Where the best management prevails and the work goes on like machinery, one wheel within another, there is a regular time of day to set the stock boiler on, it may be in the evening to simmer till the last, and then the liquor strained off is set away till the next day, or it may be early in the morning. The boiler should be larger than the ordinary stove pots. Put into it a gallon of clear cold water.

The meats to be cooked during the day are trimmed of all the tough and gristley ends, such as are sure to be thrown away if fried, broiled or roasted, and all the bones are taken from the meat that can be without detriment to the joint, and these scraps, after washing in clear water, are put into the boiler. Then, if there is a soup bone, beside, or a chicken to be boiled, or a leg of mutton it will be so much the richer stock. Some days there will be reason to choose which kind of soup to make, according to the contents of the stock boiler, which is a more economical way to look at it than if the boiler was to be furnished to suit the soup. A cream soup, for example, may be made when the stock is thin, and when it is rich as jelly make beef gravy soup or mock turtle.

The available meat being in next, throw in a little vegetable seasoning, such as a small onion and piece of turnip and carrot. But these are not indis-pensible, for the soup will be seasoned afterwards.

Let the boiler heat slowly and when at last it boils, skim carefully two or three times, put the lid on and let simmer 4 or 5 hours, when there will probably be 2 quarts of rich stock ready when strained, to be used in soup or to make gravies and sauces.

The strainer fine enough for ordinary use is made of perforated tin, or a pan with a perforated tin bottom. Strike the edge of the pan rapidly to make the soup go through.