Vol. XVII. No 42&. 



THE AGRICULTUIIAL NEWS. 



307 



new crops and new plants, and generally, to be 

 vigilant in noting what is passing in the agri- 

 cultural world, m order to seize upon it for local 

 application, where such a bearing is possible. At 

 frequent intervals they put forward in reports ami 

 papers, accounts of their work in this connexion, 

 and the information thus accumulated appears to 

 be ready and available for the use of the planter 

 whom it may concern. Much of this work, thus record- 

 ed, would pass with little recognition, unless these 

 officers themselves pointed to the possible applications 

 of what they have recorded, and pointed to it fre^uent- 

 ly: for often information fails to strike the busy man as 

 applicable to himself or to his own concerns, from the 

 fact that at the moment when the information comes 

 under his notice his thoughts are centred on other 

 thing's, and later he forgets the information, and fails to 

 make the application. Thus an important part of the 

 work of agricultural officers lies in keeping alive the 

 knowledge that is available, and producing it for use 

 when occasion requires. 



At times, too great reliance is placed on this 

 function of the agricultural officers and planters, 

 and others relegate the whole duty of pointing out 

 the path of progress to these men, instead of them- 

 selves maintaining a lively interest in current events. 

 As a result, the work of the agricultural societies, the 

 bodies which should form the Planters' Parliaments, 

 frequently languishes, and the records show that such 

 vitality as they possess often depends on the efforts 

 and activities of the agricultural officers, instead of upon 

 those of the planters, for whose benefit these institu- 

 tions ostensibly exist. A striking instance of waning 

 activity in this direction was referred to in the 

 editorial in the last issue of this Journal, as brought 

 into prominence in the Presidential Address of 

 Professor Harrison to the Royal Agricultural and 

 Commercial Society of British Guiana. Parallel 

 instances may be found in the records of the ma,jority 

 of West Indian agricultural societies. 



By way of summary it may well be urged that 

 while the written record is essential for progress, it 

 must be added that this is of no avail without live 

 m.en to interpret and apply it. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



Mr. W. Novell, D.I.C, Mycologist on the staft of 

 the Imperial Department of Agriculture, returned to 

 Barbados on September 27, after a short visit to 

 Dominica and Montserrat in connexion with invest>i- 

 gation of certain plant diseases, 



CURING MEAT IN HOT WEATHER. 



The following recipes for curing meat in hotj 

 weather are reproduced from the (^>ueensland Agri- 

 cultural Journal, for .June lliLs, as likely to be useful 

 to xa^Aers oi the Ayriculturai Kevi. In this connex- 

 ion, reference might also be made to a successful 

 experiment in salting pork, carried out by Mr. C. P. 

 Stoute, then Government Veterinary Officer of St. Vin- 

 cent, rule Agricultural News, Vol' XV, p. 1.59:— 



Recipes for curing meat in hot weather are of special 

 interest, and the ones given here have been tried. Meat for 

 curing mu.st be thoroughly cooled, because if the surface of 

 meat comes in contact with salt before all the animal heat 

 is removed, it will have a tendency to shrink the muscles, and 

 form a coating on the outside which will not allow the gen- 

 erating gases to escape. 



Good brine for brine-curing can be made from 10ft) of 

 salt, 2 ft), of sugar or molasses, and 4 gallons of water to 

 100 ft), of meat. It is a good precaution to boil and skim 

 the mixture. Two or 3 oz. of saltpetre may be added to pre- 

 .-:erve the natural colour of the meat, but is harmful to 

 the health even if used in small quantities. Meat cures 

 more rapidly if the brine does not become too cold. Bacon 

 will cure in from twenty-two to thirty <laj-s, while heavier 

 hams need from forty to sixty days. Freshen cured meat 

 in lukewarm water for six hours, then dry and smoke. 



For dry curing, make a mixture of clean, fine salt, 

 40 ft).; white or brown sugar, 10 ft).: white or black pepper, 

 4 ft).; red pepper, J-5). This will make enough mixture for 

 about 1,000 ft), of pork. If saltpetie is de.sired, use '2 ft), in 

 the above mixture. Rub each piece of meat thoroughly with 

 the mixture, working it in well around the bones of hams 

 and shoulders. Pack with skin down, in a cool, airy place, 

 not in direct sunhght. nor in a damp musty cellar. After 

 four or five days overhaul the meat, rub thoroughly with the 

 mixture, and repack; repeat this in about a week. Hams 

 and shoulders should remain in the mixture from one and 

 a half to two days per pound weight apiece; the latter 

 time is .safer for meat that is to bo kept during the 

 summer. Bacon should be in the mixture a shorter time. 

 Ten days will give a very nice mild cure to a 6 or 8 ft), piece. 



Any of the mixtures which give good results in curing 

 pork can be used satisfactorily for beef, but beef should not 

 be allowed to remain in tbe brine or mixture quite sn long. 

 Corned beef is best when it has been in the mixture about 

 ten days. 



Get the tender side of the round of good fat beef. 

 For every 20 lb. of beef take 1 pint of salt, a teaspoonful of 

 saltpetre, and a \ lb of brown sugar. Jlix these well, rolling 

 out any lumps: divide into three equal parts, and rub well 

 into the beef for three successive days. Turn the beef daily in 

 the liquor it w.ll make. It should not make much, but what 

 there is rub well into, and pile on the beef. Rub a little extra 

 salt into the hole cut for the string to hang it by. At the 

 end of a week hang the beef in a dry, rather warm place, till 

 it stops dripping, then in a cooler, dry place. Do not smoke 

 it; smoking spoils the flavour. 



Sometimes there is trouble in keeping meat after it has 

 been cured or smoked. It should be stored in a dry, cool, 

 and well- ventilated place. The most satisfactory way to handle 

 such meat is to wrap it up in paper, and then enclose it it 

 strong muslin sacks tied tightly at the tops. 



