To look well, these should be most carefully cut slant-wise, in thin uniform slices; or if very young, slit them the whole length, and cut across twice to make slips an inch long, like those that come in the French tins.

They should never be chopped across, any size from half an inch to an inch, as careless cooks so often do. They take twenty to twenty-five minutes in well salted fast boiling water in which is half a saltspoon of soda; serve either with plain butter or thin drawn butter in which is a mere suspicion of sugar.

Asparagus - Must be scraped; cut about an even five inches long; tied in small bundles and boiled gently in well salted water; standing, if possible, as you thus save the heads; they take twenty minutes, and are served with white sauce or Hollandaise.

Carrots - Should be scraped, not peeled; split if large, and cut in four (if to eat with boiled beef), and boiled one hour and a half. If they are to be served separate, cut them in slips, (see Cutting Vegetables) and boiled one hour in salted water; they may then be dressed with butter or white sauce.