Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-16
How to Construct a Cheap but Valuable
Smoke House.

Necessity is" truly, 1.-THE mother of
invention" Circumstances having once
made me the occupant of premises, like
thousands Of others, unprOvided with
facilities for curing meat by smoking, my
wits were stimulated into action to sup
ply the deficiency, which was fortunately
soon accomplished in very effectual
manner. Since then, having perfected my
plan, and having used it sufficiently to
test It's superiority over anything that'l
have ever seen, | consider 1t but justice
to the many readers of the agricultural
department of the Weekly Sun for the
many valuable hints | have there been
placed in possession Of, to give them de-
scription OF it:
Take an old hogshead-one which has
been kept in dry place and in which
the slaves are all well seasoned and
shrunken to their fullest extent "a crock
cry hogshead is the best)-remoEe one
head and drive the hoops well to their
places, thus closing all the cracks and
creylces. Then get out two or three
good, substantial hoops of hickory or
ash, leaving them quite thick SO as to
constitute them suitable support, and
nail them around the inside of the hogs
head (the same as the hoops are placed
arc und the outside), equidistant from the
top and bottom of the hogshead and from
each other. Upon these hoops place
Stats upon which the hams Or meat of
any kind can be laid or suspended. This
done, bore a twO-inch hole through one Of
the widest slaves about ten inches from
the open end or top of the hogshead, to
receive common two-ineh tin conductor,
and provide good, light covering for the
hogshead, and the house is completed.
Now select dry and well-seasOned bar
rel-an old -four barrel will answer very
we'll Remove one head, and through the
center Of the remaining one bore two
inch hole, the same az that through the
hOgshead. Now place the barrel and
hogshead about twelve feet apart Ia
shorter distance will not be sufficient to
insure the perfect cooling of the hot air
and smoke), the bottom of the latter
being elevated about foot or so above
that of the barrel, either by being placed
upon higher ground, or raised upon a
platform-the closed end of the hogs
head and the open end of the barrel rest
ing upon the ground. Hqving perfected
this arrangement, properly connect the
two by means of the conductor already
mentioned (which can be any old, cast
away house conductor, and, if only tight,
will do for the purpose), the conductor
being provided with movable elbow at
one end which is to be inserted into the
hole in the head Of the barrel while the
other end should be inserted into the hole
bored in the hOgshead. All this having
been completed and the meat being in its
place in the hOgsheed, and the cover
thereof well secured, the apparatus is
ready for use.
To put it into operation, let some dry
cobs and an ash bod or old iron kettle to
hold the fire be provided-the hod or ket-
tie being ample enough in dimensions to
hold peck or more Of the fuel Now
separate the conductor at its connection
with the elbow and lift the barrel aside.
Place the hod, having few ashes on the
bottom and a good layer of live Goals
thereon, in its proper position upon the
leveled surface of the ground where the
barrel stood; put in the cobs in an orderly
manner-in horizontal layers, not hur-
riedly and carelessly and in every con-
ceivable shape SO that but few may
touch the fire and cause it to go out, or
admit so much air as to kindle them into
a blaze. Then replace the barrel over the
bod and restore the connection pv means
of the pipe with the hogshead, and the
work is done; thus making as simple and
cheap smoking arrangement as, / think,