The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-09

navor and palatability. The creosote iormed by the combustion of the wood closes the pores to some extent, exclud- ing the air. and is objectionable to in- sects.
 House and Fuel.
 The smokehouse should be eight or ten feet high to give the best results and of a size suited to the amount of meat likely to be smoked. One six by eight feet will be large enough for or oinary farm use. Ample ventilation should be provided to carry off the warm air in order to prevent overheat- ing the meat. Small openings under tne caves or chimney in the roof will
 pc sufficient if arranged so as to be easily controlled. fire put outside of
 the house proper with a fiue through
 which the smoke may be conducted to
 the meat chamber gives the best condi-
 lions for smoking. When this can not well be arranged a fire may be built on the floor of the house and the meat shielded by a sheet of metal. Where the meat can be hung 6 or feet above the Ire this precaution need not be taken. The construction should be such as to allow the smoke to pass up freely over the meat and out of the house. though rapid circulation is at the expense of fuel.
 , Brick or stone houses are best, though the first cost is greater than if they are built of lumber. Large dry go6ds boxes. and even barrels may be
 used to serve as smokehouses whero
 only small amounts of meat are to be
 smoked. The care of meat in such sub stitutes Is so much more difficult and
 the results so much less satisfactory that permanent place should be pro- vided if possible.
 The best fuel for smoking meats is green hickory or maple wood smother ed with sawdust of the same material. Hard wood of any kind Is preferable
 to soft wood. Resinous woods should never be used, as they are likely to inn
 part bad fiavors to the product. Corn cobs are the best substitute for hard wood and may be used if desired. Soft wood and corn cobs give of large amounts of carbon in burning. and l this is deposited on the meat. making it
 dark in color and rank favored. Juni- per berries and fragrant woods are sometimes added to the fire to flavor the meat.
 Filling the House.
 Meat that Is to be smoked should be removed from the barrel two or three days before being put in the smoke
 house. If 1t has been cured in a strong brine. 1t will be best to soak the pieces in cold water over night to pre- vent a crust of salt from forming on the outside when drained. Washing the meat in tepid water and scrubbing clean with a brush is a good practice.
 The pieces should then be hung up to drain for day or two. When drained they may be hung In the house. All should be suspended below tho ventila- tors and should heng so that no two pieces come in contact as this would prevent uniform smoking.
 Keeping Up the Fire. A slow fire may then bo started, warming up the meat gradually. Dur ing the winter months in cold climates 1t is best to keep the fire going con- tinually until the smoking Is complete. holding the temperature at about the same point. If tho fire is allowed to die down, the meat becomes cold and the smoke does not penetrate readily. This results in heavy smoke on the outside and, very~ little on the inner portions of tha meat. During the spring months and in the summer a light fire may be started every second or third day for a couple of weeks, the meat being allowed to hang in the smokehouse until sufficiently colored. When the fire Is kept going steadily and an oven temperature is maintain ed. twenty-four to thirty-six hours will be required to finish one lot of meat.
 Smoke will not penetrate frozen meat, and 1t will be necessary to extract all frost from it before filling the house.
 The house should be kept dark at all times to prevent flies from entering.
 As soon as smoked sufficiently. the
 meat should be cooled by opening the
 ventilators or doors. When hard and firm 1t may be canvased or packed away for summer use.
 Keeping Smoked Meats. Smoked meat may be left in the | smokehouse for some time during moderate weather. The house. should be kept perfectly dark and well | enough ventilated to prevent damp ness.
 If to be held only short time. hams | and bacon will need only to be hung out separately without covering. For | longer keeping. 1t will be necessary to wrap them first in paper and then In 1 burlaps canvas or muslin and bury them in grain bin or other suitable place, tho object being to gain a uni- form temperature and to keep away Insects, 4 bit of ground pepper rub bed into the piece before wrapping will be distasteful to them. For ab- solute safe keeping for an indefinite period of time. it is essential that the
 meat be thoroughly cured. After 1t is smoked and has become dry on the
 surface it should be wrapped in parch- ment paper; or old newspapers will do where parchment can not be had
 Then enclose in heavy muslin or can vas, and cover with yellow wash or
 ordinary limo whitewash, glue being added. Hang each piece out so that it does not come in contact with other
 pieces. Do not stack in piles.
 Recipe for Yellow Wash. For loo pounds hams or bacon take
 3 pounds barytes (barium su1phate),
 O.06 pound glue.
 0,0S pound chrome yellow Qoa1 chromate); and
 O,40 pound flour.
 Fill pail half full of water and mix
 in the -four. dissolving all Jumps thor
 oughly. Dissolve the crome in quart
 of water in a separate vessel and add
 the solution and the glue to the flour;
 bring the whole to a boil and add the
 barytes slowly, stirring( constantly.
 Make the wash the day before 1t is re-
 quired. Stir frequently when using
 and apply with a brush.
 GROVES TASTELESS CHILL TONIC Has stood the test Twenty-Five yeara Tht first and original tastsless chill tonic. e'