it may also be very much
enriched by adding more flead to the same proportion of flour.

_Average cost_, 8d. per lb.

NUTRITIOUS QUALITIES OF FLOUR.--The gluten of grain and the
albumen of vegetable juices are identical in composition with
the albumen of blood. Vegetable caseine has also the composition
of animal caseine. The finest wheat flour contains more starch
than the coarser; the bran of wheat is proportionably richer in
gluten. Rye and rye-bread contain a substance resembling
starch-gum (or dextrine, as it is called) in its properties,
which is very easily converted into sugar. The starch of barley
approaches in many properties to cellulose, and is, therefore,
less digestible. Oats are particularly rich in plastic
substances; Scotch oats are richer than those grown in England
or in Germany. This kind of grain contains in its ashes, after
deduction of the silica of the husks, very nearly the same
ingredients as are found in the ashes of the juice of flesh.
Fine American flour is one of the varieties which is richest in
gluten, and is consequently one of the most nutritious.

ALMOND CHEESECAKES.

1219. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of sweet almonds, 4 bitter ones, 3 eggs, 2
oz. of butter, the rind of 1/4 lemon, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 3
oz. of sugar.

_Mode_.--Blanch and pound the almonds smoothly in a mortar, with a
little rose- or spring-water; stir in the eggs, which should be well
beaten, and the butter, which should be warmed; add the grated
lemon-peel and -juice, sweeten, and stir well until the whole is
thoroughly mixed. Line some pattypans with puff-paste, put in the
mixture, and bake for 20 minutes, or rather less in a quick oven.

_Time_.--20 minutes, or rather less.

_Average cost_, 10d.

_Sufficient_ for about 12 cheesecakes.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

[Illustration: ALMOND AND BLOSSOM.]

ALMONDS.--Almonds are the fruit of the _Amygdalus commenis_, and
are cultivated throughout the whole of the south of Europe,
Syria, Persia, and Northern Africa; but England is mostly
supplied with those which are grown in Spain and the south of
France. They are distinguished into Sweet and Bitter, the
produce of different varieties. Of the sweet, there are two
varieties, distinguished in commerce by the names of Jordan and
Valentia almonds. The former are imported from Malaga, and are
longer, narrower,