Cato^s Farm Management 



Then hang them in the meat house, 

 and neither bats nor worms will 

 touch them/ 



1 Cato gives many recipes of household as well as 

 agricultural economy. This one for curing hams is 

 selected because of its intrinsic interest and for com- 

 parison with the following traditional formula as 

 practiced in Virginia: 



A VIRGINIA RECIPE FOR CURING HAMS 

 "Rub each ham separately with 5^ teaspoonful of 

 saltpetre (use a small spoon) ; then rub each ham 

 with a large tablespoonful of best black pepper; 

 then rub each ham with a gill of molasses (black 

 strap is best). 



Then for i,ooo lbs. of ham take 



3-^ pecks of coarse salt, 

 2Y2 lbs. of saltpetre, 



2 qts. hickory ashes, 



2 qts. molasses, 



2 teacupfuls of red pepper. 

 Mix all together on the salting table. Then rub 

 each ham with this mixture, and, in packing, spread 

 some of it on each layer of ham. Use no more salt 

 than has been mixed. Pack skin down and let 

 stand for five weeks, then hang in the smoke house 

 for five or six weeks, and smoke in damp weather. 

 Use hickory wood for smoking if you can possibly 

 get it." 



I60I 



