We have deemed it unnecessary to give recipes for the common every-day soups. Beef and veal form the stock, with such vegetables and herbs as suit the tastes of the household. For white soups veal is best; for brown, use beef and the bones and trimmings of other meats and poultry. Always use cold water, and after it begins to boil, place it in a position where it will simmer only, but be sure to keep it simmering for four or five hours, with the pot closely covered. In winter, sufficient stock may be made to last several days, and this quantity should boil all day. A portion can be used with sliced vegetables as vegetable soup, one day; with vermicelli, another day; and again, with tomatoes and the addition of a little catsup as tomato soup. To color soups, use for thickening flour that has been previously browned in the oven.

Clam Soup

To a gallon of cut-up clams and their liquor, well boiled and strained, put a cup and a half of cream, two tablespoonsful of flour creamed with a quarter of a pound of butter, and well seasoned with salt, pepper, and mace.

Crab Soup

Three dozen crabs boiled and picked, divide them equally, boil again one half in a full gallon of water, with salt and mace, for about an hour. Then take off and strain, put the soup on again with a teacup of cream, quarter of a pound of butter, two and a half tablespoonsful of flour creamed with the butter and scalded with a little of the hot soup, a tablespoonful of mixed mustard, black and red pepper. Have in your tureen the remaining dozen and a half crabs cleanly picked, and pour the hot soup upon them, and serve without delay, for it is delicious.

Oyster Soup

One and a half cups of cream to a gallon of oysters and liquor, two tablespoonsful of flour, creamed with a quarter of a pound of butter and well seasoned with pepper, salt, and mace.