HERBS, of all kinds, should be gathered in a dry day; and when the roots are cut off, and the herbs are perfectly well cleaned from dust, &c. they should be divided into small bunches and dried _very quick_ by the heat of a stove, or in a Dutch oven before a common fire, rather than by the heat of the sun, taking care that they be not burnt. When dry put them into bags, and hang them up in a dry place; or pound them and sift them through a hair sieve, and keep the powder in bottles closely stopped. SWEET AND SAVORY HERBS are best in season from May to August, according to their kinds. The flavour and fragrance of _fresh herbs_ are much finer than of those that are dried. PASTRY, &c. ———— _Here follow a great variety of the most useful and approved_ RECEIPTS IN DOMESTIC ECONOMY, _which are chiefly appropriate to the Housekeeper’s department; consisting of directions for making_ PASTRY, CONFECTIONARY, PRESERVES, PICKLES, PERFUMERY, COSMETICS, BRITISH WINES, _various articles of_ DISTILLATION, FAMILY MEDICINE, _and many_ MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS _of general utility_. OBSERVATIONS ON PASTRY. An adept in making pastry, never leaves any part of it adhering to the board used in making it. It is best when rolled on marble or slate. In hot weather the butter should be put in cold water to make it firm; and if the pastry be made early in the morning, and preserved from the air till baked, it will be the better. Salt butter, if good and well washed, makes a fine flaky crust. Preserved fruit for pastry need not be baked; but the crust should be baked in a tin shape, or on a tin and cut out according to taste. ON MAKING CAKES. Currants should be nicely washed, dried in a cloth, and then set before the fire. If not quite dry they will make the cake heavy. The cake will be the lighter if a dust of flour be thrown on the currants and then shaken. Eggs should be beaten very long, the whites and the yolks apart, after which, they must be strained.—Sugar should be rubbed to a powder, on a clean board, and sifted through a fine hair or lawn sieve. Lemon-peel should be pared quite thin, and beaten, with a little sugar, in a marble mortar, to a paste; and then mixed with a little wine or cream, so as to mix easily with the other ingredients. After all the articles are put together in the pan, they should be thoroughly beaten for a long while, as the lightness of the cake greatly depends on their being well incorporated. Yeast, in either black or white plum cakes, makes them require less butter and eggs, and yet be equally light and rich. The dough when made should be set to rise by the fire. If the oven be not _quick_ the batter will not rise, and the cake will be heavy: if you think it too quick, put some paper over the cake to prevent its being burnt. 1. A RICH PLUM CAKE.