It requires experience to become a good bread-maker. You must know when the bread has risen enough. Of course this depends upon the weather. In warm summer weather, bread made up at twelve o'clock in the day is ready for tea by seven o'clock. In winter, set it to rise, if for breakfast, by eight o'clock in the evening, and put it away, covered, in a warm place. In the morning, work it Over again, and set it to rise for at least an hour and a half before breakfast, setting it near the fire, and letting it rise to the top of the pan. If for tea, make it up by eight o'clock in the morning in winter, and work it over about four in the afternoon. If you have too much dough for breakfast take out a piece before the second rising, and put it on ice until wanted to rise again. Potatoes will always improve bread. For baking, the oven should be rather hot and the doors closed, except when necessary to look at the bread. Any sudden draught on the oven affects the baking of bread or cake. These rules apply equally to pastiy. For cake, always beat eggs separately and cream the butter thoroughly. When cream of tartar, or soda, or yeast powder is used, the oven should be heated very hot; if these ingredients are not used, have slow heat. Whenever a recipe calls for soda use some acid, either sour milk or cream of tartar, with it. Soda should always be dissolved in something, either milk or water, and cream of tartar sifted with the flour. It is always well to sift flour twice. A little ammonia will improve cake, making it lighter. To test when a cake is done, run a dry broom straw down into it. If the straw comes out perfectly dry the cake is done; but if it is the least moist, or if any particles stick to it, it is not done. For loaves, always put thin, greased paper in the bottom and sides of the pan. In summer time, before making cake, put the eggs on ice, to keep them cool and fresh, otherwise they will not beat up light.

For icing, always use pulverized sugar, beat very slowly, and a long time.

Eggs should always be beaten thoroughly; the whites to a stiff froth, and the yolks to a light color. The fresher the eggs, the better they will beat up.