twenty cents
per pound, and weighing from fifteen to forty pounds, the price varying
according to the law of supply and demand. The only objection to small
turtles is that they do not contain a very large percentage of the green
fat, so highly prized by epicures.

Procure a live turtle, cut off the head, and allow it to drain and cool
over night; next morning place it on the working table, lay it on its
back, and make an incision round the inner edge of the shell; then
remove it. Now remove the intestines carefully, and be very careful that
you do not break the gall; throw these away; cut off the fins and all
fleshy particles, and set them aside; trim out the fat, which has a
blueish tint when raw; wash it well in several waters. Chop up the upper
and under shells with a cleaver; put them with the fins into a large
saucepan; cover them with boiling water; let stand ten minutes; drain
and rub off the horny, scaly particles, with a kitchen towel.

Scald a large saucepan, and put all the meat and shell into it (except
the fat); cover with hot water; add a little salt, and boil four hours.
Skim carefully, and drain; put the meat into a large crock; remove the
bones, and boil the fat in the stock. This does not take very long if
first scalded. When done, add it also to the crock; pour the stock into
another crock; let it cool, and remove all scum and oily particles; this
is quite work enough for one day. Clean the saucepans used, and dry them
thoroughly.

Next day fry out half a pound of fat ham; then add one chopped onion,
one bay leaf, six cloves, one blade of mace, two tablespoonfuls of
chopped celery tops, a tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of white
pepper, and one quart of ordinary soup stock. Simmer for half an hour.
Now put the turtle stock on the fire; when hot strain the seasoning into
it; remove the turtle from the other crock, cut it up, and add to the
stock; now add a pint of dry sherry.

Do not let the soup come to a boil; taste for seasoning, and if herbs
are needed tie a string to a bunch of mixed herbs, throw them into the
soup, and tie the other end to the saucepan handle; taste often, and
when palatable, remove the herbs. If the soup is not dark enough, brown
a very little flour and add to it. Keep the soup quite hot until served;
add quartered slices of lemon and the yolk of a hard boiled egg,
quartered just before serving; send to table with a decanter of sherry.

The yolks of the eggs may be wo