| I May, 1900.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 355 
7 
: Hin are cured and smoked they should be repeppered to guard against 
‘mm, and then bagged. ‘These hams are improved with age, and are in 
} {lection when one year old. For small lots I have used to 100 Ib. meat 6 Ib. 
: the Salt, 2 lb. brown sugar, 4 0z. fine saltpetre, and 4:0z. black pepe -Mix 
} , oughly and rub in well all over the meat and especially around the bones. 
; Peat this twice at intervals of several days or a week, when the meat will be 
| ,'Md to be well salted. Be sure the salt is dry and hot when it is applied, for 
| . “Meat will take it better than if it is damp. Now comes the smoking, which 
. Wily as important as the curing. Hang the meat in a tight smoke-house ; the 
| Stter it is built the quicker and more uniform the smoke will be. T cut the 
ned m small pieces, and use an old milk pan or iron kettle to hold the fire. 
| 0% fire of shavings and corn cobs, and when well started put on several 
| 2eces of wood and cover with another pan or something of the kind. If the 
Gs Is set just over the edge, enough draught is caused to make the wood 
| toulder and smoke without giving out much heat. Never smoke on a windy 
j i €cause the wind will drive the smoke to the leeward side of the house. A 
» uniform smoke should be maintained until the meat assumes a beautiful, 
| 3°Sy brown; a heavy dark-brown is not desired. This will take from four 
st to a ménth, depending on the quantity of meat and the tightness of the 
1 bee Meat cured and smoked as above described will be sweet, juicy, and 
q Ven Well, and if it is the proper kind’ at killing time will be found the 
| ection of excellence.— own and Country Journal. 
0 CARE OF THE SHPARATOR 
}4¢, the large quantity of separators used on farms, there are many looked 
id worked in a very slipshod sort of fashion. We have come across 
| ,P@ators out of use and thought worn out, which have simply become clogged 
With dirt, and on this account alone unworkable. Now, using a separator 
};,.° this fashion iy a serious matter, and means considerable loss, besides 
iy quvenience in having to revert to the shallow-pan system of creaming, which 
} mag extra labour and space for its carrying out. 
Th Fi € loss principally experienced is found in haying to return the machine 
Tilo, Maker (as thought for repairs), but a large proportion are simply 
| *ughly cleaned and returned. 
h using a separator, the first point to be observed to ensure perfect 
j Wha on is that of heating the milk to the proper temperature. If it can be 
| toh tod straight from the,cow, so much the better, as the temperature is about 
Joy, 2,224 the milk will require no heating up, which is a somewhat tedious 
| tijge p02 When it has to be performed by immersing the pails in hot water to 
Ii Of covrse it is not always practicable to separate the milk as soon as 
by “hed, as this would entail separating twice daily, which is not necessary for 
| “making purposes, and only needed where there is a sale for fresh cream. 
| the” t8 well never to separate under a temperature of 86 degrees Fahr., and 
ny sher above this point the better, the cleanest skimming being obtained at 
ty osing heat—namely, 160 degrees Fahr. to 170 degrees Fahr. If the milk 
} iy, Put through at a temperature of 100 degrees, so much the better, but it is 
| marine to evenly regulate the temperature of all the milk to the point at 
ty tt is decided to separate. Up to 115 degrees Fahr. the lactic ferment is in 
7 || aia injured, and the cream will ripen naturally, but above this point 
oe tye of starter or sour buttermilk, &c., although not essential, will be best 
Yan © proper ripening of cream and success in butter-making. Straining milk 
| iy: portant feature. All milk put into the feeding vat should be thoroughly 
| ty 4 as bits of straw passing into the bowl of the machine, although not 
bas Into the milk or cream, get held up in the separator slime, and all helps 
‘tke and interfere with the Pree working. Granted that the milk when 
Nyy 8 strained through the ordinary wire strainer, a piece of muslin answers 
| ’ Yell for putting over the feed vat into which the milk is placed. 
Se having once separated milk by centrifugal force is too old-fashioned, 
