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THE BALL.
105
14. The Blow.
Continue boiling the syrup. Take your skimmer and
dip it into the sugar, then shake it over the pan, hold it
before you, and blow through the holes. If you perceive
small bubbles, or little sparkling bladders, on the other
side of the skimmer,these are signs that you have pro
duced what is called the"Blow."
15. The Feather,
When you have boiled the mixture a little more, and
again dipped the skimmer into it, -and after shaking it,
find,upon blowing through the holes, that bubbles are pro
duced in much greater quantities, then you may be sure
the"Feather" has been made. Another sign, after dip
ping the skimmer,is to shake it extra hard,in order to get
ofi"the sugar; if it has acquired this degree, you will see
the melted sugar hanging from the skimmer like silk or
flying flax; whence it is termed by the French d la grande
plume.
16. The Ball.
To know when the "Ball" has been acquired, you
must first dip the forefinger into a basin of cold water;
now apply your finger to the syruiJ, taking np a little on
the tip; then quickly dip it into the water .again. If upon
rolling the sugar with the thumb, you can make it into
a small b.all, you may be sure that what is termed the
"Small Ball"
h.asbeen produced. When you can make a
larger and harder ball, which you could not bite without
its adhering unpleasantly to*the teeth,you may be satisfied
that it is the"Large Ball."
6*
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