PORK 257 



they impart. Green hickory or maple, corncobs and 

 cottonseed are the more commonly used materials. 



The pieces to Ije smoked are taken from the brine or 

 dry cure and hung up to drip for a couple of days. Any 

 loose salt on the surface should be brushed off with a 

 stiff brush. The cuts should then be hung in the smoke- 

 house so that no two pieces touch. The fire may then be 

 started, using the materials as suggested above. A very 

 small slow fire is started, and care should be taken to see 

 that at no time the fire gets too hot, and to see that there 

 is ventilation at the top to keep from cooking or over- 

 heating the pieces hung in the top. ft is not necessary 

 to do the smoking all at once, ft is best to let the smok- 

 ing cover a period of two or three weeks, starting the 

 fire up every two or three days and continuing until the 

 meat is of the desired color. 



Smokehouses. — Any tight house with a ventilator in 

 the top can be used to smoke meat in. E\'ery farm should 

 have a suitable smokehouse. These can be constructed 

 ver}^ cheaply from rough lumber, and they will soon re- 

 pay for themseh-es in better meat. In building smoke- 

 houses the most modern plans call for the fireplace out- 

 side with means of conducting the smoke in. This elimi- 

 nates overheating and dangers from fires, and the work 

 can be made a little lighter. 



Sacking and keeping. — After meats are smoked they 

 may be kept hanging in the smokehouse for a short time, 

 if the house is kept dark and dry. If the meat is to be 

 kept for any length of time it should be covered. In 

 nearly every section skippers make it necessary for extra 

 precautions to be taken. To properly prepare meat for 



