Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-02-10
Handling Meat After Dry Curing

uSL SOIIO1A AL JNAL SCShAO11 vi NSSN
gia.
Handling Meat After Dry Curing
L. w. R., Ambrose, Ca, writes: We
have used the dry method in curing
our meat and wish to know how the
meat should be treated when unpacked.
1t has now been packed in a hard wood
barrel for three weeks, which, accord
ing to directions, is long enough. Kind
ly tell how to proceed with the
curing process.
When meat is cured by what Is
known as the dry process, it is then
smoked in just the same way as one
would follow with meat which has
been cured in brine. In dry curing
meat, the important thing is to see
that the mixture advised for use in
this process is thoroughly rubbed
into the meat and that the meat Is
kept in a cool, fairly moist place dur
ing the curing process. If this is
not done, the preservatives will not
penetrate through the mass of the
meat evenly and uniformly. Hence,
the cure will not be satisfactory. No
doubt you are familiar with the or
binary process of finishing the cur
ing by smoking the meat. A fairly
tight house eight to ten feet high
should prove satisfactory for this
purpose. A large structure will not
be required for the average farm.
There, of course, should be small
openings under the caves or a Chin
ney to carry out the surplus smoke.
The meat should be kept six or
seven feet away from the fire. The
best fuel to use is green hickory or
maple smothered with sawdust of
the same material. Hard wood of
all kinds Is preferable to soft wood
Corn cobs may be used in the abb
sence Of an available supply of hard
wood. Slow smoking is to be pre-
ferred to rapid curing. After the
meat is smoked, it should be wrap
ped in heavy paper and then in bur
lap, canvas or muslin. The hams
may be kept in cool cellar where
there is free circulation of air.
The storage place should be dark
and flies should be excluded there
from.
Digging Holes for Pecan Trees
K. c., Columbus, Ga, writes: 1 am
starting fruit and pecan orchard
and would like some advice. How
deep should oE the holes be dug. and how
should they be dug? Would blasting
the holes be very expensive?
One starting a fruit or pecan or
chard in your section should now
hasten the planting of the trees as
much as possible. 1t is important
that this work be done very short.
~ so that the trees may have the
best chance to make an early tart
under the most favorable sasonal
and soil conditions. Late planting is
hn q IN
it has seldom been successful. In
planting trees, it is desirable to have
a. relatively large, deep hole, and it
Is important to have the lower area
of the soil loosened and broken up
so that the roots Of the trees may
penetrate the land readily. A loose
area Of soil also tends to draw and
hold the moisture in the lower reas
to better advantage than .At other
r.arts of the field on which the hard
pan as it were has not been broken
Up. 1t is very good pra ctice, there
fore, to blast uut the holes intended
for trees. This may be done by u.s.
ing from one-half to a whole stick
OF dynamite. The work, of c. urse,
must be done with precision and in
telligence in order to enable you to
90SuIS Tile U6SS results. we are in
clined to think that with our present
and inefficient labor that blasting
holes would likely prove economical.
In digging holes for fruit trees and
particularly pecans, one would have
to resort largely to the use of the
pick and shovel. The holes shoi Id
be, in our judgment, at least three
feet across and two or mora feet
in depth. You will see that it is a
tedious business to dig holes of this
type IN the manner indicated. You
can, of course, economic on labor
by using heavy turning plows Col
lowed by sub-soil pillow. With the
use Of these implements, you may
check as it were the land and thus
obviate at the point where the fur
rows cross a considera BILE amount Of
the digging which otherwise would
have to be done by hand.
The most economical use Of beet
top silage calls for about thirty
pounds daily for each steer or COW
and about three pounds for each
sheep. Always begin with a light
ration.
Before the war there were in the
United States 2S2 styles Of pneu-