The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-01-19

w --@-t<t e1sh"o ihS
in curipg hams is To get them just salt
enough to keep them and not so salt as to
injureHl fivor and cause thcm to get
hard. Hams should be neatly trimmed and
cut roHnding, to initiate as close as possible
the hams Of commerce.
Trim closely, so there shall be no mas
scs of htieft at the lowest extremity of the
hams. Tho shoulders may be cut in shape
ccnveuient for packing, aud they should be
saltcd inseparatc packages from the hams
"IIasus;are cured by both dry sailing and
brine AYhep,5ry salting is empolyei the
hams arssrubhsa often with salt and sugar.
BcsweeE zach rubbing they arc punched up
on platforms or tables, the surface of which
is spread with a layer of salt, and each ham
is also covered with salt. When taken up
to rub, which is usually done five or six
times, Il shallow box is Il, hand in which to
do the work
"Whcn brine is used, prepare pickle
strong enough to float an egg and stir into
it sufficient am-unt cf sugar aud molasses
to give it n swcctcncd taste. Some ail n
little saltpc.rc to color the meat, while others
claim it tends to harden the meat In mod
crate quantities., it is generally accepted as
beneficial. Cover the hams with pickle aud
place the packages where the temperature
is uniform and above freezing. For hams
oftwclvc pounds four weeks will be sufti y
cicnt large hams must remain in brine a
longer time. In general, three to seven
weeks embraces the extremes of time re.
quircd for domestic curing ofhams, varying
as to size Of hams, temperature and time
when they will be required for use. When
it is designed to preserve hams through the
summer they must not be removed from the
pickle too soon.
"Shoulders require much the same treat
mcnt as do hams, and both should be care
fully smoked The prcscrvativc principle
Of smoke is known as crcosotc. Smoke
made by burning corn cobs is highly es-
tccmcd, but those engaged in curing meat
on large scale prefer the smoke obtained
from dry hickory that has been stripped of
its bark. The smoking process mas. not be
too much hurried or the crcosote will not
have time to penetrate the entire substance
fthc meat. Ten days smoking is usu-
ally sufficient, unless the pieces are very
III SSNA~tL.l
"a process in ham-curing, practiced by
somc Of the lealing packing houses, consists
in creating the smoke in an oven outside Of
the smoke house and passed through UNDER
ground pipes into it. The smoke, rising
from the floor to the top Of the house, en-
COUNTERS two opposite currents Of air drawn
from the outside. These currents cause the
smoke to form into rapidly revolving hori-
zontal column which passes amo Ig the hams
The smoke is cot warm, and there is no
heat to melt the hams or hot air to blackcn
them. The hams under this process arc
smoked in very much less time than by the
old method.
''Whilc canvassing hams has nothing to
d. with their flavor it is a protection from
insects, and will pay the farmer for the extra
labor. 1t should be done before warn,
weather Wrap each ham in coarse brown
paper and then sew it up in cotton cloth, cut
to suit the size, following the shape Of the
h NJ, When covered rs described dip thcn
in 4 wash made Of lime water and colorc,
with yellow ochrc. Hang up in Il cool plac,
to dry The wash closes the intcrsticcs o
the muslin, and the whole forms a perfect
protection against insects. The room il
which any kind Of cured meat is storct
should be dry and cool and the darker the
bettcr-N T. World.
TIE PEOPLE Who DIE IN A YEAR
DO you kno" how many people die every