The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-02-19
Curing Hams and Pork,

When slice from ham has to he
par-boiled, or soaked over night, it was
not properly cured; this treatment
makes 1t dry and hard, and deprives it
OF all Its flavor. | have had many wears
experience IN curing large quantities of
mans, and have had the reputation of
knowing how to do it," For 100 lbs.
OF meat take lbs. ground rock salt !,
IDS. clean brown sugar 2 OF. pure salt
petre :. OF. pearl ash or saeratns. and
gallons pure soft water. Pit all in a
proper vessel over tho fire and before il
comes to boil. commence skimmipr
and continue until all impurities have
risen to the surface; when done proner.
ly. the pickle will he perfectly clear and
pure. Ii potato or an egg will float
in 1t, it is all right. if not add more salt
Hams should be left unlisturbcJ for
three or four days after killing-buno
up III an airy place.
Now take one gallon of sweet molas
SEES. OF. saltpetre, and 4 quarts fine
ground salt, thoroughly mix them. and
WIN wooden paddle cover the hams.
SKIN and flesh side alike. Lay them skin
down Tor three or four DAYS. and not
touching each other, if it can be avoided.
At the end of this time they will be
ready for the pickle. Put in the bottom
OF good sweet barrel, u layer of rock
salt, half to three-quarters OF an inch
deep. pack the hams closely cover with
pickle, and weight down. Serve pork
IN the same way, but put n sprnkling
OF salt between the layers. Hams weigh
ing III to IA lbs. should remain in pickle
about five weeks. those from Il, to 20
lbs. six or seven weeks.
In smoking, use corn -cobs, hickory.
maple or beech. Now take marlin. or
tarred rope yarn. tie one piece around
the shank. another around the thick
part, and passing still another length
wise, looping to each. Make u loop to
hang up by with shank down-this pre-
vents cracking in n great degree, and
retains the juices inside the skin. | need
hardly say that no heated smoke should
reach the hams. | believe this rock salt
possesses preservativc qualities not
found III common sea salt.
a NEsr-BrILpTNG FISH The SrrcKrr-
BACK. Most people would bo taken bv
surprise when told that some fish build
nests. Yet such is the fact. and there il
no better study Of the popularity than
tho sticklcback, II fish wcll-known in
England, but very little noticed in this
country, although there are MANY spe
c1es IN the United States, both i'm salt
""H' ". a.. described these fish They
breed in Summer, and it is u curious
fact that the nest is built and guarded,
not by tho female, bnt by the male. At
this season his throat becomes carmine-
rod, and he sets to work gathering mi
nuto bits of straw or sticks, or delicate
vegetable iibrcs, which he mats into an
irregular circular mass, and CLUES to
gcther with mucus that rcsists water.
When the nest is ready, he goes out i'll
pursuit of female, whom no onticcs or
forces into the nest, and stands guard
till she has laid her eggs. lie will bring
in several in this way, till his nest has,
in his eyes, n sufficient store; then he
proceeds to watch and tend the eggs,
keeping off tho ravenous fish which
would gladly devour them, and from
time to time entering to inspect and see
that all is right.
BY systematic tanning he secures
free ventilation and circulation through
tho nest, and occasionally shakes up tho
eggs and removes impurities that N Z
have washed IN.
His period of care and Watching cX-
tends over some two or three weeks and
generally forty young fish are Matched
from each nest. The parent watches the
young, and keeps them III till they are
able to do for themselves, rs they are
surrounded by hosts Of enemies, and he
docs not allow any to swim of till the
whole brood is hatchcd.
No hen can take more care of her
chickens than this little fish
For an aquarium, no better fish can
be taken, as, during the breeding sea
son their pcculiaritics form constantly
varying series of surprises.
AuoxG the most recent geographical
discoveries is that Of very large fine
river BAXTER River in Guinea, navlga
bic for II considerable distance inland
The exploring party which nalo the
discovery refer to IL very large bird
which, according to the natives, can
carry off IL duRong, II kangaroo, or u
large turtle. Mr.. Smithnrsi, the cngi
nccr of the steamer, says he saw and
shot ut specimen Of this bird, which
appeared sixteen or eighteen feet across
the wings rs it flew, the body dark
brown, the breast white. neck long, and
bcak long and straight. They state, fur
thcr, that the noise caused by the flap
ping Of ITS wings rcscmblcd the sound of
locomotive pulling train very slowly
Footprints Of some large animal were
met with, resembling those of the bnt
falo or wild OK. Lieutenant Armit.
more recently maintains this river to be
tLn Ell liscuvnrrl LIZ Ii L. NJ ohm Of