t gathered in wet or foggy weather will soon be mildewed, and
be of no service for preserves.

1496. Having secured the first and most important contribution to the
manufacture of preserves,--the fruit, the next consideration is the
preparation of the syrup in which the fruit is to be suspended; and this
requires much care. In the confectioner's art there is a great nicety in
proportioning the degree of concentration of the syrup very exactly to
each particular case; and they know this by signs, and express it by
certain technical terms. But to distinguish these properly requires very
great attention and considerable experience. The principal thing to be
acquainted with is the fact, that, in proportion as the syrup is longer
boiled, its water will become evaporated, and its consistency will be
thicker. Great care must be taken in the management of the fire, that
the syrup does not boil over, and that the boiling is not carried to
such an extent as to burn the sugar.

1497. The first degree of consistency is called _the thread_, which is
subdivided into the little and great thread. If you dip the finger into
the syrup and apply it to the thumb, the tenacity of the syrup will, on
separating the finger and thumb, afford a thread, which shortly breaks:
this is the little thread. If the thread, from the greater tenacity,
and, consequently, greater strength of the syrup, admits of a greater
extension of the finger and thumb, it is called the great thread. There
are half a dozen other terms and experiments for testing the various
thickness of the boiling sugar towards the consistency called _caramel_;
but that degree of sugar-boiling belongs to the confectioner. A solution
of sugar prepared by dissolving two parts of double-refined sugar (the
best sugar is the most economical for preserves) in one of water, and
boiling this a little, affords a syrup of the right degree of strength,
and which neither ferments nor crystallizes. This appears to be the
degree called _smooth_ by the confectioners, and is proper to be used
for the purposes of preserves. The syrup employed should sometimes be
clarified, which is done in the following manner:--Dissolve 2 lbs. of
loaf sugar in a pint of water; add to this solution the white of an egg,
and beat it well. Put the preserving-pan upon the fire with the
solution; stir it with a wooden spatula, and, when it begins to swell
and boil up, throw in some cold water or a little oil, to damp the
bo