Yet even at this price it is economical to the consumer, as it contains, according to the statement of the best authorities, far more nourishment than wheat-flour only.

Whole-meal.-Whole-meal is the wheat ground into a proper state for bread-making without any part of it being taken away. Neither the bran nor any other portion of it is withdrawn; and this is stated by Baron Liebig, and other extremely clever men who thoroughly understand the subject, to make the most wholesome and strengthening bread that can be compounded.

Sharps, or Best Grip.—This comes next to that inner portion of the grain which contains the flour, and is good, cheap, nourishing, and excellently adapted to making bread, if mixed with flour for the purpose. It costs only from a shilling to eighteenpence the peck when flour is at its highest price.

Pollard and Bran. — Until lately both of these, which are now known to contain a considerable amount of nutriment, were rejected in making bread, and given as food to the inferior animals. At present, as will be seen by the preparation called whole-meal, they are ground up with the finer parts of the corn. When separated from