NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 39

NOTES AND QUERIES.

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Wager.—The piece of wood and baric were submitted to Mr D. Tannoek, who believes the sample is of native cedar (Libocedrus J bidwillie). It is generally found at an N altitude of from 1000 ft to 2000 ft. The wood is' of a dark red colour, straight-grained, and solid. It was described by the late /Mr Buchanan 'as having soft, worthless wood, while the late Mr W. N. Blair declared it was one of the most durable. Oiago. A Farmer, .asks for a cure for greasy heels. ' acetate of lead and sulphate of zinc m a pint and a-half of rain water, and apply. If this fails, substitute a 10 per cent, solution of Jeyes' fluid or a lotion of alum, one pint. Keep the limb as clean and dry as possible, and do not wash ths legs en return from work. A. few doses oi alterative medicine might bs- useful. Scally.—A paper of rules and directions concerning the game is supplied with the purchase of the balls and game. Your best plan would be to apply to a shop where it is sold. Livingstone.—Caustic soda dissolved in water is what is generally termed lye in ordinary usage. Maungatua—The dry curing of bacon may be thus carried out: Immediately after cutting up and trimming, the surface of the flesh should be dusted over with equal parts of fine salt and finely-ground saltpetre. This is best effected either through a horse-hair sieve or a flour sifter. Only lio-ht dusting is required, and this is allowed to remain on for 24 hours, and then washed off. It acts as a mordant to fix or render permanent the natural flesh colour of the meat, which is a most important consideration in all meat preservation. Take fine.dairy salt 50lb, brown sugar 6lb, saltpetre (powdered) 2lb; mix well. The above is for a considerable quantity; for smaller quantities reduce in proportion. For the first three or four days the mixture should be rubbed in over the fleshy parts and around the bones and joints. Afterwards spread the. mixture freely over the sides—say, twice a week, — allowing more salt, etc., on the hams and shoulders, less along the back, and least of all on the bellies. Stack the sides (flesh side up) one on top of the other, and in such a position that as the salt dissolves it will run towards the thicker portions of the side and to the ham and v shoulder. -Alternate the stacking, so that the side on top one day will be at the bottom the following day, and so-on. About 14 days are required in the stack, accordto the size of the sides. _ When a sweet, juicy, mild-cured bacon is required, the following may be used instead of the foregoing:—Sugar and salt (medium), in equal parts, well mixed. This bacon does not keep sweet so long as that carrying less sugar. To impart a distinctive flavour, this famous French recipe is given:—Fine dairy salt 6lb, brown sugar 6lb, allspice lib, mustard lib, saltpetre loz, bicarbonate of soda loz. Rub over the flesh 'daily for three days, and afterwards follow as advised above, turning the sides each time the meat is restacked. At the conclusion of this salting process the meat is removed from the curing stack or vat, and the sides prepared for the final processes. Take each piece separately, and drop on to a table or bench, so as to "knock out" any free salt that may be left on the side. Any loose pieces of fat or flesh could also be cut off, and the meat then placed in a vat of cold water in which lib of bicarbonate of soda had been dissolved for every 20 gallons of water. This eoda solution removes excessive saltiness, and makes the curing milder. Allow the meat to remain in the solution (flesh side down) for '24 hours, then remove end wash wel! in a bath of lukewarm water (90cleg Palir.). If necessary, any further trimming can bt done now, and any sharp pieces of bone cut off, leaving the side neat and_ shapely Hang-in a room free from dust and insecis, with a full current of air, for, say, three days. The drying U very important, for if this is not property done tho meat will not take the smoke well. When sufficiently

dry and ready for smoking, lightly rub olive oil over the skin and fksh, and the meat is ready for smoking. The smoke creates a distinct antiseptic or preservative action, apart from the dried albuminoid coating, by depositing on the surface creosote, formaldehyde, and pyroligneous or crude acetic acid. These check the action, and growth of putrefactive organisms and their processes, retard decomposition, and impart a delicate and appetising flavour. The effect of all is nullified if the meat has not been properly dried before being placed in the smokehouse.