Online Exhibit: Cooking and Food Preparation: Camp Cookery

While Kephart certainly excelled in his knowledge of camping and outdoor life in general, he developed a particular specialty in camp cooking. His publications included the book, Camp Cookery, which was later incorporated into the revised edition of Camping and Woodcraft.

Kephart demonstrated his sense of business as a freelance writer in his response requesting him to serve as an expert on the subject for Adventure magazine. Here he not only accepted the potential work, but also proposed a small publication that might bring further income.

Given Kephart's interest in the subject, it is not surprising that a large portion of the Horace Kephart Collection contains research materials including a series of brochures from the Department of Agriculture concerning specific foods and their nutrition values.

My dear Mr. Kephart:

It was suggested that you may be interested in the following:

Under new ownership, Adventure will this fall enter the general magazine class to which it properly belongs. High grade paper, dignified appearance, improved all through, backed by strong promotion, keeping its present features but developing them to the limit. We're going to make it the "trade journal of all the outdoors" and in our "A.A." department we want sports covered thoroughly and by the best experts in its various branches.

The "Ask Adventure" department is our free question and answer bureau on outdoor topics. Last year the seventy or more experts who conduct it answered letters from our readers from all parts of the world. Their answers cover all variety of outdoor activity except sports. In the new and improved magazine it will be necessary for us to take care of this subject also.

Can you help us by becoming our expert on Camp Cooking?

Our experts are paid fifty cents for each letter answered and we supply postage, stationary and printed copies of the answers found most in demand.

We shall be glad to explain at length anything connected with the work which may not be clear to you. Specimen pages are enclosed.

The new magazine goes to press within a short time and we are therefore anxious to hear from you as soon as possible.

Very truly yours,

Managing Editor.

Horace Kephart, Esq.
Macmillan
60-5th Avenue,
New York City.

Adventure
The Butterick Publishing Company
Butterick Building, New York, N.Y., U.S.A.
Joseph Cox
Managing Editor
October 14, 1926

Dear Mr. Kephart

The enclosed is a carbon of my first letter to you inviting you to serve as expert in the "Ask Adventure" department. We should be deeply gratified if you should see fit to do so.

Thank you for your congratulations on our new dress. Did you see the review of "Our Southern Highlanders" on page 220? We were glad to be able to recommend the book.

If there is anything I can explain further about the "Ask Adventure" work, I shall be glad to do so.

Very truly yours,
Joseph Cox
Managing Editor.

Horace Kephart, Esq.,
Bryson City, N. C.

Oct. 23, 1926.

Mr. Joseph Cox, Managing Editor
Adventure, New York.

Dear Mr. Cox:-

I have just returned from a motoring trip in the South and find you letter of the 14th in my mail, along with copy of one you sent me Aug. 2 in care of the Macmillan Company, New York. I am sorry that the last named never reached me.

I will undertake to serve as expert on Camp Cooking for your "Ask Adventure" department, at the rate mentioned.

It is my experience that a good deal of the correspondence on this topic relates to the selection of food stuffs and the proportion or weights of the components. Much labor would be saved if a circular were printed giving facts on which ration lists might be based, along with a sample list or two: say four pages octavo. If you say so, I will send you copy for it.

Sincerely,