AND CATTLE DOCTOR. 267 



2b preserve hams, or other smofced meat, through 

 the summer. 



Wrap up the meat in tow, of either flax or hemp, 

 after shaking out the loose shives, and pack it in a 

 tierce or barrel, taking care that there be next the 

 tierce and between every piece of meat, a thick layer 

 of tow packed in as close as possible ; then set it 

 away in a dry cellar or upper room. It is enough 

 that the barrel or tierce be sufficient to keep the mice 

 out, as no fly or insect will enter the tow. 



Tow and flax are such bad conductors of -heat, that 

 a piece of ice will be preserved a long time wrapped 

 up in tow. Cut straw also answers extremely well to 

 keep hams in. Ashes are apt to communicate a bad 

 taste to meat. Care should be taken to* prevent the 

 flies from having access to the meat before being 

 packed away. 



Preservation of butter. 



One part of loaf sugar, one part refined salt-petre, 

 two parts of the best pure salt are to be pulverised to- 

 gether and kept for use, one ounce of this to be mixed 

 thoroughly with 16 ounces of the butter as soon as it is 

 freed from the butter milk ; it is then to be put into a 

 close and perfectly clean dry vessel, from which the 

 air is to be carefully excluded, and it will remain good 

 for many years. 



To cultivate hemp. — The soil. 



The soils most suited to the culture of this plant, 

 are those of the deep, black, putrid, vegetable kind, 



