good
flavor to the meat. It was thought formerly that black pepper, applied to
meat before smoking it, would keep the bacon bug (Dermestes) "skippers"
from being troublesome. But it is now known that the skipper skips just as
lively where the pepper is. The meat is hung upon sticks or on hooks
overhead very close together, without actually touching, and is ready for
smoking.

THE SMOKEHOUSE.

The meat house is of course one with an earth, brick, or cement floor,
where the fire for the smoke is made in a depression in the center of the
room, so as to be as far as possible from the walls. A few live coals are
laid down, and a small fire is made of some dry stuff. As it gets well to
burning, the fire is smothered with green hickory or oak wood, and a
basket of green chips from the oak or hickory woodpile is kept on hand and
used as required to keep the fire smothered so as to produce a great smoke
and but little blaze. If the chips are too dry they are kept wet with
water. Care is taken not to allow the fire to get too large and hot, so as
to endanger the meat hung nearest to it. Should the fire grow too strong,
as it sometimes will, a little water is thrown on, a bucketful of which is
kept always on hand. The fire requires constant care and nursing to keep
up a good smoke and no blaze. Oak and hickory chips or wood impart the
best color to meat. Some woods, as pine, ailanthus, mulberry and
persimmon, are very objectionable, imparting a disagreeable flavor to the
bacon. Corn cobs make a good smoke for meat, but they must be wet before
laying them on the fire. Hardwood sawdust is sometimes advantageously used
in making a fire for smoking meats. No blaze is formed, and if it burns
too freely can be readily checked by sprinkling a little water upon it.
This is a popular method in parts of Europe, and in that country damp
wheat straw is also sometimes used to some extent.

COMBINED SMOKEHOUSE AND OVEN.

The oven, shown in Fig. 18, occupies the front and that part of the
interior which is represented in our illustration by the dotted lines. The
smokehouse occupies the rear, and extends over the oven. The advantages of
this kind of building are the perfect dryness secured, which is of great
importance in preserving the meat, and the economy in building the two
together, as the smoke that escapes from the oven may be turned into the
smokehouse. This latter feature, however, will not commend itself to many
who prefer the