Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-30
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of an inch clear of the tobacco. and thus
form a mouthpiece. When the cigar is
made a broomsp!int long enough to reach
almost to the lighting end is run through
the straw. This broomsplint is then cut
long enough to allow about half an inch Of
it to project beyond the mouthpiece.
When the cigar is to be smoked the
broomsplint is withdrawn The opening
through it where the splint was makes the
cigar draw freely, and the section of straw
at the slender end keeps the cigar open
there. These cigars. made of strong. dark
tobacco, are worth about eighty cents per
hundred wholesale. They retail at one cent
each containing from fifty to 100 cigars, are
sold annually in the United States
X X
An amusing thing that we frequently
see at the White House." said one of the
attaches there, '.is the mailing of letters
In the White House letter box by visitors
to the city. All visitors to Washington go
to the Executive Mansion, and many of
them notice the letter box in the vestibue
just before entering the east room. Some
of them decide to mail letters there, be-
lieving that these letters will contain the
stamp of the White House OF course it
would be a great thing for a distant rela-
tive to receive a letter postmarked at the
h1te House. The other day an intelli-
gent-looking woman. accompanied by sew
eral grown daughters, asked me to lend
her pencil. l heard her say, Won't it be
lovely to mail them letter from here, and
let them see that we've been to the Presi-
d"nt's home? She proceeded to write for
some time. secured an envelope. addressed
1t and then proudly dropped the epstle in
our letter box. She went off with radiant
face. She was that all of her neigh
bors and friends for miles around would
hear of that letter mailed from the White
House. and she would be besieged with in
QuirieS on her return. She'll learn her mis-
take. The letter box here does not differ in
any way from those On the streets"
X X X
One OF the best, and apparently not the
least appreciated, of the many important
food products which America sends to
England and France is the celebrated
'Smithfield' or 'razor-back ham. for about
$4,000 of such hams are annually shipped
to those two countries from this city," said
a leading exporter Of provisions in New
York to writer for The Star day or two
ago. In England, where the domestic
hams have tendency to be fat and coarse
our Smithfield hams have among connois-
seurs very high reputation for leanness
and great delicacy of favor, both Of which
qualities are not thought to be excelled by
many. AS the British consumer is willing
to pay fancy price for the product, some
Of our choicest razor backs are exported
to John Bulls markets.
The name .razor-back is derived from
Iolk, va. where some hundred years ago
the mans were first cured by man named
Todd of Smithfield. The animal which pro-
duces the Smlthfield ham is semi-wild
in hn ,t,,;,,
ginia. Kentucky and Tennessee. The hog
peculiar to these regions is long-nosed
siab-sided and has unusually long legs 1t
Is not a prepossessing animal, but when
properly fed 1t supplies ham that is I'M
excelled anywhere in the world
Much of the fine flavor that is charac-
teristic OF these hams Is largely due to the
care that Is exercised by the farmers in
feeding the hogs. In summer the Young
'razor-back is allowed to run wild in the
woods. and his meat thereby gains a gamey
flavor by fall. when he is turned into a
ieid from which crops have been gathered
produces the most Smithfield hams there
are large quantities of sweet potato and
peanuts grown.
Both these foods fatten the animal with
astonishing rapidity. but the fat is still
soft So the lext step is to pen the hog nv,
and give him corn and plenty of clear
water. With this diet the animals flesh
hardens quickly to the desired extent and
- .iiCh iCduy " Nil. Inc curing is done
with Liverpool salt and saltpeter. after
winch the hams are washed clean and
slowly smoked for forty days over green
hickory or red oak wood. Many farmers
raise the hogs, but few cure them. They
are sold to skillful curers. who supply the
market"
X X X
Ine Star some time ago published a
story about the goldfish In the White
House fountains and said something about
the fish DOCTOR said White House clerk
The story must have been published
around in many places, for we have re-
ceived no less than a dozen letters ad-
dressed to The Fish Doctor, White House.
and inquiring all about goldfish, how to
feed them. care for them, etc. That story
will be pasted in scrap books, and months
from now the clerks will receive letters of
this kind. Too many people take. a thing
seriously, and all of those who have writ
ten to rs really believe that there is doc
tor at the White House who gets paid for
giving pills to sick fish,