Vacation Land — The National Forests in Oregon Sixtg 



CAMP COOKERY 



COOKING FIRE FOR A SMALL CAMP ^ 



There are many ways of building the cooking fire. The essential in each case, 

 however, is a good permanent draft; but do not build the fire against a log or a tree 

 or in a place where it may spread. The draft may be secured best by the method 

 usually employed in sheep camps. The site is chosen and an excavation is made, 

 the soil being removed to a depth of 12 inches, or approximately the depth of the 

 shovel. The hole thus made should be at least 3 or 4 feet in \\'idth. The side 

 exposed to the prevailing vrind is then shoveled away, allo^nng the free entrance 

 of air. This opening is the front of the cooking fire. The air going in passes 

 along the side walls to the rear and thence upward, thus perfecting the draft. 

 Select two green poles of sufficient length to extend over the ends of the hole (4 to 

 6 inches in diameter), one to senx as a back log, the other as a front log. Lay 

 the poles over the hole, spacing them the proper distance to support a camp kettle, 

 frying pan, or coffee pot. Kindle the fire beneath and proceed ^Hth the cooking. 

 The poles can be replaced from day to day as they burn away. 



When cooking frying-pan bread by reflected heat, usually a dry front pole is 

 preferred to a green one, because the drier pole, being somewhat charred, com- 

 bines with the hot coals beneath to produce a greater amount of reflected heat. 



Be sure to clear away all dead t^^4gs, leaves, or other combustible material for 

 a distance of 6 feet to the fresh mineral soil. 



CR.\XE FOR CAMP KETTLE 



In constructing a crane for camp kettles the height of the pole should be ap- 

 proximately shoulder high. The kettles should be suspended by pothooks made 

 from small, tough saplings, trimmed to leave a projecting fork to suspend the 

 kettle from the crane, and having at the other end a notch cut or small nail driven 

 in at an angle to hold the kettle bail. No. 9 wire is also good for the purpose. 

 The hook may then be grasped at a sufficient height above the fire to prevent burn- 

 ing the hands. By having pothooks of different lengths the desired intensity of 

 heat can be secured by regulating the distance of the pot from the fire. 



• A poition of the sutr^estions on cocking and of the recipes is taken from Rulletin 76. "Camp Cooker^'." 1 f the 

 Oregon Acrticultural Collece. 



