Remove the stalks from a pound of violets and rinse them in cold water, then spread them on a towel to dry. Cook a pound and a quarter of sugar to the soft-ball stage, remove from the fire and add the voilets; press them down under the syrup, return to the fire and let boil up once, then transfer, at once, to a cold dish. The next day drain on a sieve. To the syrup add half a cup of sugar and cook again to soft-ball stage; put in the flowers and set aside for twelve hours; drain again, heat to the boiling point and add the violets. Remove from the fire and stir the violets lightly, until the syrup begins to grain, then pour on to sheets of paper; shake and separate the flowers carefully with the hands, and, when dry, pick them from the granulated sugar. Rose petals and mint leaves may be candied in the same manner. Add a cup of water to the sugar when setting it over the fire to cook.