498 FARMING FOR LADIES, [chap. xxiv. 



be immersed, and will be fit for use in ten 

 days, and improve for months ; but it must 

 be carefully kept pressed down by means of a 

 cover and a clean heavy stone. The pickle 

 must be watched, and when any scum begins 

 to rise, the meat must be taken out and the 

 liquor reboiled, and scummed, and cooled, 

 as before ; at the same time half a pound 

 more salt must be added, but no raw salt is 

 to be applied at any time. The meat to be 

 returned when the pickle is quite cold, say 

 after ten or twelve hours. Tongues will re- 

 quire a month at least, and are improved by 

 the addition of an ounce of bay-salt added 

 to the above. 



" None of these meats require to be pickled 

 separately, but had be better cut into such 

 pieces at first as may be required. One clove 

 of garlic, half an ounce of allspice, and as 

 much whole pepper, boiled with the ingre- 

 dients, much improves it." 



Many of these articles are dried, as we 

 have seen, in the open air, but with hams 

 and bacon it is more frequently done by the 

 aid of a slow fire : formerly in the huge 

 chimneys of our old fashioned farm-houses 



