After it has taken salt sufficiently, the old Virginia mode is to break the bulk, shake off the salt, rub the joint pieces (hams and shoulders) with good, green-wood ashes (hickory preferred). Then rebulk it and let it remain two weeks longer, when it should be hung up with the joints down and the other pieces may be hung up for smoking at the same time. It is not necessary that the smoke-house should be very tight, but it is important that the pork should not be very close to the fire. A smothered fire made of small billets of wood or chips (hickory preferred), or of corn cobs, should be made up three times a day till the middle of March or first of April, when the joint pieces should be taken down and packed in hickory or other green-wood ashes, as in salt, where they will remain all the summer without danger of bugs interfering with them. This recipe has been obtained from an old Virginia family, famous for their skill in this department of housekeeping. This mode of curing makes the best bacon in the world, far superior to what are generally called Virginia cured hams. Shoat (which I must explain to the uninitiated is a term applied in the South to a young pig past the age when it may be cooked whole) should be kept up and fattened on buttermilk, several weeks before being killed, as this makes the flesh extremely delicate. It is best killed when between two and three months old. It should then be divided into four quarters. It is more delicate and wholesome eaten cold. PORK STEAK. Remove the skin, beat without breaking into holes; scald with boiling water, wipe dry and broil. When brown lay in a hob dish. Sprinkle over pepper, salt, a little sage, chopped onion, and parsley; then butter profusely. Grate over all hard biscuit or crackers that have been browned and serve.--_Mrs. S. T._ SPARE-RIBS. Pork chop and pork cutlet may be cooked in the same way, omitting the onion if not liked.--_Mrs. T._ PORK SPARE-RIB. With stuffing of sage and onions, roasted spare-rib, done over the potatoes, affords a good substitute for goose. SPARE-RIBS. Always parboil spare-ribs: then broil with pepper and salt; cut in pieces three or four bones each.--_Mrs. W._ _Spare-Ribs._ Cut them into pieces of two or three ribs each; put them into a covered stewpan and boil or stew until perfectly done. Just before you take them out, add salt, pepper, and minced parsley. Put on the cover and simmer until well seasoned. Take them out of the pan, drain and dry them. For one moment let them scorch on a gridiron over a bed of hot coals; lay on a hot dish; butter each one; pepper added; sift over browned cracker and serve.--_Mrs. S. T._ TO COOK SPARE-RIBS AND GRISKIN OR SHORT-RIBS.