A MANUAL ON THE HOG. 69 



ashes on the meat, though it makes bacon of fine flavor. 



Another plan is to make a paste of finely ground black 

 and red pepper mixed, and stir this mixture into common 

 molasses, and spread a thin layer on the flesh side of the 

 hams. This improves the flavor, keeps off the flies, and 

 causes less waste than the ashes. 



Still another plan is to inclose the joints in cotton sacks, 

 tied or sewed closely around the piece, and dip this into a 

 flour paste. While the last is the most effectual guard 

 against the fly and bug, the flavor of the meat is not so 

 good as that made by either of the other methods, in con- 

 sequence of the exclusion of the smoke. From personal 

 experience with the three methods, the preference is given 

 to the pepper and molasses paste. Only the hams and 

 shoulders require this treatment, the sides and jowls need 

 only the smoke. The salt left in the packing trougn should 

 be saved, boiled, and fed to stock, or applied to the aspara- 

 gus and cabbage beds. The latter is the better disposition 

 to make of it, as the saltpetre might produce abortion. 



The joints should be hung with the hocks down, the 

 hams at the top of the house, the shoulders next, and be- 

 low, the sides, jowls, and heads. 



The meat should be smoked as long as cool weather lasts, 

 and during wet spells, in the spring. As the spring ad- 

 vances, the joints should be taken down, on a dry, clear day, 

 carefully examined, and each piece dipped into scalding 

 water to kill any eggs that may have been deposited on 

 them and placed on boards, in the sun, skin side down. 

 In the afternoon, re-examine, scrape well, and re-hang. 

 Watch and re-examine in the summer, if necessary. The 

 sunning will destroy insects, and decidedly improve the 

 flavor of the meat. 



Any goo<j, hard wood will answer for smoking, but care 

 should be taken to prevent much heat from reaching the 

 meat. The common practice is, to make the smoke in the 

 centre of the floor of the house ; but a far better plan is, to 



