Leaven

Sift a barrel of flour into one end of the kneading trough; into the other end strain thirty-one quarts of ferment through a colander, and work enough of the flour into it to form a dough, not too consistent; gather up this dough into a small space in the trough and keep it in position with a movable board which answers for a partition; dredge it over with flour, and cover with the lid of the trough, then leave it to rise for three hours; at the end of that time the sponge should be double its size and ready to fall again; it is then ready for the dough.