Take one ounce of picked gum-tragacanth; wash it in water, to take off any dust or dirt; put it into a clean pot, and pour on it rather more than half a pint of water, or sufficient to cover the gum about an inch; stir it frequently, to accelerate the solution; it will take twenty-four hours to dissolve; then squeeze it out through a coarse cloth, as directed for lozenges, taking care that everything employed in the making is very clean, or it will spoil the colour; put it into a mortar, adding gradually six or eight ounces of treble-refined sugar, gifted through a lawn sieve; work it well with the pestle, until it is incorporated and becomes a very white smooth paste; put it into a glazed pot, cover the paste with a damp cloth, and turn the pot upside-down on an even surface, to exclude the air. When it is wanted, take a little of it and put it on a clean marble, and work some more sugar into it (which has been sifted through a lawn sieve) with the fingers, until it is a firm paste, which will break when pulled; if it is not stiff enough, it will roll up under the knife when you cut it from the impressions in your paste-boards; if it is too stiff, work in a little of your prepared paste with it, to soften it. When your paste works harsh and cracks, it has too much gum in it; in this case, use a little water to work it down; and if the gum is too thin it will crack, and dry too soon from the excess of sugar, therefore add some more strained gum that has not been mixed with sugar. The same obser vation also holds good with respect to lozenges. If it is required coloured, add a little prepared cochineal, or any other colour in fine powder; mix it on the stone. If they are to be flavoured with any essence, add it at the same time. This paste is fit to be eaten, and is the foundation of gum-paste comfits, dragees, etc.