great many men in spotless white were hurrying about.
"It is here that we start our candy making," said the boy who was
showing Bob about. "Into those copper kettles we put our mixture of
confectioners' sugar--confectioners' A, we call it--and corn syrup;
this combination forms the basis of almost every variety of candy
made. The kettles, as you will see, are heated by gas, which gives
a steady flame, and at the side of each one we have a thermometer by
which we can tell the exact temperature of the mixture. There is
also a glass disc set in the side of every kettle to enable us to
watch the boiling. The sugar and corn syrup are melted together and
cooked at the temperature which after repeated experiments has
proved the most successful for our purpose--one that will neither
burn nor stick, or make the cooled fondant too thin to keep its
shape."
The boy spoke in the slow, measured tones of one who had told the
tale many times before and was quite accustomed to his task.
Bob glanced at Van.
Their respect for the lad was rising.
"How much does one of these kettles hold?" Bob asked.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
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Relating to chief and district inspectors 899-920
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"About six hundred pounds."
"And you fill all of them every day?" demanded Van in astonishment.
"Several times over," was the answer. "It takes a lot of this ground
material for the different kinds; some of it has other ingredients
mixed with it later, and some is beaten, flavored, and colored for
the fillings of chocolates."
"But who on earth eats so much candy?" ejaculated Bob.
"I don't know," responded the boy wearily. "I'm sure I don't."
"What?"
"I don't believe I'd touch a piece of candy for a hundred dollars,"
he continued. "I am sick of the sight of it. Candy from morning to
night--candy, candy, candy! Candy everywhere! Nothing but candy."
Bob and Van eyed him unbelievingly.
Could a boy be human and feel that way?
"Everybody here gets into the same state of mind," the lad went on.
"When the green hands come they are crazy about the stuff for about
a couple of days; then it is all over. You couldn't hire them to