This section is from the book "The Complete Cook", by J. M. Sanderson. Also available from Amazon: The Complete Cook.
These are in general made to represent buildings of all descriptions, fountains, trophies, vases, cups, helmets, the last being generally mounted on pedestals and filled with flowers, fruit, etc.; also rocks, bridges, fortifications, etc. etc, the building, etc, being generally made with gum-paste, confectioners' or almond pastes. The bodies of rocks may be formed with pieces of rock sugar, cakes, biscuits, etc, of all descriptions, being fixed together with caramel sugar; those not intended to be eaten may be made with papier mâ-chée and common gum-paste; the rocks or bottoms of these are often formed with pieces of cork, flocks, and paper, the surface being afterwards covered with a coating of very thin icing, which is applied with a brush.
To construct your pieces with accuracy, first cut out your intended design in stout paper, in suitable parts to be put together; then roll out the paste thin on a marble stone; lay your pattern on it, and cut your paste to it with a small sharp-pointed knife; let it dry, and fix it together with some dissolved gum, or a little gum-paste made rather thin with water. Cut your ornaments or decorations from pasteboards; let them dry a few minutes, and fix them in their proper places. Water may be represented with a piece of looking-glass, and. falling water with silver web or spun glass.
 
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