The foundation of all excellent soup is a stock made from beef. For a dinner company heavy soup is not so desirable as a good, clear, rich soup, and I add a tried recipe from "Practical Cooking and Dinner Giving," called:

AMBER SOUP.

A large soup bone (two pounds); a chicken; a small slice of ham; a soup bunch (or an onion, two sprigs of parsley, half a small carrot, half a small parsnip, half a stick of celery); three cloves; pepper; salt; a gallon of cold water; whites and shells of two eggs, and caramel for coloring. Let the beef, chicken and ham boil slowly for five hours, add the vegetables and cloves, to cook the last hour, having fried the onion in a little hot fat and then in it stuck the cloves. Strain the soup into an earthen bowl and let it remain over night. Next day remove the cake of fat on top; take out the jelly, avoid the settlings; and mix into it the beaten whites of the eggs with the shells. Boil quickly for half a minute; then, removing the kettle, skim off carefully all the scum and whites of the eggs from the top, not stirring the soup itself. Pass through a jelly bag, when it should be very dear. Reheat just before serving, and add then a tablespoonful of caramel to give a rich color and flavor.

Caramel—Take a cup of sugar and a tablespoon of water. Put in a porcelain kettle and stir constantly to prevent burning, until it has a bright brown color. Then add a cup of water, pinch of salt; let it boil a few moments longer, cool, strain, and put away in a close- corked bottle—and it is always ready for coloring the soup.

MOCK-TURTLE SOUP.

From MRS. BERIAH WILKINS, of District of Columbia, Fifth Vice
President, Board of Lady Managers.

This soup should be prepared the day before it is to be served up. One calf's head, well cleaned and washed. Lay the head in the bottom of a large pot. One onion; six cloves; ten allspice; one bunch parsley; one carrot; salt to taste; cover with four quarts of water. Boil three hours, or until the flesh will slip easily from the bones; take out the head; chop the meat and tongue very fine; set aside the brains; remove the soup from the fire; strain carefully and set away until the next day. An hour before dinner take off all fat and set on as much of the stock to warm as you need. When it boils drop in a few squares of the meat you have reserved, as well as the force balls. To prepare these, rub the yolk of three hard boiled eggs to a paste in a wooden bowl, adding gradually the brains to moisten them; also a little butter; mix with these two eggs, beaten light; flour your hands; make this paste into small balls; drop them into the soup a few minutes before removing from the fire. A tablespoonful of browned flour and brown sugar for coloring; rub smooth with the same amount of butter; let it boil up well; finish the seasoning by the addition of a glass of sherry. Serve with sliced lemon.

JULIENNE SOUP.

From MRS. SUSAN R. ASHLEY, of Colorado, Sixth Vice President, Board of
Lady Managers.

The day before needed, put two pounds of beef cut from the lower part of the round, into two quarts of cold water and let come slowly to the boil, skimming carefully until perfectly clear. When this point is reached, add a small onion, two stalks of celery, two cloves, and keep at the boiling point for seven hours; then strain into an earthen bowl and let cool until next day. A half hour before needed, skim off all the fat, add pepper and salt to taste; also a half pint of mixed vegetables which have been cooked in salted water and cut in uniform dice shape. Let come to a boil, and serve.

NOODLE SOUP.

From MRS. FRONA EUNICE WAIT, of California, Alternate Lady Manager.

To make a good stock for noodle soup, take a small shank of beef, one of mutton, and another of veal; have the bones cracked and boil them together for twenty-four hours. Put with them two good sized potatoes, a carrot, a turnip, an onion, and some celery. Salt and pepper to taste. If liked, a bit of bay leaf may be added. When thoroughly well- done, strain through a colander and set aside until required for use. For the noodles, use one egg for an ordinary family, and more in proportion to quantity required. Break the eggs into the flour, add a little salt, and mix into a rather stiff dough. Roll very thin and cut into fine bits. Let them dry for two hours, then drop them into the boiling stock about ten minutes before serving.

CORN SOUP.

From MRS. M.D. THATCHER, of Colorado, Lady Manager.

One large fowl, or four pounds of veal (the knuckle or neck will do). Put over fire in one gallon of cold water, without salt. Cover tightly and simmer slowly, until the meat will slip from the bones, not allowing it to boil all the strength out, as the meat can be made into a nice dish for breakfast or luncheon, by reserving a cupful of the liquor to put with it in a mince on toast, or a stew. Strain the soup to remove all bones and bits of meat. Grate one dozen ears of green corn, scraping cobs to remove the heart of the kernel (or one can, if prepared corn be used). Add corn to soup, with salt, pepper and a little parsley, and simmer slowly half an hour. Just before serving, add a tablespoonful of flour, beaten very thoroughly with a tablespoon of butter. Serve very hot.

CELERY SOUP.

From MRS. ALICE B. CASTLEMAN, of Kentucky, Alternate Lady Manager.

Put a veal bone to boil in one quart of water. After skimming it well, put in one pint of celery cut up very fine, two tablespoonfuls of rice, one onion, one teaspoonful of celery salt. Let this boil till reduced to a pint. Take out the meat and pass the soup through a colander, mashing and extracting as much of the puree as possible, passing the stock through it two or three times. Boil a quart of milk separately; rub two tablespoonfuls of flour in a half a cup of butter; add this to the boiled milk; after cooking it a few minutes, add the milk to the celery puree and serve at once, mixing milk and puree well.

OYSTER SOUP.

From MRS. HELEN C. BRAYTON, of South Carolina, Vice President of State
Board, and Lady Manager.

Take one hundred oysters and simmer in their liquor with allspice. As the scum rises skim carefully. Strain off the liquor and add to it three-quarters lb. butter and one-quarter lb. flour, rubbed to a cream. Let this boil and carefully stir in a quart of milk, guarding against curdling and pour over the oysters.

BISQUE OF CRAB OR CRAWFISH.

From MRS. BELLE H. PERKINS, of Louisiana, President of State Board,
Lady Manager.

Boil one dozen crabs; pick them in flaky pieces as much as possible; remove the meat from the claws and the fat from the back. Reserve some of the nicest pieces and put them aside for the soup after it is done. Boil a chicken or veal bone; put it into two quarts of cold water; let it come to a boil and skim well, adding a cup of rice; let all boil together until the ingredients are reduced to one quart; add an onion, a piece of celery (or a teaspoon of celery salt); pass the stock and rice, together with the other parts of the crab, through a sieve; mash the chicken or veal bone well, and add some of the stock. Mash again and scrape from the bottom of the sieve, obtaining all the puree possible; add this to the broth, together with the meat of the crabs. Let a pint of sweet cream come to a boil, adding it to the soup just as it is being served; also two tablespoons of butter, celery salt and pepper.

POTATO PUREE.

From MRS. JAMES R. DEANE, of California, Lady Manager.

Two pounds potatoes; two ounces butter; two tablespoonfuls chopped onions; two tablespoonfuls chopped celery; one quart milk; one quart boiling water; one-half cupful sago; one-half teaspoonful pepper; one teaspoonful salt. Wash, peel and slice potatoes, onions and celery. Melt the butter and add it to the vegetables, stirring it for five minutes to keep it from browning or burning. Then add the boiling water. When the vegetables are soft, rub them through a sieve; add the milk, and when the soup is boiling, add the sago, a little at a time, and cook until the sago looks clear. Stir the soup well and add seasoning the last.

ASPARAGUS SOUP.

From MRS. LAURA P. COLEMAN, of Colorado, Lady Manager.

Two quarts veal stock; two bunches asparagus; two cloves; two onions; three pepper corns; a little parsley. Boil one hour and strain, then add one pint whipped cream. After dished, season with salt to taste. Tapioca or celery may be substituted for asparagus.

TOMATO SOUP.

From MRS. IDA M. BALL, of Delaware, Lady Manager.

One quart of canned tomatoes; one quart of boiling water; one small onion; one carrot; celery and parsley; one teaspoonful salt. Boil slowly for three hours and strain. Add two tablespoonfuls sugar, one tablespoonful butter, two tablespoonfuls flour made into a paste with water and used as thickening.

TOMATO SOUP.

From MRS. E. J. P. HOWES, of Michigan, Lady Manager.

Take one-half dozen fresh tomatoes or a pint of canned, and stew a half hour in a pint of water; strain through a colander; put the liquid on the fire; stir in a teaspoonful of soda; then add a pint of heated milk; season with a little butter (a dessertspoonful); salt and pepper to taste, and bring the whole to a boiling heat and serve hot.

GUMBO FILÉ

From MRS. ANNA M. FOSDICK, of Alabama, Lady Manager.

Cut up a chicken; sprinkle with flour, and fry in the vessel in which the gumbo is to be made. When the chicken is nearly done, chop an onion and fry with it. Pour on this three quarts of boiling water, and let all boil slowly till the flesh leaves the bones of the chicken. Then add the liquor from the oysters, two tablespoonfuls of tomato catchup, and salt and pepper to taste. Let this boil a short time; then add one hundred oysters. Do not allow them to boil more than two minutes. Remove the vessel from the fire, and before pouring into the tureen, sprinkle in two tablespoonfuls of filÉ. Serve always with rice.

To Prepare FilÉ for Gumbo.—Gather sassafras leaves, as late as possible in the season, before they turn red. Dry them in the shade and open air. When perfectly dry, pound thorn, sift the powder and bottle it Keep tightly corked.

GUMBO SOUP.

From MRS. VIRGINIA T. SMITH, of Connecticut, Alternate Lady Manager.

Fry three rather thin slices of salted pork; and three large onions in the some fat. Fry also a chicken of medium size, after which put pork, onions, chicken and a half pound of lean ham, into a dinner kettle containing four quarts of boiling water. When the mixture begins to boil, add one quart of gumbo, the corn cut from two ears, three tomatoes, and two VERY small red peppers. Add boiling water as it needs and cook slowly five or six hours, after which strain and serve with bread "crunchers" cut in dice.

CHICKEN GUMBO WITH OYSTERS.

From MRS. ALICE B. CASTLEMAN, of Kentucky, Alternate Lady Manager.

Take a young chicken or a half grown one; cut up; roll it in salt, pepper and flour, and fry it a nice brown, using lard or drippings as if for a fricassee. Cut up a quart of fresh green okra and take out the chicken and fry the okra in the same lard. When well browned, return the chicken to the pot and boil. Add to it a large slice of ham—a quarter of a pound will be about right for this gumbo. Pour on to the chicken, ham and okra half a gallon of boiling water and let it boil down to three pints. Ten minutes before serving, pour into the boiling soup two dozen fine oysters, with half a pint of their liquor; let it come to a good boil and serve with well-boiled rice.—La Cuisine Creole.

OKRA SOUP.

From MISS FLORIDA CUNINGHAM, of South Carolina, Lady Manager.

Two quarts of okra out very fine in three quarts of water, in which put a large shank of beef, and boil one hour. Then skim well and add two quarts of fresh tomatoes, strained. Boil slowly and without ceasing for at least five hours. Season with salt to the taste when the tomatoes are put in, and add black and cayenne pepper when ready to serve. Keep closely covered while cooking.

BLACK BEAN SOUP.

From MRS. M. D. FOLEY, of Nevada, Lady Manager.

Soak one coffee cup black turtle beans over night in cold water. Add water enough in the morning to cook thoroughly. One hour before dinner rub through a sieve and stir in three pints plain beef stock. Season with salt, pepper, and a salt spoon each of cloven and allspice. Just before serving add a wine glass of port or sherry, one small lemon thinly sliced and one hard boiled egg chopped fine.

BEAN SOUP.

From MRS. ANNE B. PATRICK, of Colorado, Alternate Lady Manager.

Take one can of Boston baked beans. Remove all the pork and pour over the beans one quart of boiling water, and let it boil slowly for one hour, adding hot water from time to time to keep up the quantity. Mash the beans thoroughly and strain through a sieve, heat again nearly to boiling and add one pint of hot (not boiling) cream; add pepper and salt to taste.

SOUP REGENCY.

From MRS. ISABELLA BEECHER HOOKER, of Connecticut, Lady Manager.

The bones and remains of cold fowls, such as turkey and chicken: or game, such as partridges, woodcock, etc.; two carrots; two small onions; one head of celery; one turnip; one-half tea cup pearl barley; the yolks of three eggs, boiled hard; one-quarter pint of cream; salt to taste, and two quarts of common stock.

Mode—Place the bones and remains of the fowls in the stew pan, with the vegetables sliced; pour over the stock and simmer for two hours; skim off all the fat and strain it Wash the barley and boil it in two waters before adding it to the soup; finish simmering in the soup, and when the barley is done take out half and pound the other half with the yolks of the eggs. When well pounded, rub it through a fine colander, add the cream and the salt, if necessary; let it boil up once more and serve very hot, putting in the barley that was taken out first. Time of cooking, 3-1/2 hours. Seasonable from September to March. Sufficient for eight persons.

PEA SOUP.

From MRS. WHITING S. CLARK, of Iowa, Lady Manager.

Cover a quart of green peas and a very small onion with hot water; boil till soft enough to strain through a sieve. Cream two tablespoons of butter and one of flour and add to a quart of milk and coffee cup of cream. Boil all together and strain. Stir in whipped cream and serve with buttered toast cut in small squares.

CLAM CHOWDER.

From MRS. CHARLES H. OLMSTEAD, of Georgia, Lady Manager.

To one pint of clams add one quart of milk, two onions, chopped fine, two tablespoonfuls of butter, the yolks of two eggs rubbed in two tablespoonfuls of flour, salt, parsley, cayenne pepper, half teaspoonful allspice, four hard-boiled eggs sliced, and half pint sherry wine added when served. Cut the soft part of the clams in two pieces; mince the tough part very fine and boil it one hour in a quart of water before adding the soft part; after the soft part has boiled half an hour longer, add the milk, flour and other ingredients. Serve hot.

CLAM CHOWDER.

From MISS LIDA M. RUSSELL, of Nevada, Lady Manager.

Two large onions, sliced and fried with one cup of finely chopped salt pork. Add to it three pints of boiling milk and juice of one can of clams, in which has been cooked two large potatoes, thinly sliced; a pinch of red pepper; salt; two tablespoonfuls of flour, rubbed smooth with one tablespoon of melted butter. Stir in clams, heat well and serve at once.