SLAUGHTERING AND CURING 523 



an attic with free circulation will be a satisfactory place 

 for smoked meats at all seasons, if it is kept dark and 

 flies are excluded. If to be held but a short time, hams 

 and bacon will need only to be hung separately without 

 covering. For longer keeping, it will be necessary to 

 wrap them first in paper, and then in burlap, canvas, or 

 muslin, when they may be buried in grain, bran or 

 ashes, or in some other suitable way kept at a uniform 

 temperature and protected from insects. Ground pepper 

 rubbed into each piece before wrapping will be distaste- 

 ful to the insects. For absolute safe-keeping for an 

 indefinite period of time it is essential that the meat be 

 thoroughly cured. 



PORK FOR THE SOUTH 



"This requires a little (lilTercnt treatment." says Ful- 

 ton's "Home Pork-Making." "It is dry-salted and 

 smoked. The sides, hams and shoulders are laid on a 

 table and rubbed thoroughly with salt and saltpeter (one 

 ounce to five pounds of salt), clear saltpeter being rubbed 

 in around the ends of the bones. The pieces are laid up, 

 with salt between, and allowed to lie. The rubbing is re- 

 l)eated at intervals of a week until the meat is thoroughly 

 salted through, and it is then smoked. It must afterward 

 be left in the smokehouse, canvased or buried in a box 

 of ashes, to protect it from the flies." 



Dry salt pork for southern use in winter needs to be 

 cured in salt for 30 days, but for summer use it should 

 have from 50 to 60 days' curing. 



