"Smoling" refers to how moles can find their way around. Since they have very poor eyesight, if any, they must use their other senses. Their sense of smell, which even works underground, is very keen indeed, and is known as "smoling".
It is not well known, however, that at one time in England, during the mid to late Victorian era in fact, many of the upper classes kept moles as pets. They would keep their moles close by, as the moles had a habit of getting lost if not tended to constantly. One of the favorite methods of keeping the moles happy while close to hand would be by the mole keeper wearing a special jacket, which had a number of interconnected pockets filled with highly odiferous dirt and mud. The happy little mole in the jacket would make its merry way from one pocket to another, using it's sense of smell. The jacket worn by the mole keeper was, of course, known as a "smoling jacket."
Washing smoling jackets is frowned upon, of course, as the process rids the jacket of the dirt and mud that makes the jacket valuable inthe first place. Dry cleaning is even worse, because of the chemicals used. An occasional stroll in a light spring rain, however, can freshen the garment without damaging it in any way.
