Every-day dishes and every-day work

place. It should not be allowed to remain in close proximity to any substance of strong odor, as it very readily absorbs odors and gaseous impurities. A damp atmosphere will cause it to absorb moisture, and as a result, the gluten will lose some of its tenacity and become sticky, and bread made from the flour will be inferior in quality. Flour which has absorbed dampness from any cause should be sifted into a large tray, spread out thin, and exposed to the hot sun or placed in a warming-oven for a few hours. Yeast. — Next to good flour the most important requisite in the manufacture of fermented bread is good yeast. The best of flour, used with poor yeast, will not produce good bread. The most convenient and reliable kind of marketable yeast, when it can be had fresh, is the compressed yeast. The dry yeast cakes sold in packages are less to be recommended ; for, though they are always ready for use, the quality of the bread they produce is generally inferior to that made with either compressed yeast or good liquid yeast. If this sort of yeast must be depended upon, the cakes known as ' ' Yeast Foam ' ' are the best of any with which the writer is acquainted. A great variety of good liquid yeasts are easily made, and many housekeepers prefer this to any other kind. Tests for Yeast. — Liquid yeast, when good, looks light and foamy ; has a pungent odor somewhat similar to weak ammonia, and a sharp, biting flavor. Yeast is poor when it looks dull and watery, and has a sour odor. Compressed yeast, if good, breaks off dry, and looks white ; if poor, it appears moist and stringy. If there is any question as to the quality of yeast, it is always best to test it before using by adding a little flour to a small quantity and setting it in a warm place. If it begins to lighten in the course of fifteen or twenty minutes, it is good. RECIPES FOR LIQUID YEAST. Raw Potato Yeast. — Mix one fourth of a cup of flour, the same of white sugar, and a teaspoonful of salt to a paste, with a little water. Pare three medium-sized, sound potatoes, and grate them as rapidly as possible into the paste ; mix all quickly together with a silver spoon, then pour three pints of boiling water rapidly over the mixture, stirring well at the same time. If this does not rupture the starch cells of the flour and potatoes so that the mixture becomes thickened to the consistency of starch, turn it into a granite-ware kettle and boil up for a minute, stirring well to keep it from sticking and burning. If it becomes too much thickened, add a little more boiling water. It is impossible to give the exact amount of water, since the quality of the flour will vary, and likewise the size of the potatoes ; but three pints is an approximate proportion. Strain the mixture through a fine colander into an earthen bread-bowl, and let it cool. When lukewarm, add one cup of good, lively yeast. Cover with a napkin, and keep in a moderately warm place for several hours, or until it ceases to ferment. As it begins to ferment, stir it well occasionally, and when well fermented, turn into a clean glass or earthen jar. The next morning cover closely, and put in the cellar or refrigerator, not, however, in contact with the ice.