When you find the barrel of flour a good one, empty it into a chest or box, made for the purpose, with a lid that will shut close:  it keeps much better in this manner than when packed in a barrel, and even improves by lying lightly; sift the quantity you intend to make up—­put into a bowl two gills and a half of water for each quart, with a tea-spoon heaped up with salt, and a large spoonful of yeast for each quart; stir this mixture well, put into another bowl one handful of flour from every quart; pour a little of the mixture on to wet it, then more, until you get it all in, taking great care that it be smooth, and quite free from lumps; beat it some minutes, take one-third of the flour out of the kettle, pour on the batter, and sprinkle over it the dry flour; stop the kettle, and set it where it can have a moderate degree of warmth:  when it has risen well, turn it into a bowl, mix in the dry flour, and knead it on a board till it looks quite light; return it to the kettle, and place it where it can have proper heat:  in the morning, take the dry crust carefully from the top, put the dough on a board, knead it well, make it into rolls, set them on tin sheets, put a towel over, and let them stand near the fire till the oven is ready.  In winter, make the bread up at three o’clock, and it will be ready to work before bed time.  In summer, make it up at five o’clock.  A quart of flour should weigh just one pound and a quarter.  The bread must be rasped when baked.

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To make nice biscuit.

Rub a large spoonful of butter into a quart of risen dough, knead it well, and make it into biscuit, either thick or thin:  bake them quickly.

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Rice bread.

Boil six ounces of rice in a quart of water, till it is dry and soft—­put it into two pounds of flour, mix it in well; add two tea-spoonsful of salt, two large spoonsful of yeast, and as much water as will make it the consistence of bread:  when well risen, bake it in moulds.

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Mixed bread.

Put a tea-spoonful of salt, and a large one of yeast, into a quart of flour; make it sufficiently soft, with corn meal gruel; when well risen, bake it in a mould.  It is an excellent bread for breakfast.  Indifferent flour will rise much better, when made with gruel, than with fair water.

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Patent yeast.

Put half a pound of fresh hops into a gallon of water, and boil it away to two quarts; then strain it, make it a thin batter with flour; add half a pint good yeast, and when well fermented, pour it in a bowl, and work in as much corn meal as will make it the consistency of biscuit dough; set it to rise, and when quite light, make it into little cakes, which must be dried in the shade, turning them very frequently; keep them securely from damp and dust.  Persons who live in town, and can procure brewer’s yeast, will save trouble by using it:  take one quart of it, add a quart of water, and proceed as before directed.