=Preservatives.=--Previous to the enactment of the Pure Food Laws the liberal use of preservatives made the handling of summer sausage, while always requiring care, a matter of not so great consequence as at present. Now, the only preservative used is the agent saltpetre, and such preservative help as is obtained from the spices which are used. These conditions require the use of absolutely sweet materials. =Cooling Room.=--Clean airy cooling rooms are necessary. They should be provided with spreading shelves of sufficient area to allow the cut spiced meats to be spread from twelve to forty-eight hours so as to enable the spices, saltpetre and salt to permeate the product before stuffing and to make the meat firm. If the sausage is stuffed immediately after it is rocked, it is liable to wrinkle in the smoke house, which gives it an unsavory appearance. Temperature of room should be 37° F. =Stuffing.=--The stuffing should be performed in a semi-cool room, using mechanical or hand operated stuffers at a moderate pressure. Some manufacturers use steam or hydraulic equipment, but these are usually arranged so that no moisture, condensation or drip comes in contact with the meats. The temperature of the room should be about 45° F. =Hanging Room.=--A hanging room in which the temperature can be properly controlled should be available in which the sausage can be hung until the casings are sufficiently dried for smoking. While the sausage should be dry, it should not be allowed to become so dry that the casings are glossy or hard. This is a very important matter as the sausage will not take the correct color if the smoke does not penetrate the casings, or if they are allowed to become too dry. This applies particularly to sausage stuffed in beef middles, also to sausage stuffed in hog bungs, though not to so great an extent. In preparing the sausage for the smoking process, by endeavoring to prevent the sausage from becoming too dry there is danger of their becoming slimy, which is more detrimental than excessive dryness. Slimy sausage will not take the smoke and will sour quickly if not properly handled. Sausage in both beef casings and hog casings should be dried before smoking, so that the outside will feel about dry to the touch. In order to obtain this result it is necessary to have plenty of hanging room so that the proper temperature and ventilation is available for the entire lot of sausage which is being prepared for smoke. If the sausage is too closely hung it should be moved about from the center to the sides of the room occasionally so that all the sausage receives the same ventilation.